Are You Afraid of the Dark : The Tale of Orpheo's Curse

by NICKELODEON/VIACOM

Product Features

• A RARE OUT OF PRINT CLASSIC GAME!
• Based on the Saturday Night Nickelodeon Series "SNICK"
• Includes the "Midnight Society" campfire kids!

Product Details

• Manufacturer's age: 99 - 7 years
• ASIN: B0008FFJK8
• Item Weight: 4 ounces
• Media: CD-ROM
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #20,541 in Video Games (See Bestsellers in Video Games)

Product Description

Product Description
Are You Afraid of the Dark was one of the old school shows of SNICK (Saturday Nigh Nickelodeon) from the days of the big orange couch. It incorporated the age old tradition of telling ghost stories around a fire into a fascinating show, which was somewhat akin too The Twilight Zone, Tales From The Darkside, and Tales From The Crypt.<p><H2> The group of kids who met in the woods near a campfire to tell ghost stories called themselves "The Midnight Society," and the original members included: Gary, Kristen, Kiki, Eric, David, and Betty Ann. The leader of the group was Gary. At the beginning of each story, the person telling the story would always through some flammable substance into the fire, causing it to flair up.<p><h2>This game is based on the show, and was just as popular! Showman and magician Orpheo the Great, opened his own theater during the height of vaudeville in the 1920s. Crowds poured into Orpheo's Palace, drawn by the mystery of magic. Orpheo dazzled them with spectacular shows. One fateful night, while he was performing his famous Teleportation Trick, something went terribly wrong. Instead of being transported from one box to another, Orpheo's assistant, his daughter Elizabeth, disappeared. "Orpheo's Curse is based on Nickelodeon's 'Are You Afraid of the Dark?' television series, where a cast of young people sit around a campfire and introduce eerie tales. The CD-ROM begins the same way, then gives way to gameplay. "The game picks up Orpheo's mysterious story many years later, as brother-and-sister duo Alex and Terry explore his now-abandoned theater. Their expedition soon turns into a kidnapping and a rescue mission."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The first computer game I fell in love with, March 13, 2009

By	Veggiechiliqueen - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

Are You Afraid of the Dark: The Tale of Orpheo's Curse is based on the defunct Nickelodeon series "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" The show featured a group of kids (the Midnight Society) who would gather around a campfire at night to share scary stories of the supernatural. The Tale of Orpheo's Curse was not a plot that was covered in any of the TV episodes.

The game tells the story of Terry and Alex, siblings who are staying with their uncle. There's a creepy abandoned vaudville theater across from his house, and Terry, who loves magic, wants to explore the boarded-up eyesore. There are tattered posters for attractions at Orpheo's Palace, such as dancing wax skeletons. As Terry searches for clues, they see ghostly shadows from inside the (deserted) building, and sneak in an open stage door.

Your adventure really begins once you're granted access to the run-down theater and its grimy, cobwebby secrets. You get to explore a Ripley's-like room of animal oddities (some with amusing animations when you click on them) and a wax museum in addition to the old dressing rooms and basement. Along the way, you hear the stories of the early performers and their sad fates at the hands of Orpheo.

The game switches between Terry and Alex, although since it's first person, the only clue is in the voiceovers. The graphics are static photos much like Myst, but are highly detailed and colorful, greatly adding to the environment. Viacom filled the game with clickables, and the environments are highly interactive, surprising for a game of this age. Instead of Full Motion Video (FMV), most action is shown via slideshow. There are some genuinely creepy moments (being chased by several undead monsters, for a start), but there's nothing that's truly frightening here (that is, if you're not afraid of some friendly ghosts).

The game is largely inventory-based; the central puzzle relies on collecting artifacts from around the theater, and once you have all of them, you're given clear instructions on what to do. The ending was satisfying and the perfect note to close the story. It is possible to die, and if you do you're restored to the moment before your accidental departure.

NOTE: This is a DOS game, and in order to play it on XP or Vista, you're going to need a free DOS Emulator such as DOSBox in order to play this. It usually takes quite a bit of tinkering before older DOS games will play on modern Windows OS, so be prepared to be patient. This is still my first real video game and one of my enduring favorites for its strong story and ghostly atmosphere!