Avernum
Avernum is a series of demoware role-playing video games by Jeff Vogel of Spiderweb Software available for Macintosh and Windows-based computers. Several are available for iPad, and were formerly available for Android.
There are six canonical games in the series. The first three games in the series are remakes of the Exile series, collectively entitled Avernum: First Trilogy. The next three games were released in 2005, 2007, and 2009, respectively, are built on a newer game engine, and are entirely original, not being remakes of any previous games. The Avernum games, like other Spiderweb Software games, are designed with a focus on gameplay and storytelling over graphical elements. In December 2011, a newer version of Avernum was released, Avernum: Escape from the Pit, followed by its sequels Avernum 2: Crystal Souls in 2015, Avernum 3: Ruined World in 2018, and Avernum 4: Greed and Glory in 2025.
Improvements over ''Exile''
The original Exile games used a top-down perspective tile-based graphical system, effectively displayed as an X-Y axis wherein each tile in the grid was filled by a base graphic and perhaps an item or character icon. Avernum features a 45-degree axonometric display that appears three-dimensional. The game also adds varying terrain height, allowing for more interesting map layouts.As the first three games in the series are remakes of the Exile series, the primary plot devices remain relatively unchanged, while many new encounters and side quests are added. With the design overhaul came improvements to the graphical user interface and the storyline. Also, Avernum has a maximum of four party members instead of six. In-game art by Phil Foglio lends a more humorous feel to the game.
Games
The Avernum games take place largely in a subterranean world known as Avernum. The main conflict of the series is between the Avernites and the surface kingdom, known as the Empire.The game features several races. Humans are the dominant race in the series, with the Nephilim and Slithzerikai being two other primary races. The Vahnatai, a race of highly magical and alien creatures, live in the deeper caves of Avernum.
The Avernum series, similar to the Exile series before it, is demoware. The user can download the program for free, and play a significant part of the game without restrictions. The demo ends at a certain point in the storyline, at which time the user must purchase a registration key to continue playing.
''Avernum: First Trilogy''
''Avernum''
Avernum, the first game of the Avernum series, features a party of characters thrown from the surface world into the subterranean Avernum. Once here, the player discovers a culture that has formed from the outcasts of the Empire above: a culture beset by constant warfare and monsters galore. In Avernum, adventurers meet with many who wish to get revenge on the Empire for the wrongs it has done to the Avernites.Besides countless side quests along the way, the game offers three primary quests: killing the demon Grah-Hoth, discovering a route back to the surface, and assassinating Emperor Hawthorne of the surface world.
The game was remade as Avernum: Escape from the Pit in December 2011 for OS X and April 2012 for iOS and Windows. This remade version is the second remake of Escape from the Pit and uses a new game engine.
''Avernum 2''
Avernum 2 takes place five years after the events in the original Avernum. Upon assassination of Emperor Hawthorne, the Empire of the surface recognizes the threat the Avernites pose and begins sending huge military forces down to Avernum. To make matters worse, unknown barriers of energy are sprouting up around the Avernum, which divides Avernum's forces, making them weaker.The player controls a party of characters that meets one of the Vahnatai creatures responsible for the barriers in Avernum, and travels to meet with their leaders to negotiate. The party finds out that the reason of the hostility is the theft of the crystal souls by the Empire. The party retrieves the crystal souls, and in turn the Vahnatai join the Avernites in opposition against the Empire. With their support, the Avernites turn the tables on the Empire and successfully repel the invasion.
Starting in Avernum 2, the player may choose to have Nephilim and Slithzerikai characters in the party, in contrast to the original Avernum that allowed only human characters.
The game was remade as Avernum 2: Crystal Souls in 2015 for Windows, OS X, and iOS. This remade version is the second remake of Crystal Souls and uses a new game engine.
''Avernum 3''
Avernum 3 takes place ten years after the events of Avernum 2. Avernites have done a lot of preparation and are ready to send a selected few back into the light of the surface. After those selected few vanish, they send a selected few more. While those who emerge are at first stunned by the sheer beauty of the land around them, they also begin to notice that things are not as perfect as they seem. The slimes encountered are only the first part of what becomes a series of monsters and terrible occurrences that are blighting the Empire and laying it to waste. When scouting the land, as per orders from the Avernite government, the player is asked by the Empire to help save the surface from its blight. Adventurers must bring the Avernites and the Empire together to find the cause of the destruction.The game was remade as Avernum 3: Ruined World in 2018 for Windows, macOS, and iOS. This remade version is the second remake of Ruined World and uses a new game engine.
''Blades of Avernum''
Blades of Avernum is a non-canon installment in the Avernum series, released in June 2004. It comes with four pre-installed scenarios, three of which are only available after game purchase. Its most notable feature is a free scenario creation kit that can be downloaded and used to make scenarios that can be distributed to other players. It has come under fire for being "too complex" in comparison to Blades of Exile, its predecessor, which used a very simple instruction list instead of a script system. On the other hand, it has also been praised for allowing many new possibilities using said script system, which couldn't be achieved with the Blades of Exile system.Spiderweb Software has released the source code for the editor and allows others to make enhanced versions and add-ons, which a number of players have done. The most notable adaptation of the editor is a 3D editor, which allows the user to view and edit a project using axonometric in-game view.
''Avernum: Second Trilogy''
''Avernum IV''
Avernum IV was released for Macintosh in late 2005 and released for Windows on March 2, 2006. It makes use of the Geneforge engine and merges it with the Avernum engine; essentially this means that the gameplay is entirely turn-based, but uses the Geneforge point-and-click navigation and user interfaces. In addition, there is a large amount of new art in order to bring the world of Avernum to life within the reworked Geneforge engine.Avernum 4 takes place long after the other games – one of the dialogue options remarks that the events of the third game happened "before we were even born". Weird monsters have been appearing in the underworld, and three powerful shades have been attacking people in the cities. A group of assassins also appears and targets all travellers and especially player characters. The player takes charge of a group of heroes which will, in the end, determine the fate of all of Avernum.
The game was remade as Avernum 4: Greed and Glory in 2025. This remade version is the first remake of Avernum IV and uses a new game engine.