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Quest for Glory: Shadows of Darkness

Last updated: January 10, 2026

Overview

Quest for Glory: Shadows of Darkness is a 1993 adventure game/role-playing video game hybrid, the fourth installment in the Quest for Glory series by Sierra On-Line12. Designed by Lori Ann Cole and Corey Cole, it was the first and only game in the series to drop the roman numerals from the title1. Set in Mordavia, a world described as “a mix of Slavic folklore and Lovecraftian horror,” the game features darker themes while maintaining the series’ trademark humor13. Released in December 1993 on floppy discs and re-released on CD-ROM in September 1994, the CD version featured full voice acting including John Rhys-Davies as the Narrator14. According to Corey Cole, the game was developed with a budget of $750,0001. The floppy disc version was released with inadequate testing and is considered “almost unplayable,” though the CD re-release addressed many issues1.

Story Summary

Shadows of Darkness follows directly from the events of Quest for Glory III: Wages of War1. Drawn without warning from victory in Fricana, the Hero arrives without equipment or explanation in the middle of the hazardous Dark One Caves in the distant land of Mordavia, a world full of undead that is “a mix of Slavic folklore and Lovecraftian horror”13.

Upon escaping from the closing cave mouth, the Hero meets a mysterious young woman named Katrina who assists him several times in his journey1. The Hero helps the townspeople with their problems and encounters several old foes, including the not-quite-dead Ad Avis and the ogress Baba Yaga, while making several bizarre new allies1.

The Hero is ultimately coerced into assisting Ad Avis’ Dark Master in collecting the Dark Rituals that will allow Avoozl the Dark One (an obvious Cthulhu pastiche, and most likely a reference to the Slavic deity Chernobog) to manifest in Mordavia’s world13. Naturally, the Hero escapes this control and thwarts their plan, destroying Ad Avis in the process1. During the celebration of the Hero’s somewhat pyrrhic victory, the wizard Erasmus appears, summoning the Hero to the land of Silmaria1.

Gameplay

The gameplay continued with Quest for Glory III’s graphical, point-and-click interface1. The game introduced a new combat system with a sideways perspective of fights and allowed players to check an option to let the computer fight the battles automatically13.

Interface and Controls

  • Point-and-click interface continuing from QFG III1
  • New side-scrolling combat perspective13
  • Option for automatic computer-controlled combat1
  • SVGA graphics with 256-color VGA15

Structure and Progression

  • Set in Mordavia, a valley surrounded by mountains36
  • Day-night cycle with time-sensitive events3
  • Multiple character classes with different solutions3
  • Character import from previous Quest for Glory games3

Puzzles and Mechanics

  • Notable Tarot card sequence using imagery from the Russian tarot of St. Petersburg1
  • Multiple romances available depending on character actions3
  • Dark Rituals collection as main quest progression1
  • Vampiric rabbits as a Monty Python reference1

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

Computer Gaming World said in March 1994, “Offering a unique mix of dark mystery and light humor, Shadows of Darkness is another award winning adventure”1. Scorpia in April 1994 was less positive, liking the automatic combat option but disliking the “weak to obscure” puzzles and describing the end boss as “a letdown”1. She especially criticized the bugs, describing the game as perhaps “the sloppiest product ever released by Sierra” and requiring multiple patches1.

Jim Trunzo reviewed the game in White Wolf #43 (May 1994), giving it a “Very Good” evaluation and stating “If you simply want some challenging fun presented in a gothic setting, try the newest Quest for Glory”1.

Modern Assessment

Rowan Kaizer of Engadget and Ryan Stevens of GameTrailers consider it the best entry of the entire series17. Michael Baker for RPGamer considers it “worth money even twenty years on,” scoring it 4 out of 5 stars18. Adam Rosenberg of G4TV considers Shadows of Darkness “the most elaborate and well-designed” entry in the series1. PC Gamer’s Richard Cobbett considers the game “absolutely wonderful”19.

In 2011, Adventure Gamers named Shadows of Darkness the 23rd-best adventure game ever released1. HowLongToBeat reports the main story takes approximately 13 hours to complete10.

  • Adventure Gamers: #23 best adventure game of all time1
  • RPGamer: 4/5 stars8
  • Engadget/GameTrailers: Best entry in series17
  • GOG: 4.9/5 (collection, 195 ratings)11
  • Steam: Very Positive (95% positive, 374 reviews, collection)12
  • HowLongToBeat: 13 hours main story10

Development

Production

Quest for Glory IV features darker themes while maintaining the humor of previous games through methods like incorporating Boris Karloff and Peter Lorre parodies1. The game was inspired by gothic fiction, “old horror movies and books about vampires and werewolves”1. Development ran late, forcing Sierra to ship the floppy version with inadequate testing1. The CD version released the following year was much improved1. The GOG digital re-release has since resolved many remaining bugs1.

The CD-ROM version was the first game in the series to feature voice actors, including John Rhys-Davies as the Narrator (whose recording took more than three weeks), Jennifer Hale as Katrina, and Bill Farmer as Leshy14.

Voice Cast

The CD-ROM version featured an impressive voice cast including several notable voice actors4.

Principal Cast:4

ActorCharacters
John Rhys-DaviesNarrator
Jennifer HaleKatrina
Gregg BergerDmitri Ivanov (Burgomeister)
Jeff BennettAd Avis
Jim CummingsBoris Stovich
Bill FarmerLeshy
Susan SiloBaba Yaga
Neil RossErasmus

Supporting Cast:4

ActorCharacters
Hamilton CampLorre Petrovich
Cam ClarkeDomovoi
Joan GerberGypsy Magda
Jess HarnellFranz
Diane PershingErana
Stu RosenYuri Markarov
Cathianne BloreAnna
Mitzi McCallBella Markarov
Russi TaylorTanya Markarov

Technical Achievements

  • First Quest for Glory game with full voice acting (CD version)1
  • SVGA graphics developed for enhanced visuals1
  • New side-scrolling combat system1
  • Original soundtrack by Aubrey Hodges with reprises of Hero’s Theme and Grieg’s “Anitra’s Dance”1
  • Platform releases: December 1993 (floppy DOS), September 1994 (CD DOS/Windows)1

Version History

VersionDatePlatformNotes
1.0December 1993DOSOriginal floppy release, notorious for bugs1
CD-ROMSeptember 1994DOS, Windows 3.xFull voice acting, many bug fixes15
GOG/SteamMay 10, 2012Windows (DOSBox)Digital re-release with NewRisingSun patches5

Known Issues (Original Release):1

  • Floppy version described as “perhaps the sloppiest product ever released by Sierra” (Scorpia, CGW)
  • Multiple patches required to make the game playable
  • CD-ROM version significantly improved stability
  • Windows 3.x version does not work on 64-bit Windows5

Fan Enhancements:5

  • NewRisingSun script fixes (included in GOG/Steam versions)
  • QFG4 Enhanced mod adds bugfixes and restored content

Legacy

Quest for Glory: Shadows of Darkness is widely considered one of the best games in the series and among the finest adventure-RPG hybrids ever made17. The game’s blend of Slavic folklore and Lovecraftian horror created a unique atmosphere that set it apart from both previous entries and contemporary games13. The title change (dropping the “IV”) was the only time in the series this occurred1.

The troubled release of the floppy version, described by Scorpia as “perhaps the sloppiest product ever released by Sierra,” became a cautionary tale about rushed game development1. Despite these issues, the game’s reputation has only grown over time, with modern critics consistently ranking it among the finest adventure games ever made17.

Collections

This game has been included in the following collections:

  • Quest for Glory Anthology (1996)6
  • Quest for Glory Collection Series (1997)6
  • Quest for Glory 1-5 (GOG, Steam)1112

Downloads

Purchase / Digital Stores

Download / Preservation

Manuals & Extras

Series Continuity

References

Footnotes

  1. Wikipedia – Quest for Glory: Shadows of Darkness – – history, plot, gameplay, development, reception ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13 ↩14 ↩15 ↩16 ↩17 ↩18 ↩19 ↩20 ↩21 ↩22 ↩23 ↩24 ↩25 ↩26 ↩27 ↩28 ↩29 ↩30 ↩31 ↩32 ↩33 ↩34 ↩35 ↩36 ↩37 ↩38 ↩39 ↩40 ↩41 ↩42 ↩43 ↩44 ↩45 ↩46 ↩47 ↩48 ↩49 ↩50 ↩51 ↩52 ↩53 ↩54 ↩55 ↩56 ↩57 ↩58 ↩59 ↩60 ↩61 ↩62

  2. Archive.org – Quest for Glory: Shadows of Darkness – – preservation ↩ ↩2

  3. Sierra Fandom Wiki – Quest for Glory IV – – detailed game information ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13

  4. IMDB – Quest for Glory IV – – voice cast credits ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  5. PCGamingWiki – Quest for Glory: Shadows of Darkness – – technical specs ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  6. Grokipedia – Quest for Glory – – series development, collections ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  7. Engadget – The glory of Quest For Glory – – retrospective review ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  8. RPGamer – Quest for Glory IV Review – – retrospective review ↩ ↩2

  9. PC Gamer – Saturday Crapshoot: Quest For Glory 4 1/2 – – series retrospective ↩

  10. HowLongToBeat – Quest for Glory IV – – completion times ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  11. GOG – Quest for Glory 1-5 – – purchase, user reviews ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  12. Steam – Quest for Glory 1-5 – – purchase, user reviews ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  13. My Abandonware – Quest for Glory IV – – platforms, availability ↩

  14. Quest for Glory Fandom Wiki – – series information ↩

  15. Hardcore Gaming 101 – Quest for Glory – – series retrospective ↩

  16. Digital Antiquarian – Quest for Glory III and IV – – historical analysis ↩

  17. StrategyWiki – Quest for Glory IV – – walkthrough, game guide ↩

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