computerized Norse Myth based CRPG. 🖳💾🖫

In December of 1991 CE, the isometric computer role playing game Dusk Of The Gods hits PCs on six 5.25" or three 3.5" disks, giving players what was probably their second taste of immersive Norse Mythology via the then-height of VGA graphics (the first being Heimdall on the Amiga in June of that same year, and much like Heimdall and other early videogames, the Larry Elmore cover art's the best looking thing about it [see any Atari 2600 game box art!], but that's a technological ceiling of the time).
 

[the CG'd majesty of Bifrost.]

After first hearing a mention of this game on the Nordic Mythology Podcast from University of Iceland's PhD candidate Luca Panaro who specifically writes about the reception of Norse Lore in videogames, I had to look it up just to see the cyber-heritage of this PC chestnut.

[Valholl with golden Hlidsklalf at the head of the table!]

Found these screenshots from a pretty comprehensive 3-part review by CRPGAddict. Apparently the game came with a fat tome of Norse Lore backgrounding that looked like a tan covered zero edition D&D manual, plus the NPCs you encounter give you screens on screens of text to read & learn from, so there was something of an edutainment factor to the game, which was possibly an attempt to make up for its limited mechanics.

Apparently there were abundant side quests to complete primary quests, with the end goal being to provide Odin and the other Æsir means to survive Ragnarök, and depending what you accomplished (or didn't) before handing Heimdall his horn so he could kick off the final battle showed you the results of your questing labours, best outcome being all the Gods still standing.

I rather like this fate changing conceit of Dusk Of The Gods, and one has to respect how Lore-involved it was for the time it came out. When we compare to say PlayStation 2's Rune or original Xbox's Too Human there's more graphical dressing than depth, although those games definitely have the advantage of later period mechanics on dedicated consoles going for them, but looking back at Dusk Of The Gods shows how the context of the stories have all sorts of room to NorsePlay in.

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Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires' Norse Gods and Giants at age seven. Since then he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the Map of Midgard project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay. If you have employment/opportunities in investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer, do contact him.