History YMMV / EternalDarkness

** Although as TwoBestFriends pointed out there is absolutely no reason to ever not aim for the head.

* ExecutiveMeddling: [[http://kotaku.com/5955223/what-went-wrong-with-silicon-knights-x+men-destiny A positive example.]] The companies attitude towards design and management is and was rather draconian, and it was only due to Nintendo demanding and enforcing a product that was up to the brand name's standards that the game was as good as it is.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: [[spoiler:Mantorok]]. MagnificentBastard who created a [[spoiler:millennia-spanning XanatosRoulette and exploited an EnemyMine situation with humanity in order to eliminate the only possible checks on his power]]? Ultimately benign entity who is willing to coexist peacefully with humanity? Some combination of the two? [[TakeAThirdOption A third option]] is he's merely taking {{Revenge}} those who have effectively given him a [[CruelAndUnusualDeath painful death]] lasting thousands of years.

** Activision, as shady a reputation as it has, deserves some credit for lighting a fire under Silicon Knights' butt to get the game done.

* GrowingTheBeard: Subverted. This is considered to be SiliconKnights only good game, and that's largely in part to Nintendo stepping in during development and making changes to bad design when they found it.

* GrowingTheBeard: Odds are very good that this is the game for which Silicon Knights receives the most recognition, and it typically rates as their highest quality work, with ''Blood Omen: LegacyOfKain'' and ''MetalGearSolid: The Twin Snakes'' following.
** Turns out it was due to Nintendo stepping it and helping out.

** Mantorok. That doesn't stop the game from being fun, though- it doesn't deal any more damage than the appropriate next step in the ElementalRockPaperScissors, and its only side-effect is a mild health degeneration. Its buffs target everything, but are appropriately slowed down- usually, if you want health, you want Chattur'gha. It does, however, turn the "reveal" spell [[{{Invisibility}} inside out]], making most combat an absolute walkover and letting you [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential mess with your enemies while they can't see or attack you]].

* FollowTheLeader: When showcasing the game as a classic favourite of his, [[WebVideo/TheSpoonyExperiment Spoony]] actually expressed surprise it's novel combat system ''[[{{Averted}} wasn't]]'' copied in future titles.

** "Pargon!"

* FollowTheLeader: When showcasing the game as a classic favourite of his, [[TheSpoonyExperiment Spoony]] actually expressed surprise it's novel combat system ''[[{{Averted}} wasn't]]'' copied in future titles.

* {{Mondegreen}}: Does casting a 9-point spell with Ulyaoth or Chattur'gha result in an EldritchAbomination chanting the word "hard-on"? Some people also insist that the green Magick Attack spell ("Antorbok Redgormor Xel'lotath") sounds like "Enter my realm of [[TheLegendOfZelda Zelda]]". Also, the three-point Recover Health spell sounds like "You're a cross-eyed [[TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles Ninja Turtle]]".
** Chattur'gha's speech is particularly garbled, resulting in a lot of this when spellcasting.

* {{Mondegreen}}: Does casting a 9-point spell with Ulyaoth or Chattur'gha result in an EldritchAbomination chanting the word "hard-on"? Some people also insist that the green Magick Attack spell ("Antorbok Redgormor Xel'lotath") sounds like "Enter my realm of [[TheLegendOfZelda Zelda]]". Also, the three-point Recover Health spell sounds like "You're a cross-eyed [[TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles Ninja Turtle]]"

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: MagnificentBastard who created a [[spoiler:millennia-spanning XanatosRoulette and exploited an EnemyMine situation with humanity in order to eliminate the only possible checks on his power]]? Ultimately benign entity who is willing to coexist peacefully with humanity? Some combination of the two? [[TakeAThirdOption A third option]] is he's merely taking {{Revenge}} those who have effectively given him a [[CruelAndUnusualDeath painful death]] lasting thousands of years.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Xel'lotath. Probably the most popular of the Ancients. It's dialogue and split personality delivers a lot of darkly amusing moments.

* FollowTheLeader: When showcasing the game as a classic favourite of his [[TheSpoonyExperiment Spoony]] actually expressed surprise it's novel combat system ''[[{{Averted}} wasn't]]'' copied in future titles.

** Anthony, who despite fighting against all odds, being cursed, knowing he's likely a dead man and [[spoiler: ultimately failing]]. The fact he spent [[spoiler: 600 years suffering before Paul released him from his torment]] doesn't make it better for him.
** Paul Luther, who spends the duration of his story completely out of his depth and terrified out of his wits. Ultimately his fate [[spoiler: at the hands of the Guardian and the look on his face]] cant help but make you feel for the man.
** Karim ends up falling for a woman who sends him on an impossible quest to gain her affection. When he actually manages to reach his goal he discovers she's slept with the first rich charmer who came along. [[spoiler: And is now dead because of it]]. Despite this he still loves her and agrees to stay and guard the artifact sacrificing his own life. When Robert finally releases Karim from his duty it's clear the ''only'' thing he believes was gained from his sacrifice was aiding humanity.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: MagnificentBastard who created a [[spoiler:millennia-spanning XanatosRoulette and exploited an EnemyMine situation with humanity in order to eliminate the only possible checks on his power]]? Ultimately benign entity who is willing to coexist peacefully with humanity? Some combination of the two? [[TakeAThirdOption A third option]] is he's merely destroying those who have effectively given him a [[CruelAndUnusualDeath painful death]] lasting thousands of years.

* MostAnnoyingSound: When playing Anthony's chapter, prepare to hear the ItemGet choir ''a lot''.

* FridgeBrilliance: To advance in the tutorial level, Pious must at one point destroy a statue of himself - this serves to teach the player how to target specific body parts on enemies. When later characters go to the mausoleum to claim the Tome, his desecrated statue appears among all the others, which are intact. The others are all the heroes who have claimed the Tome and their place in its history, sacrificing themselves to ultimately destroy the Ancient. Pious' destruction of his own statue is symbolic of his fall from grace, as he then goes on to become the Liche, the Ancient's champion.

* FridgeBrilliance: To advance in the tutorial level, Pious must at one point destroy a statue of himself. When later characters go to the mausoleum to claim the Tome, his desecrated statue appears among all the others, which are intact. The others are all the heroes who have claimed the Tome and their place in its history, sacrificing themselves to ultimately destroy the Ancient. Pious' destruction of his own statue is symbolic of his fall from grace, as he then goes on to become the Liche, the Ancient's champion.

* FollowTheLeader: When showcasing the game as a classic favourite of his [[TheSpoonyExperiment Spoony]] actually expressed surprise it's novel combat system ''[[{{Averted}} wasn't]]'' copied in future titles.

* MostAnnoyingSound: When playing Anthony's chapter, prepare to hear the ItemGet choir ''[[{{Understatement}} a lot]]''.