The Navajo witch inquisition of 1878 was a significant event in Navajo history that had lasting cultural and social repercussions. This event marked a dark period in the tribe's history, as the Navajo people were subjected to persecution and violence over accusations of practicing witchcraft. The inquisition was prompted by the death of a prominent Navajo leader, Hosteen Klah, who was believed to have been killed by witchcraft. This sparked widespread fear and paranoia within the community, leading to a wave of accusations and investigations against suspected witches. The Navajo tribal leadership, under pressure to maintain order and protect their people, formed a committee tasked with identifying and eliminating witches among them. This committee, known as the Witchcraft Board, was comprised of influential tribal members and medicine men, who were given the authority to carry out "witch hunts" and pass judgment on the accused.
One of the first “monsters” you encounter in the game (though he’s non-aggressive), and sadly only used in ONE small area, we never actually get to see the lower part of the lava toad’s body. The name suggests he would be a big, squat, froggy thing, but that slender dragonlike neck makes me think more of a snake-necked turtle, or even just a completely limbless lava snake of some kind. Honestly, it would have been very easy for them to just call this a “lava dragon”, and I’m actually really glad they went with “toad”, because somehow calling this guy a toad gives him way more delightful personality and a sort of whimsical cuteness.
There s something particularly horrifying to me about an armless torso, also seen in Scrabs from Oddworld , because it s just so bizarre and inexplicable. Banjo-Kazooie had garbled sounds for voices, and it worked if you mute the game during conversations, you experience uncomfortable silence akin to a blind date gone awry.
This committee, known as the Witchcraft Board, was comprised of influential tribal members and medicine men, who were given the authority to carry out "witch hunts" and pass judgment on the accused. The accused witches were often subjected to torture, cruel interrogations, and forced confessions, many of which were extracted through coercion and fear. The inquisition resulted in the execution of numerous individuals, reinforcing the idea that witchcraft was a genuine threat to the tribe's well-being.
Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy – Does it Stand the Test of Time?
I picked this up to bridge the gap between finishing Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age, and the release of Link’s Awakening. I’m not exactly sure why I became interested in the game, but after such a behemoth like FFXII I needed something nice and relaxing to play, and a 3D platformer was the perfect medicine to my gaming fever.
It actually popped up on Gamestop.com as a used game at my local store, so considering I’d have a week to try it out, I went for it, and got a nice discount to boot!
What followed was some terrific platforming from THQ Nordic, and as I close in on the ending of the game, I can easily say that Sphinx is definitely one of those hidden gems from the days when the likes of Jak & Daxter, Ratchet and Clank, Prince of Persia, God of War, and the rest of the swaths of 3d games were king. Of course, the question is, “how did it age?”
I don’t care about graphics, but I’ll throw it out there first and foremost – the game looks great. Nothing to complain about there.
I do care about sound design, and the music in Sphinx is excellent. I do wish, however, that some voice acting was added into this remastered release. One thing that struck me as odd was just how silent and uncomfortable the cutscenes are without any sort of sound effects.
Banjo-Kazooie had garbled sounds for voices, and it worked – if you mute the game during conversations, you experience uncomfortable silence akin to a blind date gone awry. It also was what I consider to be a huge source of the charm found in the Banjo titles.
Speaking of charm, despite the aforementioned audio (or lack thereof…), there is still loads of charm present in the cutscenes and overall atmosphere of the game. The game’s antagonists are your typical slap-sticky goofballs, the closest comparison I can draw is with Jafar and Iago from Aladdin. But the NPC animations and the wigglyness of the movement all wraps up a very fun game that harkens back to the charm of the Playstation 2 and even Nintendo 64 days of gaming.
As far as the actual gameplay goes, you find yourself controlling not one, but two protagonists with different abilities: Sphinx, and Prince Tutenkhamen, who has been turned into a mummy. They exist on the same timeline and so, as you control Sphinx and gradually find parts of Tutenkhamen’s soul, you are transported into the Castle of Luxor where you will uncover new information and tools, which are transported back to Sphinx to further his expedition.
What separates Sphinx from other 3D games of its day are the level of complexity in the puzzles. The overworld is fairly large and contains different structures set in a fictional version of ancient Egypt. As you learn new tools and acquire new abilities, you can explore the levels deeper, find secrets, do side quests, and of course, progress the main storyline.
The challenge is in the form of the puzzles themselves, as each level can be looked at as large Rube Goldberg machines which you must explore, study, and eventually crack. When playing as Sphinx, you obtain more abilities that effect your movement abilities, such as double-jumping and letting loose captured monsters, etc, whereas playing the Prince in his mummy form doesn’t allow you to attack, but also doesn’t allow you to die (because you’re already dead, as Sphinx is trying to recollect parts of his soul), and therefore can become electrocuted or set ablaze, which can then be used to your advantage.
It makes for some super interesting puzzle mechanics, and even as a decades-old veteran of puzzle platformers, I found myself scratching my head on more than one occasion. The casual player and platforming experts alike may take to hitting Gamefaqs once or twice – I know I did!
Combat is one of the very few areas of Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy where the game suffers. It does feel at times like the combat was added as a mere afterthought, which is unfortunate, because most of this issue comes from the fact that controlling your character is plagued with poor camera angles, and enemy AI that seems intent on taking advantage of that fact. All too often do enemies spawn when your facing the entire opposite direction – or when they wind up for their attack (also known in the ‘biz as a “tell”), they become invincible for an impossibly short period of time, while you are left to dodge using less-than-perfect controls.
It does look terrible here, but trust me, it gets rough.
There is a shield that you obtain early on in the game, which I had totally forgotten about after it was required for progression one single time – this may help with some of the battles. If only I had remembered before I fell to my enemies and lost 20 to 30 minutes of progress.
Oh right. That issue.
My pet peeve, my buggaboo, whatever you want to call it – when it comes to games, there is no greater crime than to waste the players’ time. And the worst way to waste their time is to make them replay something because of a lack of save points. Nothing, I repeat, nothing has made me quit more games 20-30 minutes in when I realized that save point scarcity was going to be an issue.
Hell, I got a dozen hours into Final Fantasy IV on the DS before, when reading a walkthrough, I learned that the last dungeon has no save point before the final boss. Therefore, if you fall to the boss, you have to replay over a half an hour of dungeon and, yep, shitty random encounters that I hate. This is made worse by the fact that you would theoretically have low HP/MP from your trek to the boss in the first place. I quit playing the game then and there, knowing full-well that would make me smash my DS.
Save point issues are probably the worst thing in a video game, and it pains me to say this, but this game fucking sucks in this way. At this point, I have about 12 hours logged into the game, and I can tell you that at least 2 hours of that time was annoyingly rushing back through the same shit. Add in not the greatest character controls and some easy-to-miss platforms, and dying is extradinarily punishing.
The issue is that it breaks the game’s momentum to keep running back to save points. While saving is, fortunately, extremely quick, navigating your way back to the seemingly arbitrarily-placed saved points wears you down quickly.
One of many puzzles to figure out!
Small issues and big issues aside, if you grew up playing 3D games on Nintendo 64 or Playstation 2 / Gamecube, Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy is a port absolutely worth your time. The puzzles alone make up for the combat shortcomings, as this is not primarily a combat game: it’s a puzzler. But the puzzles are complex and boy are they satisfying when everything clicks. A typical dungeon triggers two large reactions: at the beginning, it is fear of the unknown. When it all finally clicks together and you have your “a-ha!” moment, you’re rewarded with pure clarity. Not many puzzle games can do that, so if you’re looking for a fun way to spend 10-15 hours, Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy might be your jam.
And that’s a wrap!
(That was a mummy joke.)
Did you play Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy back in the day, or one of the remasters? What did you like or dislike? Let me know in the comments. Thanks for reading!
Save point issues are probably the worst thing in a video game, and it pains me to say this, but this game fucking sucks in this way. At this point, I have about 12 hours logged into the game, and I can tell you that at least 2 hours of that time was annoyingly rushing back through the same shit. Add in not the greatest character controls and some easy-to-miss platforms, and dying is extradinarily punishing.
However, it is important to note that the accusations of witchcraft were often unfounded and based on superstition and hearsay. Many innocent individuals were falsely condemned and subjected to violence and death. The Navajo witch inquisition not only caused immense suffering and loss for the accused and their families but also left a lasting impact on the tribe's culture and belief system. The fear and suspicion generated by the inquisition led to a significant decline in traditional Navajo healing practices and a loss of faith in the tribe's medicine men. Additionally, the trauma of the inquisition created a sense of deep mistrust and division within the community, with many Navajo people fearing betrayal and accusations from their own neighbors and friends. Despite the lasting consequences, the Navajo witch inquisition of 1878 remains a mostly forgotten chapter in American history, overshadowed by more well-known episodes of witch hunts and trials. However, its impact on the Navajo people's collective memory and cultural identity cannot be underestimated. Overall, the Navajo witch inquisition of 1878 was a tragic and unjust event that serves as a sobering reminder of the power of fear, superstition, and prejudice..
Reviews for "Beyond the Witch Hunt: Navajo Cultural Revitalization in the Aftermath of the Inquisition"
1. Sarah - 1 star
I found "Navajo witch inquisition of 1878" to be incredibly disappointing. The story lacked depth and failed to engage me as a reader. The characters were flat and one-dimensional, with no development or growth throughout the novel. The writing style was also dull and monotonous, making it a struggle to get through each page. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for an exciting and well-written story.
2. John - 2 stars
While the idea behind "Navajo witch inquisition of 1878" seemed promising, the execution fell short for me. The pacing of the book was incredibly slow, and it took too long for the story to actually pick up. Additionally, I found the portrayal of the Navajo culture to be shallow and stereotypical, bordering on cultural appropriation. The author seemed to rely on outdated and offensive tropes, which was disappointing to see. Overall, I was left feeling underwhelmed and unsatisfied with this novel.
3. Emily - 1 star
I struggled to understand the purpose or message behind "Navajo witch inquisition of 1878". The plot seemed disjointed and lacking in coherence, making it difficult to follow the story. The characters were poorly developed, and their motivations were unclear. The writing style felt forced and pretentious, with unnecessary and confusing metaphors scattered throughout. Overall, I found this book to be confusing and frustrating, and I would not recommend it to others.
4. Mike - 2 stars
I had high hopes for "Navajo witch inquisition of 1878" but unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations. The pacing was uneven, with slow and monotonous sections followed by rushed and confusing action sequences. The dialogue felt stilted and unnatural, making it difficult to connect with the characters. The historical accuracy of the events portrayed also seemed questionable, which detracted from my overall enjoyment of the story. In the end, I was left feeling disappointed and underwhelmed by this novel.