The Descent

The Descent

Release type: Shareware
Release date: 1994
Levels: 2 (in demo version)
Author: David Barras
Registration bonus: Complete game + bonus game
Registration price: $12
Related games: Sample, Terrain, Houses

Unusually, The Descent has original music and often rather amusing sound effects — and nearly all the visual elements, from the character to the background tiles, are ripped out of the demo games that came in the Game-Maker box. It’s really strange. I guess David Barras didn’t consider himself much of an artist.

Of course what matters is not the materials you have; it’s how you use them. And David Barras was very clever here. The game is droll and odd and a bit subversive. You’re a tall guy wandering through a dungeon, collecting treasure and shooting monsters — mostly floating eyeballs — with a very noisy handgun. The level design is often deceptive, and includes a few forced checkpoints so that you don’t have to worry so much about saving. There are odd touches like paintings that may be treasures, or that may turn into gaping mouths that bite you as you walk past.

And then there’s the spellbook. I’m not sure why it’s there, though its presence — as does the presence of many things in this game — feels ironic in a way that I don’t quite understand. It’s the only item in the game that you can pick up. When you do pick it up, you gain the ability to cast a spell. When you cast a spell, your character slowly intones his incantation. With Barras’ slight southern drawl, it comes out like “ALAIYAT SYET ZIT-SIT”. Of course if you reverse the wave file, you’ll find what he meant to say was “LLEPS A SI SIHT”.

Story

David Barras' The Descent

Floating eyeballs, pulsating green blobs - these are only a few of the strange sights seen around town lately. The appearances are becoming more frequent and more horrible. The mutilated livestock are now the least of everyone's worries. The hideous monsters terrorizing your town are now attacking human beings.

No one knows what they are but everyone has a good idea where they're from - Devil's Hole, an old mine closed up years ago because it took too many miners' lives. Someone or something has torn through the boards that blocked the mine entrance. From he looks of it, something busted out rather than busted in.

What evil lurks in the pit that has spawned so many monsters?

What could be their purpose?

Who will do something about it?

Unfortunately, you know the answer to the last question as the townspeople have decided that you should investigate. Armed with only a gun and guts of steel you descend to face the terror below.

Instructions

P Pick up an object

D Drop an object

S Spell (With spellbook)

Numeric keypad

0 Shoot left

. Shoot right

Direction Keys

7 Jump left

9 Jump right

8 Up

2 Down

4 Left

6 Right

Joystick

Up+Right Jump right

Up+Left Jump left

Button1+Left or Right Shoot in that direction

(Be sure to hold the button until after the action is completed)

Credits

THE DESCENT by David Barras

"Eyeball Jam" (The Descent intro theme) by David Barras (copyright 1994)

"Danse Macabre" (game music) by Camille Saint-Saens (arranged by David Barras)

Floating Eyeballs and Red Balls Copyright 1994 David Barras

Resources

• Background blocks, character blocks, and character borrowed from Sample.

Downloads

• The Descent (239.3 kB)
• Full game map (373.2 kB)