Enclave (video game)

Enclave is an action role-playing game developed by Starbreeze Studios and released for the Xbox in July 2002. Set in a medieval fantasy realm, players can choose to take on the role of either a "Warrior of Light" or a "Minion of Darkness", complete with separate and unique missions reflecting the nature of that decision.

Enclave
European Xbox cover art
Developer(s)	Starbreeze Studios
Publisher(s)	Xbox EU: Swing! Entertainment NA: Conspiracy Games Windows EU: Atari Europe S.A.S.U. NA: Black Label Games Wii, Mac, Linux TopWare Interactive
Producer(s)	Nick Kyriakidis
Designer(s)	Magnus Högdahl Jens Andersson Mikael Wahlberg
Programmer(s)	Magnus Högdahl Erik Olofsson
Platform(s)	Xbox Microsoft Windows Wii OS X Linux Nintendo Switch PlayStation 4 Xbox One
Release	Xbox[1] PAL: July 19, 2002 NA: July 29, 2002 Windows[2] NA: March 11, 2003 PAL: September 12, 2003 Wii PAL: May 22, 2012 Mac WW: November 15, 2013 Linux WW: November 10, 2016 Switch, PS4, Xbox One WW: June 29, 2023
Genre(s)	Action role-playing
Mode(s)	Single-player

A Microsoft Windows port was released in March 2003. A GameCube version was also in development but was eventually cancelled in early 2003. A Wii port, titled Enclave: Shadows of Twilight, was originally slated for the middle of June 2010,^[3] and was released in Europe on May 22, 2012.^[4] On October 4, 2013, the game was re-released on Steam and GOG.com and made available on OS X and Linux platforms.^[5] A remaster published by Ziggurat Interactive titled Enclave HD was released on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on June 29, 2023.^[6]

Gameplay

Enclave is a third-person action role-playing game mixing puzzles, shooting, sword fights and more in a level-based structure. The player uses medieval and magical weapons to fight enemies. It also includes an optional first-person mode if the player chooses. At the beginning of each mission, the player chooses a character to control. With the character selected, the player selects weapons and gear to equip for the mission. Gold is required to equip all gear. During each mission, the player collects gold and gems to increase the starting gold available at the start of each mission.

Plot

One thousand years ago, the Dreg'Atar armies of the demon lord known as Vatar had all but destroyed the people of Celenheim. In an act of desperation, the high wizard Zale sundered the land and created a rift around Celenheim, keeping the armies of Vatar at bay. In time, Celenheim forgot the war and forgot Vatar as they went about their daily affairs. Now, the rift is closing, and evil threatens the land once again. An unlikely hero, freed from prison by happenstance, must rise and fight for Light or Darkness, to either destroy the demon king Vatar or kill the queen of Celenheim.

Reception

According to GameRankings, the game received the average score of 75.04% for the PC^[7] and 70.78% for the Xbox version.^[8] According to Metacritic, the PC version received 71% and the Xbox version received 66%.^[9]

In October 2013, Enclave was re-released on Steam and as of January 2017 has sold approximately 1.5 million copies through the Steam marketplace.^[5]

Cancelled sequel

In March 2003, Starbreeze announced that Enclave II was in development for Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Microsoft Windows. It was supposed to feature a new fighting system and full motion capture, with single-player and both cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes planned. The player character was Erlendur, a young Ancestor sorcerer apprentice, and his quest was to reach Enclave before the evil sorceress Callia does.^[10] However, the features were axed and the game was canceled when Starbreeze got into legal troubles with Swing! Entertainment. The game was reworked into Knights of the Temple a few months after the announcement.^[11]