Ecstatica, the 1994 survival-horror oddity, returns on Steam and GOG
The game that built its world from ellipsoids instead of polygons is back with three graphics modes and controller support, now available digitally for the first time.
Ecstatica, a survival-horror game from 1994, was re-released on PC on October 26, and it is available digitally for the first time. It is on Steam, and GOG’s own store page lists it for sale too. The launch comes with a 10% discount on both stores.
What made the original special
In 1994 nearly every 3D game was built from polygons. Ecstatica went another way: every character, tree and house was built from ellipsoids, stretched spheres, which gave the world a soft, rounded look instead of the angular one its rivals had. Developer Andrew Spencer Studios, with SNEG now publishing, made that the game’s signature.
The content is just as unusual. You get stuck in a medieval village called Tirich where everything wants you dead: demons, goblins, a minotaur and a werewolf that simply will not die. The horror comes with absurd British humor, and the camera is fixed in each scene. There is no health bar, no map and no quest log, and progress comes from solving puzzles rather than fighting. You can play as a man or a woman.
What is new in the re-release
The game runs on modern hardware, has full controller support and modern controls, and runs on the CPU alone, with no graphics card needed. You can choose between three graphics modes: DOS (the original 1994 release), Windows 95 (based on the 1997 re-release) and a Software mode that renders everything in high resolution. You can switch between them mid-game to compare.
There are also options for the nostalgic. “Shaking Legs” brings back the leg jitter of the DOS version, and “DOS Ceilings” restores the original’s lower door frames and ceilings. There are three versions of the soundtrack as well. The Steam version has achievements and cloud saves.
It is Windows only. Ecstatica II has been re-released too, with its own Steam page.
Where to buy it
On GOG the game costs $14.99, or $13.49 with a 10% launch discount that runs until November 9, and it is sold DRM-free there. The Steam page carries the same 10% launch discount, with prices set by region.
It’s nice to see them attempting a comeback. I’m still not sure what I think about the price, but it is of course a very good piece of work.
Source: Steam(opens in a new window)
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