History VideoGame / ShadowOfTheBeast

* WeaponOfChoice: A spiked ball on a chain in the second game, Shurikens in the third.

* NiceHat: Aarbron gets one in the third game.

* WasOnceAMan: Aarbron in the first game is a humanoid transformed into a humanoid, demon-like LivingWeapon.

* WasOnceAMan: Aarbron in the first game.

* MagicalSeventhSon: According to the ''VideoGame/ShadowOfTheBeast'' remake, Aarbron was the seventh offspring of a seventh child. This is the reason he was chosen to become the beast messenger.

''Shadow of the Beast II'' continues from the first game. While Maletoth is still at large, Aarbron's actions in the first game have allowed him to regain some of his original human form (although he still remains a HalfHumanHybrid), while drinking from a pool of water he sees a vision brought on by Maletoth to taunt him, where he finds out his sister has been kidnapped and taken to the region of Kara-Moon. Aarbron ventures into unknown territory to rescue her... The sequel kept the visuals and soundtrack quality of the original game, and also attempted a more non-linear style of gameplay. It was just as Nintendo Hard (if not moreso) and still had several Trial and Error Gameplay and Unwinnable moments (and in most cases required things to be done in a specific order, compromising the seemingly non-linear world); with the novelty of the original game's style fading a little it got a weaker reception overall.

As well as the SceneryPorn and CrowningMusicOfAwesome, the change in the hero is also somewhat notable. In the first game, Aarbron can only use melee attacks outside of a few special items, in the second game Aarbron uses a spiked ball on a chain that allows for some minor ranged ability, and in the last game, while Aarbron has lost his superhuman strength, he has apparently gained some inexplicable ninja skills as he uses shurikens throughout, along with a couple of other ranged weapons.

The original is based around a child called Aarbron being kidnapped by servants of the Beast lord, Maletoth, and taken to his realm (the nature of the series' world at large is somewhat ambiguous), then brainwashed and corrupted into a Beast over the years by evil magic. One day, while watching some sacrifices, he recognizes one of the dying victims as his father, and with the sudden remembrance of his past (and the Beast transformation [[CursedWithAwesome conveniently making him superhumanly strong]]), begins a RoaringRampageOfRevenge to kill Maletoth. The game was mainly noted for its stunning artwork and soundtrack (seemingly heavily inspired by Creator/RogerDean, such that he designed the CoverArt for the game) and was one of the main {{Trope Codifier}}s for SceneryPorn in VideoGames. It also had a combination of puzzles and combat that was somewhat novel at its time of release and it got positive reviews overall. However, the game was also undistilled NintendoHard and its puzzles were full of TrialAndErrorGameplay and {{Unwinnable}}, which got it some major criticism as well.

A [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/VideoGame/ShadowOfTheBeast2016 remake]] for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 was announced at Gamescom 2013. It was later released on May 17, 2016.

A remake for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 was announced at Gamescom 2013. It was later released on May 17, 2016.

A remake for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 was announced at Gamescomm 2013.

A remake for the PlayStation4 was announced at Gamescomm 2013.

** This continues throughout the series; in the sequel, Aarbon is partially returned to his human form, which resembles a Neanderthals. But it gets even weirder in the third game, in which Aarbron becomes an IndianaJones {{Expy}} with ninja stars who flies a very 1930s-looking airplane.

The original is based around a child called Aarbron being kidnapped by servants of the Beast lord, Maletoth, and taken to his realm (the nature of the series' world at large is somewhat ambiguous), then brainwashed and corrupted into a Beast over the years by evil magic. One day, while watching some sacrifices, he recognizes one of the dying victims as his father, and with the sudden remembrance of his past (and the Beast transformation [[CursedWithAwesome conveniently making him superhumanly strong]]), begins a RoaringRampageOfRevenge to kill Maletoth. The game was mainly noted for its stunning artwork and soundtrack (seemingly heavily inspired by the artist RogerDean, such that he designed the CoverArt for the game) and was one of the main {{Trope Codifier}}s for SceneryPorn in VideoGames. It also had a combination of puzzles and combat that was somewhat novel at its time of release and it got positive reviews overall. However, the game was also undistilled NintendoHard and its puzzles were full of TrialAndErrorGameplay and {{Unwinnable}}, which got it some major criticism as well.

A trilogy of 2D ActionAdventure games with {{Metroidvania}} elements (albeit created before either of these terms were established), published by Creator/{{Psygnosis}}. All three games were originally developed by Reflections Interactive for the {{Amiga}}.

* SuspiciouslySimilarSong: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-qaW2mLEsA As shown in this video]] and [[WordOfGod commented by Tim Wright himself]], the Game Over music and the guitar parts from several other tracks are taken from the ''Series/MiamiVice'' soundtrack.

''Shadow of the Beast II'' continues from the first game. While Maletoth is still at large, Aarbron's actions in the first game have allowed him to regain some of his original human form (although he still remains HalfHumanHybrid), while drinking from a pool of water he sees a vision brought on by Maletoth to taunt him, where he finds out his sister has been kidnapped and taken to the region of Kara-Moon. Aarbron ventures into unknown territory to rescue her... The sequel kept the visuals and soundtrack quality of the original game, and also attempted a more non-linear style of gameplay. It was just as Nintendo Hard (if not moreso) and still had several Trial and Error Gameplay and Unwinnable moments (and in most cases required things to be done in a specific order, compromising the seemingly non-linear world); with the novelty of the original game's style fading a little it got a weaker reception overall.

* SchizoTech: The first game seems to establish a somewhat medieval world (albeit a very alien one)... Then you face biomechanical monstrosities and get a jetpack and laser gun for a [[UnexpectedGameplayChange shoot-'em-up sequence]]. This continues throughout the series, and gets even weirder in the third game, in which Aarbron becomes an IndianaJones {{Expy}} with ninja stars who flies a very 1930s-looking airplane.

These games provide examples of:

''Shadow of the Beast 2'' continues from the first game. While Maletoth is still at large, Aarbron's actions in the first game have allowed him to regain some of his original human form (although he still remains HalfHumanHybrid), while drinking from a pool of water he sees a vision brought on by Maletoth to taunt him, where he finds out his sister has been kidnapped and taken to the region of Kara-Moon. Aarbron ventures into unknown territory to rescue her... The sequel kept the visuals and soundtrack quality of the original game, and also attempted a more non-linear style of gameplay. It was just as Nintendo Hard (if not moreso) and still had several Trial and Error Gameplay and Unwinnable moments (and in most cases required things to be done in a specific order, compromising the seemingly non-linear world); with the novelty of the original game's style fading a little it got a weaker reception overall.

In ''Shadow of the Beast 3'', Aarbron sleeps after killing Zelek, Maletoth's [[TheDragon right-hand man]] ([[WhatHappenedToTheMouse his sister is not referenced again]]) and has a dream where a wizard called Rekann, freed by Zelek's death, tells Aarbron he must find four {{Macguffin}}s to acquire the power to finally kill Maletoth. Waking up, Aarbron realises he has regained his human form. Soon after a plane lands seemingly of its own accord; Aarbron enters and the unmanned plane takes him toward the items he needs, and Maletoth... The visuals and soundtrack were again top-notch. The game had a more linear format to the pseudo Metroidvania design of the earlier games, with the player choosing between four different levels instead (along with a final ending level where Maletoth is fought). While there was still plenty of Trial and Error Gameplay and Unwinnable, the Nintendo Hard was heavily reduced thanks to three lives being provided, along with enhanced ranged abilities, making combat a lot easier; the luster had somewhat faded from the series for reviewers at this point, but it still saw a better reception among reviewers than the second game, and was noted for actually attempting to improve the formula.

A trilogy of 2D ActionAdventure games with {{Metroidvania}} elements (albeit created before either of these terms were established) created by {{Psygnosis}} and designed with the {{Amiga}} as its base platform (although only the first two games saw multiple ports).

* SuspiciouslySimilarSong: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-qaW2mLEsA As shown in this video]] and [[WordOfGod commented by Tim Wright himself]], the Game Over music and the guitar parts from several other tracks are taken from the ''MiamiVice'' soundtrack.

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/256px-Shadow_of_the_beast_cover_art.jpg
[[caption-width:256:The cover of the first game]]

* TheJimmyHartVersion - [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-qaW2mLEsA As shown in this video]] and [[WordOfGod commented by Tim Wright himself]], the Game Over music and the guitar parts from several other tracks are taken from the MiamiVice soundtrack.