Agartha

Full Release·Cancelled

No Cliché

Publisher: Sega

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Genres: Adventure

Platforms:DC

Horror Thriller Survival Single player Third personESRB

Summary

Agartha is an unfinished title for the SEGA Dreamcast. The project was commissioned and financed by SEGA and initially developed by the French studio No Cliché, which was acquired by SEGA in 1997. The creative vision was led by Frédérick Raynal, a key figure in the creation of the survival horror genre through the groundbreaking Alone In the Dark series. Development began in 2000 (possibly as early as 1999), with some references to the game dating back to 1998. The title itself refers to a city described in esoteric texts as being located deep within the Earth's core. Originally planned for a 2001 release, this timeline aligned with SEGA's decision to halt production of the Dreamcast. On January 30, 2001, SEGA officially announced the end of Dreamcast manufacturing, though games already in development were expected to be completed. Despite this, Agartha was never finished. No Cliché halted development at SEGA Europe's request and soon disbanded, likely between May 26 and July 22, 2001. In 2008, the site unseen64, which focuses on documenting unreleased games, published an article on Agartha, compiling the limited known details. The comments section featured recollections and insights from one or more former developers who worked on the project. The site also obtained a 15-minute clip of very early in-game footage, showcasing the game's unsettling atmosphere and the technical and visual capabilities of No Cliché. In 2018, an E3 Build of the game surfaced online.

Storyline

In the winter of 1929, nestled in a Romanian village partially ruined by a landslide caused by a strange earthquake, lies a hidden underground city known as Agartha. Here, evil is imprisoned and yearns to break free. Kirk, the human protagonist, will meet a variety of characters from the village, including the undead, followers of a dark cult, beasts, demons, warrior monks, priests, archangels, and the Sentinel, who embodies ultimate evil. As Kirk, you can choose to rescue as many innocent lives as you can or unleash chaos upon the world. As Kirk's morality shifts between good and evil, this uncertainty alters the goals of the journey and the unfolding of the story.