Crime feeds upon itself like rats fighting over cheese.
Nightshade Part 1: The Claws of Sutekh, more commonly known simply as Nightshade, is a game for the NES released in 1991 — the very end of that system's life. For plenty of reasons, the game was not successful and faded into obscurity. Yet, in recent years (thanks to internet and particularly The Happy Video Game Nerd), it has became something of a Cult Classic.The game chronicles the rise of Badass Normal vigilante "Nightshade". Armed with only a hat and trenchcoat, some shades (at night), and his fists, he's out to clean up crime-riddenMetro City, now swarming with gangsters since the death of its former super-hero, Vortex. Nightshade's main priority is trying to track down the Diabolical Mastermind who's controlling them, Sutekh.Very tongue in cheek and only taking itself seriously when necessary, Nightshade combines two very different kind of game-play: Point-and-click adventure with a (rather unpolished) fighting system. Don't be fooled though, Nightshade is really, really hard. You'll die, many times, which leads to something particularly original in the game: Your continues play out in the form of Death Traps that you have to escape from. If you manage to escape, you get to live for another day, if you don't... well. This doesn't mean you have infinite continues though; after a few traps, you'll be placed in an inescapable one.Seeing how obscure this game is, it's no surprise that the franchise never got to Nightshade part 2. Luckily, it has spawned the Spiritual Successor SNES game Shadowrun.There is a very interesting article in the Might Have Been column on GameSetWatch trying to explain why this game flopped. Give it a look if you can.Not to be confused with PS2 game called Nightshade (Kunoichi).
This game provides examples of:
555: The glyphs in Sutekh's hideout actually say, "Are you reading this? Then so are your customers! Contact Sutekh at 555-EVIL"
Better than a Bare Bulb: Nightshade has a Monty Python sense of humor toward the superhero genre. This is established on the very first screen. ("For no readily explainable reason, there is a candle burning here.")
Boring, but Practical: It's easy to forget you have a crowbar and screwdriver, but they're useful for prying open grates and switchboxes.
Boss Rush: Unless you had the foresight to cover the four artifacts with domes, the game throws all four crime bosses at you in the final hallway before Sutekh.
Continuing Is Painful: Continuing the game is a puzzle in itself. If Nightshade gets knocked out, the villain ties him up in a trap, and you have to figure out how to escape before Nightshade gets killed. This is virtually a guaranteed Game Over the first few times.
Conveniently-Placed Sharp Thing: A variant in the start of the game, as you use a Conveniently Placed Candle to burn ropes holding you to a chair. Played totally straight in one of the death traps, where you use a piece of frayed metal to free yourself.
Crucified Hero Shot: Vortex is shown hanging from manacles in the opening cinematic.
Death Trap: Each time you lose, Sutekh tosses you into another slow-moving and overly-elaborate trap.
Incredibly Obvious Bomb: Complete with fuse. Hiding behind a wall protects Nightshade from the blast, as the bomb is of shoddy quality.
Conveyor Belt-O-Doom: If you get caught by Sutekh early on in the game (by running out of life), you get strapped to one of these. It's possible to free yourself, but if you make a mistake, the belt speeds up, leading you to a rather messy death.
Good Old Fisticuffs: Nightshade doesn't have any gadgets, or powers — just his fists.
The English gents insist on fighting by Queensberry Rules.
Gotta Catch 'Em All: Your goal is to enter Sutekh's hideout by collecting five scarabs. A secondary objective is to find four Egyptian artifacts before Sutekh steals them.
Grimy Water: The sewer has rivers of toxic waste for you to avoid.
Hypocritical Humor: When you examine the old lady NPCs, Nightshade waxes poetic about old people being the "pillars of society. It's people like this I wage my war on crime for. And you can't even see the glue."
It's All Upstairs From Here: A modest example would be Goliath's penthouse. There's no way in, so Nightshade must leap onto the elevator and climb the sides of the building to the roof.
Joe Sent Me: Make friends with the nut vendor and he'll refer you to his brother, who guards the back door to a club.
"Goodness gracious! You look like the sort of person who's recently spoken to my brother! Why don't you go through this back door?"
Joke Item: The curio shop sells a fake Staff of Ra.
Legitimate Businessmen's Social Club: Each of the crime bosses (exempting King Rat) hides out in a restaurant or club. The ninjas also run a clothing boutique.
Living Statue: The statues of Sutekh come to life when you pass by.
Nintendo Hard: Not the least because it's an "all the way in one long play" game, highly unusual in a point-and-click adventure.
Not so Different: Suthekh is eventually revealed to be just some geek in a costume, like Nightshade.
If that's not enough for you, there's a lost pizza boy in the sewers asking for a "Mr. Caravaggio," referencing the TMNT being named after Italian artists.
Speaks Fluent Animal: Nightshade can talk to cats after you read certain graffiti. Inexplicably, he can speak to squirrels, rats, and seagulls inherently.
"Nightshade had a long and meaningful conversation with the rat. Both feel they have been enriched by the experience."
A Spot Of Tea: Confronting Lord Muck in the Pyramid Club. "Oh dear, this always happens at tea time."
Stillborn Franchise: The "Part One" and subtitle imply that this was meant to be part of a larger franchise, though it could be yet another gag.
Surprise Creepy: Vortex's corpse is still chained up in the sewers. It's amazing that Nintendo didn't catch this one.
Taking Up The Mantle: Nightshade pledges to carry on where Vortex failed. For some reason, Vortex foresaw this and left behind numerous hints and power-ups.
Thememobile: Vortex's car. (Sadly, you can't drive it.)
Tin Tyrant: Sutekh dresses up like the jackal-headed God of Chaos (alternatively spelled "Set").
Trade Snark: Protecting the streets from The Cloying Grasp of Evil™.
"Sutekh: Beware the Staff of Ra. (Ominous Warnings Ltd.)"
Trouble Entendre: The clothing store girl offers to read Nightshade's horoscope: "You will assaulted by a ninja with, like, incredible dress sense."
Likewise, the waitress warn against going into the back room, or else "breakages may occur."
Unusually Uninteresting Sight: "It's just a horribly beweaponed girl in a skin-tight martial arts costume. Nothing unusual."
trying to explain why this game flopped. Give it a look if you can.Not to be confused with PS2 game called Nightshade (Kunoichi).
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