History VideoGame / LAbbayeDesMorts

A minor project from Creator/{{Locomalito}} after ''VideoGame/{{Hydorah}}'', made in two weeks and just 23 screens long, ''L'Abbaye Des Morts'' is no less interesting due to the choice of making it similar to a UsefulNotes/ZXSpectrum game, specifically to platformers like ''VideoGame/ManicMiner'' and ''VideoGame/JetSetWilly'' – but not as [[NintendoHard hard]], luckily.

* [[spoiler:BittersweetEnding]]: [[spoiler:Satan is banished, but leaves a scroll telling Jean that he will be killed not by him but by human hands - in fact, Jean is burned at stake by the crusaders coming soon after. However, the game mentions that while his body is burned in the flames, his soul finds a place in Heaven.]]

* TheDarkAges

* [[spoiler:TheGrimReaper]]: Present as a boss of sorts – like everything in the game, you can just avoid its attacks to try and get a cross.

* OneHitPointWonder

* [[spoiler:{{Satan}}]]: The final enemy – as in the rest of the game, you have to avoid its attacks and get an item to win.
* [[spoiler:ShaggyDogStory]]: [[spoiler:The crusaders burn Jean after they mistakenly believe he was a worshipper of Satan, but they probably would have killed him anyway.]]

* UpdatedRerelease

* CreepyCoolCrosses: The Wheel of Faith changes inverted crosses into Cathar crosses (which have four arms all of the same length) and vice versa.

A minor project from Locomalito after ''VideoGame/{{Hydorah}}'', made in two weeks and just 23 screens long, ''L’Abbaye Des Morts'' is no less interesting due to the choice of making it similar to a UsefulNotes/ZXSpectrum game, specifically to platformers like ''VideoGame/ManicMiner'' and ''VideoGame/JetSetWilly'' – but not as [[NintendoHard hard]], luckily.

* [[spoiler:BittersweetEnding]]: [[spoiler:Satan is banished but leaves a scroll telling Jean that he will be killed not by him but by human hands - in fact, Jean is burned at stake by the crusaders coming soon after. However, the game mentions that while his body is burned in the flames, his soul finds place in Heaven.]]
* BlindIdiotTranslation: Not a bad case but the [[http://www.locomalito.com/images/covers/Abbaye_des_Morts_DVD_cover.pdf custom DVD cover]] for the game shows that English isn’t Locomalito’s mother language.[[note]]Locomalito is Spaniard[[/note]]

* CreepyCoolCrosses: The Wheel of Faith changes inverted crosses into Cathar crosses (which have four arms all of the same lenght) and vice versa.

* ExcusePlot: Only apparently. Beside the historical context, the game's story is very thin, but more can be deduced thanks to the hint scrolls. [[spoiler:It's implied that the four bodies hanging from the tree are of the monks who "changed their faith"; maybe, along with other eight monks, they were tasked to protect the church from an evil influence (or the church was built where it is for this reason). However, they betrayed their cause and became members of a ReligionOfEvil - 4 crosses out of 12 are not Cathar but inverted and need the Wheel of Faith to be collected. The four were discovered and hanged on the spot, and the church abandoned. Jean didn't know of the church's dark past but at least some of the crusaders did – so he was automatically thought as another evil cultist.]]

** The Mega Drive version offers the best graphics and sound of the lot, and also includes many other "fake versions" (not actually released on those systems) like the original, Game Boy, MSX, CGA... And they are not just recolors, many visual details are different and sometimes there are differencies in level layout too. There's even a Commodore 64 version that is completely different from the one in development for the actual system.

* ForeignLanguageTitle: The title is ''"The Abbey of the Dead"'' in French. The manual is in English and Spanish.

* [[spoiler:DownerEnding]]: , so it may be considered a BittersweetEnding in some ways.]]

* [[spoiler:DownerEnding]]: [[spoiler:Satan is banished but leaves a scroll telling Jean that he will be killed not by him but by human hands - in fact, Jean is burned at stake by the crusaders coming soon after. He is, however, welcomed in Paradise, so it may be considered a BittersweetEnding in some ways.]]

Has been ported to several platforms; most interesting is the ''actual'' [[http://www.worldofspectrum.org/forums/showthread.php?t=37049&page=30 ZX Spectrum version]] released in 2014, but there's also a Linux one, with enhanced graphics that look like a port of the game would really be back in the day (they can be switched with the original visuals with the press of a key). This version has been [[http://lucera-project.com/blog/port-abbaye-des-morts-a-html5/ ported to HTML5 for online play]], while the Amiga port uses the enhanced graphics.

* UpdatedRerelease: The Linux version. The game is always the same, and the sound too, but the new graphic set has much more color and detail (although it's also quite darker), looking like a game from a 16 bit computer. The Amiga port uses only the "newer" graphics and looks like an effective port of the game back in the day.

Early [=XIIIth=] Century in the French region of Languedoc. The [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albigensian_Crusade Albigensian Crusade]], promoted by the Catholic Church against [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catharism Catharism]], is taking place. Jean Raymond, a Cathar monk, is fleeing from the crusaders and finds refuge in an abandoned church, not knowing that it holds an even greater evil inside...

A minor project from Locomalito after ''VideoGame/{{Hydorah}}'', made in two weeks and just 23 screens long, ''L’Abbaye Des Morts'' is no less interesting due to the choice of making it similar to a UsefulNotes/ZXSpectrum game, specifically to platformers like ''ManicMiner'' and ''VideoGame/JetSetWilly'' – but not as [[NintendoHard hard]], luckily.

* AllThereInTheManual: Or better, on the net or history books. (The actual manual has only a scant explanation of gameplay and controls.) Beside the premise, you’ll need some research to understand the context – compared to [[TheCrusades other crusades]], the Albigensian one is certainly not the most known.

A minor project from Locomalito after their MagnumOpus ''VideoGame/{{Hydorah}}'', made in two weeks and just 23 screens long, ''L’Abbaye Des Morts'' is no less interesting due to the choice of making it similar to a UsefulNotes/ZXSpectrum game, specifically to platformers like ''ManicMiner'' and ''VideoGame/JetSetWilly'' – but not as [[NintendoHard hard]], luckily.

Has been ported to several platforms; most interesting is the ''actual'' [[http://www.worldofspectrum.org/forums/showthread.php?t=37049&page=30 ZX Spectrum version]] released in 2014, but there's also an Amiga one, with enhanced graphics that look like a port of the game would really be back in the day. Also of note is an [[http://lucera-project.com/blog/port-abbaye-des-morts-a-html5/ online HTML5 version]] that allows for switching between both graphical sets.

* UpdatedRerelease: The Amiga version. The game is always the same, and the sound too, but the new graphic set has much more color and detail (although it's also quite darker), looking like a game from a 16 bit computer.

Has been ported to several platforms, but most interesting is the ''actual'' [[http://www.worldofspectrum.org/forums/showthread.php?t=37049&page=30 ZX Spectrum version]] released in 2014.
Also of note is an [[http://lucera-project.com/blog/port-abbaye-des-morts-a-html5/ online HTML5 version]] that allows for switching between the original graphics and a new set.

* UpdatedRerelease: The HTML5 version. The game is always the same, and the sound too, but the new graphic set has much more color and detail (although it's also quite darker), looking like a game from the 16 bit era.

* BilingualBonus: The title is ''"The Abbey of the Dead"'' in French. The manual is in English and Spanish.

A minor project from Locomalito after their MagnumOpus ''{{Hydorah}}'', made in two weeks and just 23 screens long, ''L’Abbaye Des Morts'' is no less interesting due to the choice of making it similar to a UsefulNotes/ZXSpectrum game, specifically to platformers like ''ManicMiner'' and ''VideoGame/JetSetWilly'' – but not as [[NintendoHard hard]], luckily.

* NintendoHard: Surprisingly averted, given Locomalito's [[{{Hydorah}} previous game]]. ''Abbaye'' is challenging but fair, with nine lives, a few extra ones scattered around, and reusable checkpoints. You can move freely while jumping, which is useful in tighter situations. It also helps that the game’s short, and takes about [[SpeedRun ten minutes if you know what to do]].

Also of note is an [[http://lucera-project.com/blog/port-abbaye-des-morts-a-html5/ online HTML5 version]] that allows for switching between the original graphics and a new set.

* ShoutOut: Like in the games that inspired it, every screen has its own name. One even drops a hint for the player.

A minor project from Locomalito after their MagnumOpus ''{{Hydorah}}'', made in two weeks and just 23 screens long, ''L’Abbaye Des Morts'' is no less interesting due to the choice of making it similar to a ZXSpectrum game, specifically to platformers like ''ManicMiner'' and ''VideoGame/JetSetWilly'' – but not as [[NintendoHard hard]], luckily.

* BlindIdiotTranslation: Not a bad case but the [[http://www.locomalito.com/images/covers/Abbaye_des_Morts_DVD_cover.pdf custom DVD cover]] for the game shows that English isn’t Locomalito’s mother language.

* NintendoHard: Surprisingly averted, given Locomalito's [[{{Hydorah}} previous game]]. ''Abbaye'' is challenging but fair, with nive lives, a few extra ones scattered around, and reusable checkpoints. You can move freely while jumping, which is useful in tighter situations. It also helps that the game’s short, and takes about [[SpeedRun ten minutes if you know what to do]].

* ItGotWorse: Poor Jean.

* [[BreatherLevel Breather Screen]]: "A Prayer of Hope". [[spoiler:Not a useful prayer, unfortunately.]]

* FridgeBrilliance: Jean has jumps and quick reflexes has its only means to survive, as he doesn't attack enemies in any way – Catharism preached non-violence.