Game Information...PLAYING THE GAME 
 
THE QUEST 
     The object of the "Death Gate" game is not unlike the main plot  
of the novels:  save the worlds and all their peoples from destruction.   
In the game, the player IS Haplo the Patryn.  The player, via Haplo's  
journey through Death's Gate,  faces danger and puzzles while  
searching for the elusive world seal pieces Lord Xar demands. 
 
THE MAJOR CHARACTERS:  Haplo... Lord Xar... Sang-drax... Zifnab... 
     Characters from the Cycle novels make their appearances in the  
"Death Gate" game and are, for the most part, accurate portrayals of t 
heir textual counterparts. Haplo, of course, plays the major role in the  
game along with his master, Lord Xar. Sang-drax, leader of the Chelestra  
Dragon-snakes, comes off at his evil best!  
     The most delightful character representation in the game, however,  
is the disoriented, old wizard, Zifnab.  Some of the most humorous  
moments in the game come from Zifnab's nutty ramblings and interaction  
with other characters.  
     Only one disappointment is evident in characterization - the absence  
of Alfred Montbank. As Dahlgren noted, however, it is difficult to cover  
the entire story. It seems that Alfred's character is represented instead by 
 the game character, Samad, Leader of the Sartan Council. The game  
character Samad lacks the paranoia and fear exhibited by the novel character  
Samad, but does express the compassion and regret Alfred embodied in  
the novels. So, Alfred DOES exist in spirit, at least, in the game. 
 
THE WORLDS: Arianus... Pryan... Abarrach... Chelestra... The Labyrinth... 
     World maps provided after the journey to each of the 4 realms beautifully  
depict the sundered worlds:  Arianus, World of Sky; Pryan, World of Fire;  
Abarrach, World of Stone; and Chelestra, World of Water.  The graphical  
portrayal of these settings is very well done and helps refine the novel  
descriptions, sometimes difficult to visualize in text, into real places  
and objects.  Images that are outstanding include Chalice, the Sartan  
Home Base; the Citadel on Pryan; and the Colossus room on Abarrach.  
      
THE MAGIC 
     One of the most interesting features of the game is the use of rune  
magic. The player, living through Haplo, literally builds the spells he  
casts by linking runes. The game sequences involving the spell which  
creates "reality pockets" on portraits and pictures are very creative and  
entertaining. Also, casting various spells on different objects and  
characters within the game play often yields humorous, and sometimes  
deadly, results. 
 
Dee Schlatter, dschlatt@velcome.iupui.edu or jschatte@holli.com 
March 1995