Ankh (video game)
A humorous 3D adventure remake set in Cairo.
Ankh is a 2005 graphic adventure game from German developer Deck13, published by bhv Software. It uses a 3D environment with cinematic camera movement and a humorous tone. The game is a remake of *Ankh: The Tales of Mystery*, a 1998 adventure title developed by Artex Software for the Acorn Archimedes. Two sequels followed: *Ankh: Heart of Osiris* and *Ankh: Battle of the Gods*. A Linux and OS X port arrived in 2006, and a Special Edition launched in the UK in February 2007. A Nintendo DS version, titled *Ankh: Curse of the Scarab King* (German: *Ankh: Der Fluch des Skarabäenkönigs*), was released in 2008.
The player controls Assil, the son of a respected Cairo architect, who is a party animal. After one of his party nights goes wrong, he and two friends break some urns while trying to have fun in the pyramids, disturbing a mummy. The mummy places a death curse on Assil, giving him 24 hours to remove it and save himself. Later, Assil meets Thara, the Arabian ambassador's daughter, who also becomes a playable character. Deck13's creative director Jan Klose cited *Monkey Island* as an influence on the series.
The soundtrack, composed by Dynamedion, was ranked first for "Best German Soundtrack 2005." According to *GameStar*, the game was produced on a small budget "in the low six-digit range."
*Ankh* was a commercial hit in Germany, selling 100,000 units there, and the *Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger* reported worldwide success. By August 2009, Deck13 stated that combined global sales of *Ankh* and its first two sequels exceeded 500,000 units. The Windows and Nintendo DS versions received "mixed or average reviews" on Metacritic.
- Developer
- Deck13
- Publisher
- bhv Software
- Release year
- 2005
- Genre
- Graphic adventure
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows, Linux, OS X, Nintendo DS
- Notable for
- Remake of a 1998 game; commercial success in Germany
Lore & Background
The player takes the role of Assil, the son of a respected architect in Cairo. Assil is a party animal whose night of fun in the pyramids goes wrong when he accidentally breaks urns, disturbing a mummy. The mummy places a death curse on him, giving him 24 hours to remove it. Later, Assil meets Thara, the Arabian ambassador's daughter, who is also a playable character. Creative director Jan Klose cited Monkey Island as an influence for the series.
Reader's Guide
Ankh is significant as a German-developed graphic adventure that successfully revived a 1998 title for modern audiences. Its 3D environment and cinematic camera movement were notable for the genre at the time. The game's commercial success in Germany—selling 100,000 units there—and worldwide helped establish Deck13 as a notable developer. The soundtrack by Dynamedion won first place for 'Best German Soundtrack 2005'. The game's legacy includes two sequels and ports to Linux, OS X, and Nintendo DS, with the DS version titled Ankh: Curse of the Scarab King. Despite mixed reviews on Metacritic for the Windows and DS versions, the series' combined sales exceeded 500,000 units by August 2009, indicating a lasting niche appeal.
Did You Know?
- Ankh is a remake of the 1998 game Ankh: The Tales of Mystery, developed by Artex Software for the Acorn Archimedes.
- The game's soundtrack by Dynamedion was rated 1st place for 'Best German Soundtrack 2005'.
- The Nintendo DS port was released in 2008 under the title Ankh: Curse of the Scarab King.
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