Egypt 1156 B.C. – Tomb of the Pharaoh (French: Égypte: 1156 av. J.-C. - L'Énigme de la tombe royale) is a 1997 adventure video game co-published by Cryo Interactive Entertainment, Canal+ Multimedia and the Réunion des Musées Nationaux for the Microsoft Windows and PlayStation (PAL region only). It was later released in North America by DreamCatcher Interactive.
| Egypt 1156 B.C. – Tomb of the Pharaoh | |
|---|---|
 French edition cover art of Egypt | |
| Developer(s) | Cryo Interactive Entertainment |
| Publisher(s) | |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | WindowsPlayStation
|
| Genre(s) | Adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Egypt was a commercial hit, with sales of 550,000 units in Europe alone by December 2000.
Gameplay
Synopsis
Ramosé, a young Theban, is on a mission to exonerate his father, who has been accused of pillaging the tomb of Seti I. In the vault at dawn, he unveils a stone showing a map of the tomb and a monkey, hinting to Hori, a former draughtsman. Ramosé then sets off to the village of Deir el-Medina where he finds Hori lying dead in his cellar, along with clues alluding to a carpenter bound for the embalmers' workshop, where he discovers a wider plot the next day. He skillfully manages to pass for one of the conspirators and is led to a tomb where a burial is being held. Ramosé descends to the funerary chamber. He is immured but manages to escape via a tunnel which leads him to the site of a tomb in construction of another noble, Panéhesy, where a mourner awaits him. She leads him to the villa of the noble, who has organized a large festivity. Passing for one of the guests, he finds a map of the Festival Hall of Thutmose III in Karnak. At the temple, Ramosé finds parts of the pillage and documents alleging Ptahnéfer, a close relative of the pharaoh. His father is exonerated.
Development
Serious Games and Edutainment Applications suggests that the 1997 video game Versailles 1685, a pioneer in the "cultural entertainment" genre that merged entertainment with cultural education, paved the way for games such as Egypt.[1]
Reception
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| PC Zone | 70/100[2] |
| UHS Hints | 1 star out of 5[3] |
| Feibel | Excellent[4] |
| Just Adventure | C+[5] |
| Tap Repeatedly | 1 star out of 5[6] |
| Adventure Gamers | 2 stars out of 5[7] |
| Console News | 80%[8] |
| Macledge | 4 stars out of 5[9] |
| JeuxVideo.com | 13/20[10] |
| Joypad (Playstation) | 5/10[11] |
| Joystick | 63%[12] |
| The Av Vault | Mixed [13] |
| Quandary | 2.5/5[14] |
| North Orange County Computer Club | Positive[15] |
Egypt was a commercial success. French newspaper Les Échos reported its sales at 250,000 units by November 1998, and noted that it was among 1997's 10 best-selling computer games.[16] According to Cryo Interactive, it sold above 500,000 copies by November 2000.[17] Marketing manager Mattieu Saint-Dennis explained in December that Egypt's sales totaled 550,000 units in Europe alone, of which France accounted for 200,000 units.[18] By February 2004, Egypt and its sequel, Egypt II, had achieved combined global sales above 700,000 units.[19]
Legacy
The game was followed by two sequels, Egypt II: The Heliopolis Prophecy and Egypt III.