is an

action role-playing video game An action role-playing game (often abbreviated action RPG or ARPG) is a video game genre that combines core elements from both the action game and role-playing game genres. Definition Action role-playing games emphasize real-time combat whe ...

developed by

Compile In computing, a compiler is a computer program that translates computer code written in one programming language (the ''source'' language) into another language (the ''target'' language). The name "compiler" is primarily used for programs that ...

and originally released for the Japanese

MSX MSX is a standardized home computer architecture, announced by ASCII Corporation on June 16, 1983. It was initially conceived by Microsoft as a product for the Eastern sector, and jointly marketed by Kazuhiko Nishi, the director at ASCII Corpo ...

home computer system in 1987. In 1988, Compile released a remake for the

MSX2 MSX is a standardized home computer architecture, announced by ASCII Corporation on June 16, 1983. It was initially conceived by Microsoft as a product for the Eastern sector, and jointly marketed by Kazuhiko Nishi, the director at ASCII Cor ...

system, titled . This game featured mostly the same graphics as the ones in the Sega Master System version, but the overworld and dungeon layouts are entirely different.

Master System

Sega is a Japanese video game company and subsidiary of Sega Sammy Holdings headquartered in Tokyo. It produces several List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises for arcade game, arcades and video game cons ...

licensed the franchise in 1988 and released the game for the

Master System The is an 8-bit Third generation of video game consoles, third-generation home video game console manufactured and developed by Sega. It was originally a remodeled export version of the Sega Mark III, the third iteration of the SG-1000 series ...

(the Mark III in Japan), featuring enhanced graphics and entirely different overworld and dungeon layouts. This version was released worldwide under the name ''Golvellius: Valley of Doom''. The plot revolved around the hero (Kelesis) entering the Valley of Doom to rescue Princess Rena, who had gone to the valley to obtain a rare herb needed to heal her father the King. Gameplay mostly focused on a top down action game, where the player attacked monsters with a sword. Sometimes a secret chamber opened up where various characters would offer advice, better weapons, and other items. The game was divided into eight distinct environmentsValley, desert, graveyard, fields, swamp, beach, woods, and forest. The "fields" level connects the graveyard and swamp and has no boss to defeat each ruled by a boss, which needed to be defeated before progressing to the next area of the map.A loophole in the game allows the player, once acquiring aqua-boots, to enter the final level much earlier using an underground river, yet the level is nearly impossible to navigate due to the lack of proper weapons and experience levels The game also consisted of an underground portion in caverns, rotating between a sideways advancing and top down scrolling screen in order to reach a level boss's lair. The final level, only reachable once all boss monsters have been beaten, is to defeat Golvellius who has a secret lair revealed by following clues of the game characters. Once Golvellius is defeated, it is revealed he was possessed by a

demon A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in folklore, mythology, religion, occultism, and literature; these beliefs are reflected in Media (communication), media including f ...

and is in fact a good and kind creature who will now travel with the hero Kelesis. The game implies a sequel involving Kelesis, Golvellius and Rena, but this was never produced.

Other versions

In 2009, it was announced by

DotEmu Dotemu SAS (originally DotEmu SAS) is a French video game developer and publisher based in Paris, founded in 2007 by Xavier Liard and Romain Tisserand. It is best known for its remasters and remakes. History Dotemu was founded by Xavier Liar ...

/D4 Entreprise that ''Golvellius'' was to be re-released for the

iPhone OS Ios, Io or Nio (, ; ; locally Nios, Νιός) is a Greek island in the Cyclades group in the Aegean Sea. Ios is a hilly island with cliffs down to the sea on most sides. It is situated halfway between Naxos and Santorini. It is about long and ...

platform. It is a port of the Master System version. The scenario is the same in all the three different versions of ''Golvellius''. The ending promised a sequel, which was never developed/released. However, there is a spin-off game titled ''Super Cooks'' that was included in the 1989 release of the ''Disc Station Special Shoka Gou''.

Reception

Computer and Video Games ''Computer and Video Games'' (also known as ''CVG'', ''Computer & Video Games'', ''C&VG'', ''Computer + Video Games'', or ''C+VG'') is a British-based video game magazine, published in its original form between 1981 and 2004. Its offshoot web ...

'' rated the Sega Master System version 87% in 1989. ''

Console XS Paragon Publishing Ltd (or Paragon for short) was a magazine publisher in the UK, which published computer games and other entertainment titles from 1991 to 2003. Brief history Paragon Publishing Ltd was formed in a small office in Trowbridge, ...

'' rated it 82% in 1992.

Notes

References

External links

* 1987 video games Action role-playing video games Compile (company) games Dotemu games IOS games Master System games MSX games MSX2 games Sega video games Single-player video games Video games developed in Japan {{action-videogame-stub