Gift

 Written and illustrated by Dr. Hugh
Website conversion and layout by Bert Jamin

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Or click on the image at the bottom of this page to go to the next Episode

© November 2002 Bert Jamin (www.gamesover.com)
This walkthrough may not be sold and may not be used for any commercial purposes. Neither is it permitted to publish this walkthrough in any way without the written permission of the author. Feel free to place this walkthrough on your web site or on your home page, on condition that no part of this walkthrough is changed and that the name of the author (Dr. Hugh), the URL of  the owner of this site ( www.gamesover.com ) and his E-mail address ( gamesover@planet.nl ) are mentioned unchanged. For the most up to date walkthroughs always visit  www.gamesover.com.

If you have any suggestions to improve this walkthrough, let me know by sending me an email: gamesover@planet.nl .

Introduction

On the cover of the box Gift says, “Why my game is the best”:

-     Because there are tricky levels to conquer, cool creatures, loads of fighting and brain teasing puzzles

-     Because I will have to deal with the differences in dark and light

-     And also because I have no whip, no dungarees and I don’t make a noise when I jump... I just come with an attitude!

Well, Gift says it all right!

This is one of those funny crazy games full of humor and surprises! With excellent graphics featuring dramatic shadow effects and a cool, fluent play game. Not an easy game though, it may prove pretty edgy and nervous! So here is what it’s all about:

After you have been given a choice of selection between 3 save game folders, the game starts with a somewhat clumsy cinematic intro starring a fat and bossy Lady who is being alarmed by the disappearance of Princess Lolita Globo into some dark mysterious realm. It’s a shaky sequence but don’t let it turn you down: once the actual game begins the graphics quality will be rendering more than superb!

She is looking for a volunteer among her bunch of weird creatures who might be willing to rescue the Princess but no one dares returning to that frightful place. Suddenly an ugly little red thing looking like being modeled out of clay knocks on the door and enters with a cocktail tray. Hello there! Anyone cares for a drink? That’s Gift. Everyone looks at him and you may already guess what he or she is thinking! So the Lady gets this idea and triggers Gift into her lab and plays a recorded message of Lolita promising a kiss to Prince Charming who will rescue her.

Gift feels like he’s the chosen one!

Next sequence: a terrifying voice in the dark…Gift shivering under a light beam... Shadow of Black Darkness... never have Lolita... She’s mine... You’ll die!!

The dark voice

Gift is now in a Room full of computers.

 
What to do here?

Walk to the door and it will open followed by a cinematic where Gift runs down a set of corridors into a Room with a device full of buttons.

A message will then appear explaining of what to do next (press action to let the message disappear). Further in the game more of these messages will  pop up whenever something new needs your attention. Next, the elevator will go down the shaft.

Gift will then arrive in what seems a Warp Room – and that’s what it actually is.

 
The Warp Room

This is the Room where you will always be transported to each of the 10 constituting levels of the game. At this point you may merely select level 1 or the green arrow for going up again. Apply the left or right arrow buttons and adjust the camera. For now, select level 1 by pressing action while facing the level number.

 
Warping into level 1

Gift will then be warped into level 1 and your game will take off...

You may save your game whenever you like while playing. But you will always return to the Warp Room. The only things that are actually saved are:

-         opened levels

-         activated Power Crystals (see further)

-         your number of Lives

-         your Life Energy Upgrades (if earned)

To save in the middle of a game press esc and eventually you will be asked if you want to save the game. So remember what it really does.

When you end a level your game will be automatically saved without any warning. That means if you’re low on Lives you’ll start up with that number next time.

If you exit a level before the end you will be asked if you want to save. Select NO if you’re low on Lives and you’ll start again with the previous settings.

However, level 1 is more of a teaching level and you may easily pick up some 10 Extra Lives when you return here. Moreover, there is a sort of legal cheat to be uncovered in Level 2 where you may collect a quasi unlimited amount of Extra Lives. So remember that: when you’re low on Lives just re-play level 1 for fun and Extra Lives or go for the cheat in Level 2! Further it would be advisable to start each level with at least 20 Lives!

You will start the game with 7 Lives, so your bell-shaped Life meter in the left corner will indicate 6 Extra Lives. Extra Lives (EL) are found throughout the levels as green drops. Gift will automatically pick it up when passing one.

The Dog-like creatures are easily defeated with the Staff. You may get injured when bitten though, but most of them shed blue drops of Health.

Each level contains 10 shattered Life Energy Bonuses  (LEB) in the shape of a ringed blue sphere. Some of these are well hidden! If you find all 10, Gift will get a Life Energy Upgrade  seen as a small-added bulb to his Life Energy meter in the left corner. When you visit that particular level once again you won’t find such LEB anymore. But if you failed collecting the entire set you’ll loose them all when leaving the level – also when saving! Next visit, you’ll have to collect each again.

There are also 5 black Special Bonuses (SB) to be found in some of the levels. If you find all five, the last will warp you into a battle field, mostly on a timed mission that does not affect the game play further on. It’s just for fun. Call it a small side game.

Throughout the game a number of large floating Crystals are encountered. They come in yellow, black, blue, red and “shadow” varieties. Each kind adds a unique Power to Gift’s Staff if it is loaded with yellow Magic Powder. Usually Magic Powder Bonuses (MPB) are distributed near the Crystal and once an MPB is captured it will indefinitely regenerate on that spot. Such a Crystal is to be activated by stepping on a nearby Switch and once done all equally colored Crystals on additional locations are simultaneously activated. When the game is then saved, such activation will remain permanent from that save game on.

Certain sections within the levels are only accessible when a Crystal is activated in a further level, so you will have to return here later on. But all that is well explained in the walkthrough.

Activated green Crystals neutralize the Power of a loaded Staff when passed.

4. Strange inhabitants

A number of characters in this game are instantly lethal. E.g. so are the Little Shadows and Little Lights that live either in the light or the shadow. Whenever you see these fellows do not enter the light or shadow section or Gift will loose a Life!

Innocents are bug-like creatures that do not harm. A stroke from Gift’s Staff will stun them, so you can pick them up, carry and throw them.

Before starting the game click on the configuration option under start > programs > The Gift. Here you may adjust the graphics and sound settings. Those who play with a Game Pad may configure it here. An analog setting has the advantage of a gradual speed control. The farther you push the button, the faster Gift will run. A slight push will let Gift slowly walk. That’s really neat.

There is lots more to learn but that will all be done in the game’s own messages when the time is right. For now, let’s play...