Actraiser was initially a Super Nintendo Entertainment Systems game that was ported to many other formats because of its popularity. It has been sent to almost every imaginable platform, including the recent Wii and mobile phones. It is a hybrid game that combines elements of the classic side-scrolling platform game with a simulation planning game. The original version was developed by the Qunitel Company and was released for play by the Enix Corporation in the very early nineties.
The story of Actraiser is as deep as religion. The Master is a godlike being who controls all of the worlds. The Evil One is the eternal enemy of the master, and serves to thwart his every move. The Master was felled in a battle with the Evil One’s guardians and retreats into his sky palace to nurse his wounds, eventually falling into a deep sleep and leaving the world without his protection. The land is divided between each of the Evil One’s six guardians, and the world falls into an evil shadow.
When the Master awakens and removes the barrier that has protected him in his sleep, he finds the world in chaos. His powers are gone, since the world has turned to evil. He knows he must free his people from the Evil One and begins restoring one civilization at a time, listening to prayers and fulfilling requests from his people by fighting monsters. The Master must defeat the monsters of each of the six stages, and the guardian that rules the stage in order to open the final area and complete his quest of restoring the world.
The Master fights in the guise of an animated grey statue of him and destroys the monsters in each level in a side-scrolling platform style. He will find power-ups along the way to improve his swordplay and make him a more formidable adversary. More followers he gains, more life he has in battles. When a guardian is defeated, it brings up the second portion of the game where the Master has to encourage the growth of the civilization anew. He must guide his people through building new homes, farms to feed themselves, roads, temples and so forth. During this time, the Master will use his skills to make his people prosper again and will also defend them from more perils in the form of the Evil One’s minions, such as dragons. Fortunately, the Master cannot die during this mode, but he will lose people to the minions if he fails in his duty as protector.
Overall, Actraiser is a unique game that does a good job of combining two very different gaming elements. It is similar to Civilization meets Conan. The allegory and the religious symbolism are very clear, in the game, and many people will recognize other Christian allusions as they play besides the obvious God versus Satan duel. It has been called by many the greatest game of all time, and it is certainly recommended for download. This is a classic, and you will not be at all disappointed in its play.
Written by:
~Shannon
