Classic DOS adventure Last Half of Darkness returns in full 3D after 36 years
DOS Horrors: Last Half of Darkness is one of the earliest examples of horror games specifically designed to run on DOS systems. Now, 36 years after its original release, the game’s creator is “reimagining” the adventure with full 3D graphics.
William R. Fisher III is developing the 35th-anniversary edition of Last Half of Darkness (LHOD), a point-and-click adventure game first released in 1989. The original DOS game barely had any graphics, but the new edition promises a fully interactive 3D environment with more puzzles, expansive areas to explore, and B-movie-style jump scares to enjoy.
On the game’s official website, Fisher recounts the history behind LHOD. He developed the game on an XT PC with 64K of RAM and a 10MB hard drive over a 9-month period. What began as “goofing around” with paint programs to design rooms and locations eventually evolved into a full-fledged game.
The original retail version was sold in a few local stores but was never officially released commercially. Then came the shareware era. Fisher decided to offer the first part of LHOD for free, asking $20 for the second part. This venture turned out to be “very successful,” leading Fisher to create several other games (and additional LHOD chapters) over the years.
The developer is now offering the original, two-part Last Half of Darkness adventure as a free download. Meanwhile, the upcoming 35th anniversary edition will retain the original premise: the player’s aunt is dead, and her mansion is filled with mysteries and dark secrets to uncover. She was a witch working on a potion just before her untimely death.
Players must search for the missing ingredients to complete the potion and solve the riddles of the mansion, now known as Paraíso Del Norte. Fisher describes the new edition as a “psychological horror experience.” In contrast, the original game consisted of sparse rooms with limited interactive elements and weird, mostly hostile NPCs to deal with.
The reimagined LHOD will feature “realistic creepy environments,” a haunting soundtrack, and a new option to adjust the difficulty level. The original game lacked such customization, though it was later re-released as an easier, VGA-enhanced version with fewer puzzles and no risk of dying.
A few years ago, I emailed Fisher, asking if a “commercial” version of a game I had enjoyed and replayed during my 286 days was available. The developer said that no physical copies of LOHD were available anymore and made no mention of any plans for a modern version. That’s why this news comes as such a pleasant surprise.
