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Clive Barker's Undying | 
| From: Electronic Arts
Category: Video Games
Buy Used: $4.95
New (5) Used (13) from $4.95
Rating:  110 reviews
Sales Rank: 9675
Format: Cd-rom
Platforms: Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows 95
Genre: horror_action_games
ESRB: Mature
Media: CD-ROM
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Age: 17 - 20 years
Operating System: Windows 95
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 7.9 x 1.8
Model: 14239
UPC: 014633142396
EAN: 0014633142396
ASIN: B000056KDW
Release Date: February 21, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: Excellent condition CD only in papersleeve. We ship same day with delivery confirmation#
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com Review
After making a name for himself with horror classics such as The Damnation Game novel, The Books of Blood short-story collection, and the feature films Hellraiser and Candyman, Clive Barker has slowly moved away from the horror genre toward more fantasy-centric work. Barker hasn't completely forgotten about his first love, however, and Clive Barker's Undying, a first-person action game from Electronic Arts and DreamWorks Interactive, beautifully captures the type of horrors that populated Barker's earliest works. And not only is this game genuinely frightening, it's also a lot of fun to play. Cast against the backdrop of Ireland in the year 1923, Undying follows Patrick Galloway, an investigator of the paranormal. Galloway has been summoned to Ireland by his old war buddy Jeremiah Covenant to put an end to the strange occurrences at the Covenant family estate. What Galloway finds is a house of horrors that is populated with Jeremiah's dead siblings (and other ghastly creatures), all of whom want to snuff out Jeremiah so they can complete a spell cast when they were children. Graphically, Undying is first rate. The Unreal Tournament graphics engine has been used to great effect and the result is amazing character models and environments. The haunted mansion is suitably dark, with wispy draperies and macabre paintings. The estate's grounds are a mix of lush Irish countryside and crumbling ruins, all set against vivid skies. Pretty pictures aside, the most impressive thing about Undying is its atmosphere--this game is flat-out scary. Every element of the game, be it the gothic architecture, eerie story, great weather effects including rain and lightning, or amazing sound effects, perfectly complement each other. The result is a gameplay experience that rivals the Resident Evil series in terms of generating sheer terror in the player. The great atmosphere isn't Undying's only innovation--it also features a very cool two-handed attack system. Most action games saddle the player with an attack system where one hand controls all the weapons and the other hand does nothing. In Undying, the left hand (and left mouse button) controls the standard weapons, such as the pistol and shotgun, while the right hand (and right mouse button) casts spells. This is a great gameplay device and ensures the action stays at a frantic pace. Of all the spells in the game, the coolest is the Scrye spell. When cast, it lets the player see and hear past events--some of which are quite horrific--and occasionally it shows you how to progress beyond a certain level. This help can come in the form of highlighting certain objects or unveiling a portal, but whatever the method it is a very well-designed gameplay element. The only real complaints with Undying involve the long loading times between levels and the system requirements, but even those aren't enough to derail this excellent--and terrifying--action game. --Kilmic Robbins Pros: - Very, very creepy
- Amazing sound effects
- Excellent graphics
- Slick controls
Cons: - Long loading times
- Story is a little convoluted
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| Customer Reviews: Read 45 more reviews...
 Unprecidented, and Unexpected Delight March 17, 2008
Slythe (SLC, UT USA)
I know that this review is a many years late. Most people now will not have the pleasure of ever knowing this game if they missed it. Others will be turned of by the dated graphics, and lower system requirements than most games these days demand (Crysis, Bioshock etc.). I still feel compelled to write this review however, because Undying deserves nothing less than a standing ovation, but unfortunately never received one.
Originally I purchased undying with the expectation of another gory FPS (first person shooter) with supernatural enemies. Instead what I ended up with was a hybrid FPS-survival horror that had me jumping all throughout. No other games ever pulled of the same scares and atmosphere that Undying did for me. Believe me when I say that I'm no stranger to survival horror. Indeed I've indulged in almost every title the genre has pumped out same goes for FPS. I fancy myself a survival horror enthusiast and FPS connoisseur. This game filled both desires With excellence worthy of replay. True there is no multi-player, but the single-player experience more than makes up for that.
On a technical front:
The art direction is exquisite for its time as well as disturbingly rich in little details put into almost every texture. The enemies alone are simply horrifying incarnations of Clive Barker (creator of the Hellraiser series, The Midnight Meat Train, etc.)
The sounds are well produced with fantastic voice acting for all of the characters, and vicious or haunting shrieks and roars from the Demonic enemies. Not to mention an excellent soundtrack that only aids the games atmosphere.
The weapons are many and unique(Deaths' Scythe being my favorite). The game also handles its combat by left and right hand. What I mean is that one hand holds your guns while the other uses occult magic giving you two weapons at the same time, and both of which can be upgraded (Ammo types for one potency for the other.)
The games atmosphere shines as its brightest aspect in that its simply intense! The distant howls of the enemies, the dark hallways of the mansion, the dank moldy torch lit catacombs, the unreal demonic dimension, the symbolic and bloody horrors revealed to the user through use of scrye (Magic Spell), and the heart pounding ambushes that are thankfully not overused.
Honestly games these days that have tried to pull off the FPS-Survival horror Hybrid (Eg. F.E.A.R., Condemned, Doom 3) have been fun, but don't even come close to Undying! And in some cases left me disappointed. This game set the bar at a high level and though a few games have come close to it non have reached it yet. I'm always saddened by game magazine and website writers When they do their top 10 scariest games lists, and Undying isn't even mentioned, but alas Undying never had good publicity.
Obviously I Really enjoyed this game, and if your looking for a game that perfectly blends FPS with survival horror and manages a deep and intriguing story, look no further, This is the Game for you! Better get it before you miss out entirely.
 This game was creepy wierd and fun. January 31, 2008
M. Fellows (New Mexico USA)
I loved Undying it is a blast to play. The interface is hard to get used to but when you do it is a breeze. Undying is based on the Quake 3 graphical engine so it performs smoothly and isn't choppy even when fighting multiple enemys. It worked great years ago on my parents pentium 3 with a nvidia mx200 graphics card and works like a dream on my 2 gig athalon with a geforce6200.
One of the most frightening game experiences ever... December 26, 2007
Nick Dollinger (Bellflower, CA USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Yes, I know what you're all going to say: "THIS GAME'S TOO OLD FOR ME! I ONLY PLAY BRAND NEW GARBAGE WITH FANCY-SHMANCY GRAPHICS AND LOTS OF ACTION! YAHHHHHHHHHH!"
But please don't let the age of this product get in the way of your dull sensibilities (come on, kids, it's not even 10 years old!) First of all, the graphics are very good (not amazing, mind you, but still very good). The only graphical thing I wish was different is the way they did the sky and backgrounds. The first-person environment is incredible but the distant skies and backgrounds look very still and cruddy.
As for the rest of the game, I have no complaints. The enemies are all varied and frightening in their own right. Whenever your health hits zero, you get a lovely animation of the opposing force killing you in their own unique fashion, whether it be by stabbing, decapitating, ripping, sucking, or eating you to pieces.
Seriously, though, Clive Barker's Undying is enough to make the most stouthearted of folks look over his or her shoulder while playing.
The game's atmosphere is the scariest part of the whole experience. Without unearthly sound effects, the whole thing would be startling but not frightening. When I first started playing, I admit I was scared, not because of the game itself but because I was expecting really sudden and disturbing things to happen that would shake me up. In the beginning, things were pretty tame...but as I progressed through the story, the enemies and environments definitely become a lot more jarring.
I finally came to the realization that the reviews I had read were right: This game was indeed quite frightening.
If I had to categorize this experience, I'd say it feels like an Indiana Jones game. There are supernatural elements, period weapons, and a very exploration-centered gameplay (however, the thought of dead relatives coming back to kill a sibling is certainly NOT Indiana Jones). I got stuck several times before I realized that I hadn't explored enough and that the answer was right next to me the whole time.
Speaking of period weapons, since it takes place in the twenties, the weapon technology isn't great. The supernatural weapons are interesting and powerful but I kept feeling the urge to whip out a machine gun or something similar and blow everything to hell. But then again, this isn't your typical first-person shooter. It requires patience and a keen sense of knowing your surroundings.
All in all, I'm giving this one a solid 5 stars. Excellent story, excellent environments, simple controls that work well, and fairly good graphics (a bit flawed). I don't consider it a classic...but it comes pretty damn close. A worthwhile, disturbing experience that will haunt you for years to come.
For a real unsettling evening, play this thing by yourself at night with the lights off and the volume turned up. I promise you won't be bored.
Remember, this game is not going to be readily available one day.
If you're up for a good scare and smart gameplay, get it now.
Creepy fun January 9, 2007
R. J. Witmer (RPV, CA USA)
Strictly my opinion but for those that like playing games such as: Thief, Alone in the dark, Doom.....Undying will deliver. The storyline is great with twists along the way and the rich environments make for good creepy exploration. The game is challenging without being impossible to advance if you pay attention and use clues. All and all I found Undying a title worthy to sit beside the others in it's genre.
A great game to lose yourself in for days July 12, 2006
OAKSHAMAN (Algoma, WI United States)
Patrick Galloway, adventurer, set out to become a debunker of superstition and the supernatural. Instead, he becomes a believer- and a highly sought after expert at combating hostile forces from beyond this plane. It is for this reason that he returns to his native Ireland in 1923. His former commanding officer during the Great War, Jeremiah Covenant, has summoned his old friend to free his family of the ancient curse that threatens to destroy its every member.
Barker truly created a superb atmosphere in this game. It reminds one of a Lovecraft or Hodgson story, but with a generous helping of Barker's trademark creepiness mixed in. The overall plot, the main characters, the monsters, and above all, the level design are all first rate. The covenant mansion is probably the most intricately designed building that I've ever seen in a game, but you also have a huge monastery (which exists in two times), the family mausoleum, catacombs, lighthouse, pirates' lair, Oneiros (a dream dimension), the Land of Eternal Autumn, etc. The environments are incredibly large, detailed, and elaborate- you have entire worlds in this thing.
I somehow missed this game when it first came out in 2001. That is just as well. If, like me, your system will not run the latest games, then this is a chance to run something first rate that an older system can handle (you might also like to check out Heretic II- another overlooked gem.)
My only complaint is the load times. When you play this game you might like to keep a book or magazine handy. I've never seen so much loading in a level- or such long load times. It is almost like they tried to do too much with the technology available at the time.
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