Silver (video game)
A real-time fantasy RPG with a top-down perspective.
Silver is a 1999 fantasy action-roleplaying game developed and published by Infogrames for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS, later ported to the Dreamcast in 2000. Players lead protagonist David and a small party to rescue his wife Jennifer from the tyrannical sorcerer Silver. The game was anticipated as a potential competitor to Japanese role-playing games like Final Fantasy, and received a D.I.C.E. Award nomination for its original music composition.
Quick Facts
- Publisher
- Infogrames
- Programmer
- Bobby Earl, Robbie Tinman
- Designer
- Warren Lancashire, Sam Evans
- Producer
- Lee Clare
- Modes
- Single player
- Genre
- Action RPG
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows
- Mac OS
- Dreamcast
- Linux
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
In Silver, the player's goal is to find eight orbs scattered across the game world, which grant the power needed to defeat the sorcerer Silver. The player can recruit various characters encountered during the journey, building a team of up to three members. On PC, navigation and item use rely on point-and-click controls, while the Dreamcast version uses a controller. A pie menu, based on icons, gives access to character options, inventory, items, and special moves. The PC version allows selecting party members individually or as a group, with free switching at any time; the Dreamcast version only lets the player control one character at a time. Role-playing mechanics are simplified, featuring just two stats: hit points for health and magic points for spells. Levels and statistics increase automatically when a boss is defeated as part of the plot, without any need for experience points or player input. A world map, reachable from the pie menu, enables fast travel to previously visited locations. Combat happens in real time, though players can pause. Entering a room with monsters triggers a fight, and the player cannot leave until all enemies are defeated; most monsters disappear after being fought once. The player controls one party member directly, while the other two can be set to automatic offensive or defensive actions, such as attacking the same target or the nearest enemy. On PC, combat abilities are performed by pressing the control key and sliding the mouse in a specific direction to simulate weapon thrusts or slashes; the Dreamcast uses direct button inputs. To save progress, the player must find and interact with a character called The Chronicler, who appears only at certain locations.
Plot
Silver is set on the island region of Jarrah, ruled by the tyrannical sorcerer Silver from his fortress Metalon. The story follows David, who lives peacefully with his wife Jennifer and his grandfather in the Forest of Verdante. When Silver decides to take a new bride, his forces abduct women across Jarrah, and Jennifer is captured by Silver's son, Fuge. David and his grandfather pursue her but arrive too late, learning of a growing resistance movement. Fuge murders David's grandfather and reveals his role in the death of David's father. David joins the resistance, which seeks to overthrow Silver but repeatedly fails to intercept the ship carrying the captured women. An ancient prophecy reveals that Silver can only be defeated using eight magical spheres hidden across the islands. David and his allies travel through hostile regions to recover the spheres, often battling powerful guardians. Silver's forces strike back, nearly destroying the resistance through a trap by Fuge. David confronts and kills Fuge, rescuing the resistance leader. Further revelations expose betrayal within the resistance and Silver's plan to sacrifice the women to cement a pact with the demon Apocalypse. With help from Silver's daughter Glass, David weakens Metalon. In the climax, David and his companions confront Silver, who kills the traitorous rebel William before being defeated by the eight spheres. The demon Apocalypse attempts to fulfill its pact but is defeated with aid from Nemesis. Metalon collapses, the heroes escape, and David is reunited with Jennifer.
Development and release
Silver was developed by the United Kingdom division of Infogrames, based in Manchester. Development began in 1995 and was conceived by Warren Lancashire, who left early. Producer Lee Claire was hired twelve months into development, supported by a 25-person team including former Ocean Software members. Claire stated the real-time combat was a response to turn-based RPGs of the time, including Final Fantasy and Phantasy Star. The developers originally explored turn-based combat but found it did not make for exciting gameplay. The visual design was inspired by Dune II and Heart of Darkness. Environments feature 3D characters with prerendered backgrounds using 3D Studio software. The team was under pressure from Infogrames to publish by Christmas 1999 despite lacking staff to script levels. Silver was showcased at trade shows including the 1998 European Computer Trade Show, E3 in May 1999 and 2000, and Milia in February 2000. Infogrames funded the development team to set up Spiral House, which ported Silver to Mac OS and Dreamcast. A sequel was briefly developed by Spiral House but abandoned as Infogrames moved attention to other licenses. In June 2013, Nordic Games acquired several Atari properties including Silver. THQ Nordic republished the game on Steam in June 2017 with compatibility for current operating systems and resolutions.
Reception
Before launch, Silver drew positive buzz, with many previews likening it to Final Fantasy and touting it as a potential Western rival to that series. Edge noted the game had the epic scale usually found in Japanese titles. The developers said Final Fantasy VII came out after their work began, and any similarities were unintentional. Critics liked the variety of locations, the visual style, and the combat controls. For the Dreamcast, early coverage pointed out that the system had few role-playing games, so Silver helped fill that gap. IGN was impressed by a preview, calling the graphics and sound polished and saying the real-time combat would appeal to players wanting more action. PC Zone predicted Western gamers would prefer real-time combat over turn-based systems. Total Control praised the combat and visuals but warned that the simpler design might not suit hardcore computer RPG fans. After release, Silver got mixed reviews on GameRankings. Some reviewers, expecting it to be a "Final Fantasy killer," disagreed on whether it matched Japanese RPGs like Final Fantasy VII, while others noted its gameplay was different from that series. Neil Mouneimne of Computer Games Strategy Plus said the game had uncanny similarities to Final Fantasy and was a polished package, but it was let down by bugs and a frustrating combat system.
Frequently Asked Questions
What platforms is Silver (video game) available on?
Silver was released for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, Dreamcast and Linux.
Who designed Silver (video game)?
Silver was designed by Warren Lancashire and Sam Evans.
Is Silver (video game) single-player or multiplayer?
Silver offers single player play.
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