''MediEvil'' is a series of

action-adventure game An action-adventure game is a video game hybrid genre that combines core elements from both the action game and adventure game genres. Definition An action adventure game can be defined as a game with a mix of elements from an action ...

s developed by

SCE Studio Cambridge Guerrilla Cambridge (formerly SCEE Cambridge Studio and Cambridge Studio) was a British video game developer based in Cambridge, England. The studio was founded under Sony Computer Entertainment in July 1997 through the buyout of the game deve ...

and published by

Sony Interactive Entertainment Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (SIE) is an American video game and digital entertainment company that is a major subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate Sony, Sony Group Corporation. It primarily operates the PlayStation brand of video game co ...

. The series revolves around an undead charlatan knight, Sir Daniel Fortesque, as he attempts to restore peace to the fictional Kingdom of Gallowmere whilst simultaneously redeeming himself. The first entry in the series, '' MediEvil'', was released for the

PlayStation is a video gaming brand owned and produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), a division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. Its flagship products consists of a series of home video game consoles produced under the brand; it also consists ...

in 1998 and was re-released on the

PlayStation Network PlayStation Network (PSN) is a digital media entertainment service provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Launched in November 2006, PSN was originally conceived for the PlayStation video game consoles, but soon extended to encompass smartp ...

in 2007. Its direct sequel, ''

MediEvil 2 ''MediEvil 2'' (stylised as ''MediEvil II'' in North America) is a 2000 action-adventure game developed and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation (console), PlayStation. It is the second i ...

'', was released for the PlayStation in 2000. The first game received two

remakes A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same s ...

, '' MediEvil: Resurrection'' for the

PlayStation Portable The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PA ...

in 2005 and '' MediEvil'' for the

PlayStation 4 The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013, in ...

in 2019. The first three installments of the series were developed by SCE Studio Cambridge (formerly known as Millennium Interactive), a subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment in

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...

. Development of the first ''MediEvil'' began in 1995 and was inspired by Tim Burton's ''

The Nightmare Before Christmas ''The Nightmare Before Christmas'' (formerly known as ''Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas'') is a 1993 American stop motion Animation, animated Gothic film, gothic musical film, musical fantasy film directed by Henry Selick in his f ...

''. The game was initially aimed for multiple consoles including

Microsoft Windows Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...

platforms and the

Sega Saturn The is a home video game console developed by Sega and released on November 22, 1994, in Japan, May 11, 1995, in North America, and July 8, 1995, in Europe. Part of the fifth generation of video game consoles, it is the successor to the succes ...

; however, upon being shown progress,

Sony Computer Entertainment Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (SIE) is an American video game and digital entertainment company that is a major subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate Sony, Sony Group Corporation. It primarily operates the PlayStation brand of video game co ...

signed ''MediEvil'' to be PlayStation-exclusive and commissioned the studio as SCE Cambridge. The music for all games was composed by Andrew Barnabas and Paul Arnold, commonly known as "Bob & Barn". Critics have been mostly positive to the series, with its graphics and story being particularly praised in the first two games. However, common criticisms included lack of innovation and cumbersome camera controls.

Games

''MediEvil''

''MediEvil'' is an

action-adventure An action-adventure game is a video game genre, video game hybrid genre that combines core elements from both the action game and adventure game genres. Definition An action adventure game can be defined as a game with a mix of elements f ...

video game, released in Europe 9 October 1998 and North America on 21 October and in Japan on 17 June 1999. It was re-released on the

in 2007. The story of the game begins in the year 1286, when an evil sorcerer named Zarok plots to take over the kingdom of Gallowmere with his undead army. During the battle, a charlatan knight, Sir Daniel Fortesque, led an army that managed to kill Zarok; however, Dan was in reality struck down and killed by the first arrow fired in battle. 100 years later, Zarok reappears and casts a spell over Gallowmere to awaken his undead army. However, he unwittingly revives the corpse of Dan in the process. Dan uses this opportunity to defeat Zarok, save Gallowmere and earn his place as a true hero.

''MediEvil 2''

''MediEvil 2'' is the second installment in the series and serves as a direct sequel to the first game. It was released on 19 April 2000 in Europe and 30 April in North America. The game takes place 500 years after the first game's events and follows series' protagonist Sir Daniel Fortesque's revival in

Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the reign of Queen Victoria, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. Slightly different definitions are sometimes used. The era followed the ...

London as he attempts to stop sorcerer Lord Palethorn and

Jack the Ripper Jack the Ripper was an unidentified serial killer who was active in and around the impoverished Whitechapel district of London, England, in 1888. In both criminal case files and the contemporaneous journalistic accounts, the killer was also ...

's plans to terrorise the city by raising the dead. Dan is accompanied by Winston, a ghost sidekick, and Kira, a

mummy A mummy is a dead human or an animal whose soft tissues and Organ (biology), organs have been preserved by either intentional or accidental exposure to Chemical substance, chemicals, extreme cold, very low humidity, or lack of air, so that the ...

princess who serves as the player-character's love interest. The game features several improvements over the original, including improved enemy

artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) is the capability of computer, computational systems to perform tasks typically associated with human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and decision-making. It is a field of re ...

, increased strategy combat, larger and more detailed levels, more powerful and diverse range of strategic weapons, and a more detailed characterisation and storyline.

''MediEvil: Resurrection''

''MediEvil: Resurrection'' is the third installment in the series and is a re-imagining of the first game. It was released as a launch title for the PSP on 1 September 2005 in Europe and 13 September in North America. It was re-released for the

in 2008. Similar to the first game, it is set in the medieval Kingdom of Gallowmere and centres around the charlatan protagonist, Sir Daniel Fortesque, as he makes an attempt to stop antagonist Zarok's invasion of the kingdom whilst simultaneously redeeming himself. Unlike the original, Dan is accompanied by Al-Zalam, a genie whose powers were taken away by Zarok. The game features updated graphics and a variety of voice talents, including

Tom Baker Thomas Stewart Baker (born 20 January 1934) is an English actor and writer. He is best known for having played the Fourth Doctor, fourth and longest-serving incarnation of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor in the science fiction television ...

as the narrator and the

Grim Reaper The Grim Reaper is a popular personification of death in Western culture in the form of a hooded skeletal figure wearing a black robe and carrying a scythe.

''MediEvil'' remake

A remaster/remake of ''MediEvil'' for the

was developed by Other Ocean Interactive and released in October 2019.

Development

All three games of the series were developed by

-based

, formerly known as Millennium Interactive. Chris Sorrell, previously known for the '' James Pond'' series, created the original concept for ''MediEvil'' and served as the first game's creative director. The original design proposal for the game had the working title "''Dead Man Dan''", and was described by Sorrell as a "fusion" of

Capcom is a Japanese video game company. It has created a number of critically acclaimed and List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being ''Resident Evil'', ''Monster ...

's ''

Ghost'n Goblins ''Ghosts 'n Goblins'', known in Japan as , is a series of run-and-gun platform video games developed and owned by Capcom. The first entry in the series was ''Ghosts 'n Goblins'', released in arcades on July 7, 1985. The series has subsequent ...

'' combined with the art style of

Tim Burton Timothy Walter Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an American filmmaker and producer. Known for popularizing Goth subculture, Goth culture in the American film industry, Burton is famous for his Gothic film, gothic horror and dark fantasy films. ...

's ''

''. As development progressed, lead artist Jason Wilson asserted the game into more of a ''

The Legend of Zelda is a media franchise, video game series created by the Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is primarily developed and published by Nintendo; some portable installments and re-releases have been outsourced to Flags ...

role-playing video game Role-playing video games, also known as CRPG (computer/console role-playing games), comprise a broad video game genre generally defined by a detailed story and character advancement (often through increasing characters' levels or other skills) ...

-influenced direction as opposed to the original arcade-style concept. Looking to attract a major publishing deal, Millennium Interactive initially began working on multiple platforms including

Windows 95 Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented operating system developed by Microsoft and the first of its Windows 9x family of operating systems, released to manufacturing on July 14, 1995, and generally to retail on August 24, 1995. Windows 95 merged ...

and the

before giving Sony of Europe a demonstration of the game. Impressed by the progress, Sony signed ''MediEvil'' to be an exclusive PlayStation game and commissioned SCE Studio Cambridge as Sony's second studio in the United Kingdom. SCE Cambridge felt that the game should possess a unique lead character; therefore, Sorrell collaborated with

script doctor A script doctor is a writer or playwright hired by a film, television, or theatre production company to rewrite an existing script or improve specific aspects of it, including structure, characterization, dialogue, pacing, themes, and other elemen ...

Martin Pond whilst creating a backstory for the lead protagonist, Sir Daniel Fortesque. Pond created the idea that Sir Daniel could have been a failure in life whose reincarnation was his only attempt at redemption. This idea, along with the player-character's unusual appearance, turned appealing to some sectors of the gaming community, as lead designer Jason Wilson later recalled that female gamers considered Sir Daniel to be "endearing". ''MediEvil'' was one of the first games to be developed for exclusive use with the PlayStation analogue controller. During development, Sony requested that the game should utilise the new functions of the controller, which was described as a "particularly fortuitous event" by Sorrell. In 1999, after the success of the first ''MediEvil'', Sony requested that SCE Cambridge develop a sequel that would be released before the end of the

's lifespan. Chris Sorrell, who previously served as director of the first game, was not involved in development thus the project was handed over to James Shepherd. SCE Cambridge decided it would not be difficult to make a sequel to the first ''MediEvil'', considering that the ending of its predecessor would give the team an opportunity to set the next game in a different time period. Shepherd settled on ''MediEvil 2'' being set in the

, the centrepiece of the Neo-Gothic revival. Shepherd considered the hardest part of the development was deciding how to make the game superior to its predecessor through making certain aspects of the game humorous. To achieve this end, the studio recoded various core technology, which Shepherd considered was arguably similar to "starting from scratch". By the time the game reached beta status the game offered larger levels, improved

non-player character A non-player character (NPC) is a character in a game that is not controlled by a player. The term originated in traditional tabletop role-playing games where it applies to characters controlled by the gamemaster (or referee) rather than by a ...

(NPC) logic, and more fighting abilities for the player-character. Development of ''MediEvil: Resurrection'' began in 2003. Sony of Europe wanted a launch game for the

and ordered SCE Cambridge to develop the game in time for the console's release. Due to the short notice, the studio was given only a year to develop a game, thus it was decided that a remake of the original '' MediEvil'' would be feasible as developing an original title would have taken considerably longer. New additions to ''Resurrection'' included an expanded plot, added mini-games, extra characters, multiplayer facilities and a cloud save function.

Music

The soundtrack of the first game was composed by Paul Arnold and Andrew Barnabas, the musical duo more commonly known as "Bob & Barn". SCE Cambridge instructed them to compose a

Danny Elfman Daniel Robert Elfman (born May 29, 1953) is an American film composer, singer, songwriter, and musician. He came to prominence as the lead vocalist and primary songwriter for the new wave band Oingo Boingo in the early 1980s. Since scoring his ...

-influenced score, similar to those of ''

Beetlejuice ''Beetlejuice'' is a 1988 American Gothic film, gothic dark fantasy comedy horror film directed by Tim Burton from a screenplay by Michael McDowell (author), Michael McDowell and Warren Skaaren based on a story by McDowell and Larry Wilson (sc ...

'', ''

'' and ''

Batman Returns ''Batman Returns'' is a 1992 American superhero film directed by Tim Burton and written by Daniel Waters (screenwriter), Daniel Waters. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, it is the sequel to ''Batman (1989 film), Batman'' (1989) and th ...

''. The music was created using electronic synthesizers to simulate an entire orchestra and

organ Organ and organs may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a group of tissues organized to serve a common function * Organ system, a collection of organs that function together to carry out specific functions within the body. Musical instruments ...

. The music for ''MediEvil 2'' was also composed by "Bob & Barn". ''MediEvil: Resurrection'' used parts of the original ''MediEvil'' score, along with elements composed by Bob & Barn that was performed by a live orchestra and

choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...

. An album was made from this music and signed copies can be purchased from the artists' website. The soundtrack in ''MediEvil: Resurrection'' is orchestrated, unlike the first installment. Approximately half of the themes from the original were removed while new themes were created to fit with the new levels. The music is split into two halves; the cues from the first half are largely reminiscent of a select number of cues from the original game with the addition of extra thematic elements to strengthen them. The other half of the music is original and composed exclusively for ''Resurrection''. The new soundtrack was composed by Bob & Barn and features performances from members of the

City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra (Czech: ''Filharmonici města Prahy'') is a classical orchestra, predominantly composed of Czech classical, jazz and guest musicians. The history of the orchestra goes back to the Film Symphony Orchest ...

that was recorded in the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...

. The orchestra, headed by Nic Raine, consisted of approximately 80 performers and in addition benefits from a 32 piece choir, also recorded in the same venue. This was in similar vain to SCE Studio Cambridge's previous orchestral game '' Primal'', which was also recorded in

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

by the same performers.

Reception

Overall, the ''MediEvil'' series has received positive to mixed reviews from critics. '' MediEvil'' and ''

'' were mostly praised upon release, with the atmosphere, visuals and music of both games being the prominently commended aspects. Chris Roper of

IGN ''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...

praised the game's sense of humour and unique presentation, but was sceptical concerning the game's "sloppy" controls, "disjointed" level designs and noted that the game's graphics did not age well over time, in comparison to the graphically superior PSP remake. Joe Fielder of

GameSpot ''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady, and Jon Epstein. In addition ...

credited the first ''MediEvil'' for its original look and number of unique puzzles, but criticised the camera work. Reviewing ''MediEvil 2'', Doug Perry of IGN praised the graphical advancements of the game, noticing that the sharper detail brings out a more "sophisticated feel" to the story and the new addition of cutscenes create a better sense of continuity and story. Shawn Sparks of

Game Revolution Mandatory (formerly CraveOnline Media) is a lifestyle website based in Los Angeles with sales offices in New York City, Chicago and San Francisco. The site is owned by media company Evolve Media, LLC. Mandatory focuses its contents into the male ...

similarly praised the improved graphics of the second game, noting that smooth

frame rate Frame rate, most commonly expressed in frame/s, or FPS, is typically the frequency (rate) at which consecutive images (Film frame, frames) are captured or displayed. This definition applies to film and video cameras, computer animation, and moti ...

and sharper graphics brought out the original PlayStation's power despite nearing the end of its lifespan. At the 2000

BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Awards The British Academy of Film and Television Arts ( BAFTA) annually hosted the BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Awards for multimedia entertainment between 1998 and 2002. In 2003, BAFTA announced the award would be split into two separate ceremonies � ...

, ''MediEvil 2'' won the best console game category. ''MediEvil: Resurrection'' received largely mixed reviews from critics upon release. General criticisms of the game were directed at the camera controls, combat sequences, and occasional

drops. Both Kristan Reed of

Eurogamer ''Eurogamer'' is a British video game journalism website launched in 1999 alongside parent company Gamer Network. In 2008, it started in the formerly eponymous trade fair EGX (Eurogamer Expo until 2013) organised by its parent company. Fr ...

and Jason Allen of IGN expressed concern over the camera work, stating that the camera was "sloppy" and that it proved particularly difficult during combat. However, the graphics and celebrity voice talent were praised; especially Tom Baker's role as the narrator and Grim Reaper. Greg Mueller of

praised the soundtrack and dialogue, with Reed citing that Baker's voice performance was "majestic" and "eccentric". ''MediEvil'' creators Chris Sorrell and Jason Wilson expressed disappointment with the game, with Wilson stating that he felt disheartened with having to watch something he "cherished" to be altered with decisions he thought were "questionable". Sorrell felt similar disappointment in the redesign of the game and there were a number of aspects of it that he disagreed with.

Other media

graphic novel A graphic novel is a self-contained, book-length form of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and Anthology, anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comics sc ...

written by original co-creators Chris Sorrell and Jay Gunn, titled ''MediEvil: Fate's Arrow'', was released by Titan Comics on 29 October 2019 to coincide with the release of the PS4 remake. The story picks up after the events of ''MediEvil 2'' and sees Fortesque travel back in time to before the events of the first game. The series is referenced in the

PlayStation 5 The PlayStation 5 (PS5) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was announced as the successor to the PlayStation 4 in April 2019, was launched on November 12, 2020, in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, North ...

launch title '' Astro's Playroom''. In 2025, the writer and producer Ben Mekler stated that a Medievil film had been in development in the past, and that the film would have featured original songs by

Tenacious D Tenacious D is an American comedy rock duo formed in Los Angeles in 1994 by the actors Jack Black and Kyle Gass. Their music showcases Black's theatrical vocal delivery and Gass' acoustic guitar playing. Critics have described their fusion of ...

. Mekler had previously worked with Tenacious D vocalist

Jack Black Thomas Jacob "Jack" Black (born August 28, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is known for roles in family and comedy films, in addition to his voice work in animated films. His awards include a Children's and Family Emmy ...

on the 2022 television series '' Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight''.

References

{{Sony franchises Fantasy video games Horror video games MediEvil Sony Interactive Entertainment franchises Video game franchises introduced in 1998 Video games developed in the United Kingdom Video games set in fictional countries