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1994 video game From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Are You Afraid of the Dark: The Tale of Orpheo's Curse is a 1994 video game for DOS and Macintosh,[1] developed by Viacom New Media.[2] It is based on the TV show Are You Afraid of the Dark?,[3] and has been described as a Myst clone[4] with Myst-like graphics.[5] Producers from the network behind the brand collaborated with developers and oversaw the games.[6]
| Are You Afraid of the Dark? The Tale of Orpheo's Curse | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Viacom New Media |
| Publisher(s) | Viacom New Media |
| Writer(s) | Raymond Benson |
| Composer(s) | George Sanger |
| Series | Are You Afraid of the Dark? |
| Platform(s) | DOS, Macintosh |
| Release | 1994 |
| Genre(s) | Adventure, Horror |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Donna L. Friedman served as managing producer for Nickelodeon Interactive/Viacom New Media, where she led Nickelodeon's entry into the multimedia publishing business with games such as Are You Afraid of the Dark? and The Tale of Orpheo's Curse.[7] A.l. Nilsen, VP-marketing for Viacom New Media, said "We have gone to great lengths to re-create the actual text and content of the TV programs our viewers enjoy in an interactive platform."[8] Louis Fournier, Cinar VP of sales and marketing said "the CD-ROM is the strongest extension of the TV show that you’ll find today. And it is reaching the audience in a different fashion; the CD-ROM will enrich the viewers".[9] Raymond Benson co-designed the game and wrote the screenplay.[10][11]
The game was part of a trend that saw Hollywood studios making video game adaptions of projects. This posed a challenge for the Screen Actors Guild due to residuals, actor salaries, dense scripts, and the realities of filming.[12]
In December 1994, Viacom was in the final testing phase of the game.[13] The game didn't receive much advertising, and as a result, is rare.[14]
Much of the critical reception surrounded the game's lack of violence.
Mr. Bill's Adventureland said the game was "engrossing entertainment".[15] Electronic Entertainment felt the game offered "limitless possibilities".[16] The Washington Post wrote the game is "proof that interactive fiction doesn't need violence, gore or sex".[17] (This was only a year or two after the video game violence congressional hearings over Mortal Kombat and Night Trap.)[18] Sun-Sentinel said the game had a spooky atmosphere but was ultimately harmless.[19] Just Adventure deemed it a great game for kids, and bemoaned its lack of sequels.[20] Machome felt the non-violent theme would be appealing to parents.[21] Gamecreate deemed it "clunky".[22] Adventure Gamers wrote that at the core of the title is a clever idea, implemented well.[23]
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