Anachronox Is One Of The Biggest Tragedies In Gaming History

Few titles capture both the boundless potential of the medium and the stark realities of the industry like Anachronox. Released in 2001 by Ion Storm and published by EIDOS Interactive, Anachronox was a bold, imaginative RPG that blended humor, science fiction, and a deep narrative in a way few games have matched. However, despite the passion that went into it, Anachronox is a tragic tale of lost potential and industry missteps.

The Vision And Innovation

At its core, Anachronox was a game of immense ambition. Tom Hall, one of the key figures behind the original Doom and Commander Keen, and the voice actor of Walter Simons from Deus Ex, helmed the project with a vision to create a cinematic, story-driven RPG. The game was set in a richly detailed universe. It featured a blend of cyberpunk and space opera elements that provided a unique backdrop for its narrative.

The gameplay mechanics were equally innovative. It combined traditional RPG elements with adventure game mechanics. It allowed players to explore diverse environments, solve puzzles, and engage in turn-based combat. The game’s story was deeply engaging, filled with quirky characters, unexpected twists, and a sense of humor that balanced its darker themes. I mean, seriously, one of your playable companions is a literal planet.

Development Hell

The development of Anachronox was plagued by numerous challenges that ultimately contributed to its tragic fate. Ion Storm, the studio behind the game, was infamous for its tumultuous development cycles and mismanagement. The studio’s other high-profile project, Daikatana, suffered from similar issues, casting a shadow over Anachronox.

Budget overruns, missed deadlines, and internal conflicts marked the development process. The game’s release was delayed multiple times, and by the time it finally hit the market in June 2001, it had already lost much of its potential momentum. The prolonged development also meant that some of the game’s technology felt outdated upon release, impacting its reception among players and critics.

Dateline 1996: Tom Hall left Apogee to team up with fellow Id Software founder & friend, John Romero, to launch Ion Storm. Tom and his team worked on his new project, Anachronox, an action role-player game released mid-2001. Here's a poster I kept that was in PC Gamer, I think. pic.twitter.com/n87kfQdVCi

— Scott Miller – Apogee/3D Realms Founder ☢️ (@ScottApogee) January 21, 2023

Marketing Missteps

Another significant factor in the tragedy of Anachronox was its poor marketing and distribution. Despite the game’s quality and the pedigree of its development team, it received little promotional support from its publisher, Eidos Interactive. In an era when marketing could make or break a game, Anachronox was left to fend for itself with minimal advertising and exposure.

This lack of marketing was compounded by the fact that Anachronox was released around the same time as several other high-profile titles. These included titles such as Diablo II and Max Payne. These titles dominated the market, overshadowing the quieter release of Anachronox. As a result, many potential players simply never heard of the game, leading to disappointing sales figures, though it still sits at a “Mostly Positive” rating on Steam.

Dateline 1996: Tom Hall left Apogee to team up with fellow Id Software founder & friend, John Romero, to launch Ion Storm. Tom and his team worked on his new project, Anachronox, an action role-player game released mid-2001. Here's a poster I kept that was in PC Gamer, I think. pic.twitter.com/n87kfQdVCi

— Scott Miller – Apogee/3D Realms Founder ☢️ (@ScottApogee) January 21, 2023

Critical Acclaim, Commercial Failure

Despite its commercial struggles, Anachronox was met with critical acclaim. Reviewers praised its storytelling, character development, and innovative gameplay. It earned several awards and is still remembered fondly by those who played it. However, critical acclaim did not translate into financial success. The game’s poor sales ultimately doomed the possibility of a sequel.

Tom Hall had envisioned Anachronox as the first part of a larger saga. Follow-up games were planned to continue the story. However, the commercial failure of the first game meant that these plans were never realized. It left fans with a cliffhanger ending and countless unanswered questions. To say that the suspense is still killing me would be an understatement, to say the least.

Anachronox, the forgotten Ion Storm game
byu/WhiteDawn inGames

A Personal Pain

If at this point in this article, you’re still wondering why I’m so passionately talking about this game from the early 2000s that most haven’t even heard of, it’s because Anachronox was one of the first games I ever played. It is the game that got me hooked on narrative, story-driven titles, cementing my love for the medium to this day. It continues to be my favorite game of all time, and I will gladly die on this hill.

Whether or not Square Enix ever lets me see a sequel to this masterclass of a series, remains to be seen. But one thing I know for sure, the whole world was robbed of one of the greatest videogame sequels of all time. But don’t let the lack of a sequel deter you, the first installment has around 50 hours of peak gameplay in store for you at just $6.99 on Steam. Maybe with enough love, we’ll finally be able to get what we lost all those years ago.

Happy 22nd Anniversary, #Anachronox! Our hilarious, dramatic, epic sci-fi role-playing game! #rpg pic.twitter.com/oRBmeyvTfi

— • 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚘𝚖 𝚑𝚊𝚕𝚕 • (@ThatTomHall) June 27, 2023

Conclusion

Anachronox remains one of the biggest tragedies in gaming history. Not because of its quality, but because of what it represented: untapped potential and a dream unfulfilled. It stands as a testament to the vision and passion of its creators and a reminder of the harsh realities of the gaming industry.  While it may not have achieved the success it deserved, Anachronox continues to shine bright in my heart. A fitting legacy for a game that dared to dream big.