Dusk of the Gods

Norse mythology in a computer game from 1991 — that sounds like a given today, but back then it was an experiment on the edge of commercial suicide. Dusk of the Gods by Event Horizon Software was something I first fired up sometime in the early nineties, and what I remember most is having no idea what to expect.

The game drops you into the world of Norse myths just before Ragnarök — that final battle meant to bring down the Aesir and usher in the end of the old age. At least in theory, it's inevitable. But the Aesir decide not to go quietly, and you as a player stand in the middle of that struggle. Genre-wise it's an RPG with adventure elements, set in a world that was nowhere near as worn out in gaming back then as fantasy full of elves and goblins.

The controls and interface carry all the typical scars of early DOS RPGs — the mouse isn't a given here and finding your way through menus takes a bit of patience. The game combines exploration, dialogue, and combat, with a slow pace and an atmosphere that's more oppressive than action-packed. The graphics match the era and budget: functional, sometimes even stylish, but nothing miraculous. A Sound Blaster card does more for the mood than anything on screen.

What keeps Dusk of the Gods afloat even in retrospect is thematic boldness. Taking the Eddas, Odin, the fate of the world and turning it into a playable story when competitors were churning out generic dungeons — that counts for something. The game world feels well-thought-out, even if not always convincingly written. Where the game has aged worst is user comfort: a modern player without a period manual or guide will be fumbling around long before they figure out what the game actually wants from them.

Today Dusk of the Gods will sit well mainly with those who love Norse mythology and don't mind a game that pushes back. This isn't a title that holds your hand. It's an artifact from an era when games assumed you'd figure it out yourself — or read the manual. Fire it up in the browser via DOSBox in a few minutes and for the first hour or two you'll be finding out whether Ragnarök comes first or you crack the code of how the game works. It's a close call.