History YMMV / EternalDarkness

* CultClassic: Garnered critical acclaim upon its release, and is often considered one of the best games on the [[UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube GameCube]] (and the best game Silicon Knights ever made), but only saw middling sales.

** [[MightMakesRight Chattur'gha, The Ancient of Body]], is the [[MightMakesRight most straightforward and brutal]] of his kin. If chosen, Chattur'gha empowers Pious with the superhuman strength and demands his servant go forth to conduct sacrifice in his name. Wishing for nothing more than to enter the human realm to destroy it, Chattur'gha has Pious murder thousands to appease his bloodlust and comes forth and [[ToServeMan feed humanity to his demonic minions]] in apocalypse to prove his supremacy.

* CultClassic: Garnered critical acclaim upon its release, but merely good sales. It's often considered one of the best games on the [[UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube GameCube]] and the best game Silicon Knights ever made.

** The sanity effect that jokingly promises a "sequel" to the game becomes less funny now that there never ''will'' be a true sequel to this game.

* SpoiledByTheFormat: * ''VideoGame/EternalDarkness'': The game was released in 2002, and the fourth-wall-breaking [[SanityMeter sanity effects]] that simulate someone [[InterfaceScrew messing with your TV or console]] often reflect this when trying to replay it in the present day. Many [=TVs=] during that era would have a series of green rectangles representing volume, display a black screen with "VIDEO" in a corner when there isn't a signal, etc. Playing it on a modern TV, with [[TechnologyMarchesOn all their different ways of presenting such information]] (to say nothing of emulating it on a computer), makes the fact that the game isn't actually altering these settings immediately clear.

* SpoiledByTheFormat: The game was released in 2002, and the fourth-wall-breaking sanity effects that simulate someone messing with your TV or console [[TechnologyMarchesOn often reflect this]]. For example, it was nigh-universal for a television to represent the volume with a series of green rectangles on the bottom fourth of the screen, or merely display a black screen with "VIDEO" in the top left corner when the console is turned off. Modern [=TVs=] not only are extremely unlikely to share this same presentation, but nearly every brand now has their ''own'' manner of presenting this info, making the trickery immediately clear (to say nothing of if you're using an emulator).

** The sanity effects are ultimately this unfortunately. Besides giving the player a potentially paranoia-inducing scare, the effects actually don't hinder the player at all in a gameplay sense. Unless the player is skittish, there really isn't that much of an incentive to conserve or restore sanity.

* SpoiledByTheFormat: The game was released in 2002, and the fourth-wall-breaking sanity effects that simulate someone messing with your TV or console [[TechnologyMarchesOn often reflect this]]. A green rectangle shortening when the TV's volume is lowered, or displaying a black screen with "VIDEO" in a corner when the console is turned off was common for the time, but playing it on a modern TV or emulator makes the trickery immediately clear.

** "This... can't be ''happening!''"[[labelnote:Explanation]]After a sanity effect stops occurring, your character will say some variation of this line. Expect to hear it a lot.[[/labelnote]]

** [[Literature/{{Twilight}} There is a vampire that prominently features in Edward's chapter.]]

* CriticalResearchFailure:
** Early in the game, Edward Roivas refers to himself as a clinical psychologist. However, later, he mentions his training in ''psychiatry''. Clinical psychology and psychiatry are two different fields that require entirely different training and degrees (a Ph.D for psychology, an MD for psychiatry).
*** There is no reason he couldn't be a clinical psychologist and also have training in psychiatry.
** "Augustus" was an honorific used by emperors; a mere soldier like Pious would not have it as part of his name.
** Alright, maybe it's not strictly "critical" as much as it's a case of language evolving, but Pious describes the annihilation of every Guardian in Ehn'Gha as their being "decimated". He was a Roman centurion - he should know that that only means killing one out of every ten!

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot How Anthony is defeated. Anthony is cursed in the third chapter with a seven point unaligned spell (project creature) that causes him to zombify and keeps him from dying, instead glowing yellow and regenerating all of his health if his health ever drops to zero. Paul finds him still alive hundreds of years later and kills him after Anthony regenerates once during their battle. Why Paul is able to kill Anthony is never explained (although some theorize that Paul giving him last rites is what finally put Anthony's soul to rest). What would have been cooler from both a narrative and gameplay/puzzle perspective is if the curse had been a three point spell aligned to Pious's chosen ancient, glowing that ancient's alignment color when regenerating. In order to stop Anthony from regenerating after taking him down to zero health, Paul must first cast the three point dispel magic spell (having just learned it in the previous chapter) using the opposing ancient's alignment, finally dispelling the curse and stopping Anthony from regenerating, allowing Paul to kill him.

* CompleteMonster: The Roman Centurion [[OurLichesAreDifferent Pious Augustus]] serves one of three [[EldritchAbomination evil Ancients]] in exchange for power and immortality. Over the course of two millennia, Pious [[HistoricalRapSheet causes numerous tragedies for humanity]]: destabilizing the Holy Roman Empire by killing its emperor; building a monument to his Ancient out of the bodies of countless slaves he has captured; and engineering a conflict in UsefulNotes/WorldWarI within a hospital to feed many injured soldiers to his bloodthirsty demon servant. Using a time of planetary alignment, Pious tries to bring his Ancient master into reality, putting the whole world at risk of destruction to maintain his power.

* TheyWastedaPerfectlyGoodPlot How Anthony is defeated. Anthony is cursed in the third chapter with a seven point unaligned spell (project creature) that causes him to zombify and keeps him from dying, instead glowing yellow and regenerating all of his health if his health ever drops to zero. Paul finds him still alive hundreds of years later and kills him after Anthony regenerates once during their battle. Why Paul is able to kill Anthony is never explained (although some theorize that Paul giving him last rites is what finally put Anthony's soul to rest). What would have been cooler from both a narrative and gameplay/puzzle perspective is if the curse had been a three point spell aligned to Pious's chosen ancient, glowing that ancient's alignment color when regenerating. In order to stop Anthony from regenerating after taking him down to zero health, Paul must first cast the three point dispel magic spell (having just learned it in the previous chapter) using the opposing ancient's alignment, finally dispelling the curse and stopping Anthony from regenerating, allowing Paul to kill him.

* FoeYay: Pious gets quite creepy with Alex at one point, calling her "[[TermsOfEndangerment my sweet]]", declaring that she's his and he's waited centuries for her, and that she will "succumb to his desires". That he's in the guise of her grandfather's ghost for most of this makes it even creepier.

* TheyWastedaPerfectlyGoodPlot How Anthony is defeated. Anthony is cursed in the third chapter with a seven point unaligned spell (project creature) that causes him to zombify and keeps him from dying, instead glowing yellow and regenerating all of his health if his health ever drops to zero. Paul finds him still alive hundreds of years later and kills him after Anthony regenerates once during their battle. Why Paul is able to kill Anthony is never explained (although some theorizes that Paul giving him last rites is what finally put Anthony's soul to rest). What would have been cooler from both a narrative and gameplay/puzzle perspective is if the curse had been a three point spell aligned to Pious's chosen ancient, glowing that ancient's alignment color when regenerating. In order to stop Anthony from regenerating after taking him down to zero health, Paul must first cast the three point dispel magic spell (having just learned it in the previous chapter) using the opposing ancient's alignment, finally dispelling the curse and stopping Anthony from regenerating, allowing Paul to kill him.

** After Warner Bros. Interactive succeeded in 2021 with acquiring a patent for the "Nemesis System" in ''VideoGame/MiddleEarthShadowOfMordor'' and its sequel, Nintendo patenting the sanity system in this game was frequently named as also serving to stifle creativity in video games by walling off concepts that have no business being patented, even though it's set to expire in the same year.

* HypeBacklash: With how much of a list-topping CultClassic the game became in the early 2010s, this was inevitable. The much-touted sanity effects have been criticized by newer players who see them as a novelty that's not only easy to avoid, but also do little to actually hinder the player, to say nothing of many of them [[SpoiledByTheFormat aging poorly]]. The game's status as a psychological horror title has also been questioned by a small few who view it as a horror-themed ActionAdventure game rather than an actual horror game.

*** Speaking of characters voiced by Jennifer Hale, Alex, like [[VideoGame/QuestForGloryIV Katrina]], practices dark magic and is planning to summon an EldritchAbomination (and for much more complicated reasons than just to take over the world). Also like Katrina, she realizes too late that EvilIsNotAToy.

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: The sanity effect that jokingly promises a "sequel" to the game becomes less funny now that there never ''will'' be a true sequel to this game.

* HarsherInHindsight: After Warner Bros. Interactive succeeded in 2021 with acquiring a patent for the "Nemesis System" in ''VideoGame/MiddleEarthShadowOfMordor'' and its sequel, Nintendo patenting the sanity system in this game was frequently named as also serving to stifle creativity in video games by walling off concepts that have no business being patented, even though it's set to expire in the same year.

* BreatherLevel: Michael Edwards's chapter, gameplay-wise. You're given a bloody assault rifle to kill guardians with. Fitting, as it is the last chapter before the end. Even when you run out of ammo, Michael has a huge health bar and a massive amount of stamina.

** The Mantorok rune. Even beyond the fact that Mantorok's Enchant Item spell is not only strong against all other ancients, it also poisons enemies you hit with it, doing additional damage. Its Recovery spell, likewise, recovers both health and sanity. A Mantorok shield will protect from all damage types and poison. A Mantorok Magick Pool spell will regenerate your health, magick and sanity all at the same time, making you nearly invincible. The most powerful spell in the entire game, in fact, is that [[spoiler:the Reveal Invisible spell, normally useful only when the plot throws invisible monsters at you, will, if cast with a Mantorok rune, actually ''invert'', making you invisible. This means that only boss monsters and Trappers will detect you. You can run around cutting their heads off and most monsters won't even fight back. Zombies will stand in one place swinging wildly and Gatekeepers will slowly rotate to face you, but will not attack.]]

* {{Narm}}: Alex is menaced by Pious [[spoiler:posing as Edward's ghost]] at one point, and she sends him away with an angry "Get away from me!" and what amounts to a gesture that looks like she was going to [[GroinAttack grab his crotch]], given that she was sitting and he was standing over her.

** Despite six characters being able to equip torches, only Anthony's chapter ever involves burning part of the scenery to progress.

** The Mantorok rune. Even beyond the fact that Mantorok's Enchant Item spell is not only strong against all other ancients, it also poisons enemies you hit with it, doing additional damage. Its Recovery spell, likewise, recovers both health and sanity. A Mantorok shield will protect from all damage types and poison. A Mantorok Magick Pool spell will regenerate your health, magick and sanity all at the same time, making you nearly invincible. The most powerful spell in the entire game, in fact, is that [[spoiler:the Reveal Invisible spell, normally cast only when the plot demands, will, if cast with a Mantorok rune, actually ''invert'', making you invisible. This means that only boss monsters and Trappers will detect you. You can run around cutting their heads off and most monsters won't even fight back. Zombies will stand in one place swinging wildly and Gatekeepers will slowly rotate to face you, but will not attack.]]

** Melee weapons are ''stupidly'' overpowered compared to the crossbow and various handguns; it's not until you find shotguns or rifles that distance attacking is superior to getting up close and personal.

* HypeBacklash: With how much of a list-topping CultClassic the game became in the early 2010s, this was inevitable. The much-touted sanity effects have been criticized by newer players who see them as a novelty that's not only easy to avoid, but also do little to actually hinder the player. The game's status as a psychological horror title has also been questioned by a small few who view it as a horror-themed ActionAdventure game rather than an actual horror game.

* DifficultySpike: Karim's chapter is probably the part of the game which fights back the most with lots of enemies, particularly the sanity-sapping Bonethieves; though this can be mitigated if Pious isn't serving Xel'lotath, meaning he'll have access to Chattur'gha's rune (and therefore a proper healing spell limited only by his mana bar).