The Dark Crystal

The Dark Crystal is a graphic adventure computer game based on Jim Henson's fantasy film, The Dark Crystal (film). The game was designed by Roberta Williams and published under the SierraVenture line in 1983 as Hi-Res Adventure #6: The Dark Crystal. It was the first Hi-Res Adventure released under the SierraVenture line, the previous titles being released under earlier names and later re-released under SierraVenture.

Gameplay
The Dark Crystal is set in Thra, a world with three suns. Every thousand years the three suns come together in an event known as "The Great Conjunction". The player controls Jen, a gelfling. Two souls are destined to battle to reveal the secrets of their past. One warrior's fate rests in the hands of a tyrannical villain who is hellbent on destruction.

The game features no music, a single beep is used to alert that no action other than the return key can be taken and a double beep if another command is used at that time.

Development
It took Roberta Williams a little over a month to develop the design for the game, which was then turned over to programmers and artists.

Reception
Softline in 1983 wrote that "In a way, it's better than the movie", stating The Dark Crystal's "thin story that failed to serve the movie well is comparatively top-drawer material in the game" and calling the graphics "delightful". The game would go on to receive a Certificate of Merit in the category of "1984 Best Computer Adventure" at the 5th annual Arkie Awards.