Shadows of Duat is a video game with great potential when it comes to analysing the reception of Egyptian elements. The narrative of the game, together with the setting, the designs, and the creative process allow us to analyse it from different levels.
Firstly, and focusing on the inspiration for this game, it is remarkable that a survival horror game, with a strong inspiration in the Resident Evil video game saga, set its gameplay in an Egyptian tomb, a setting rarely seen prior to the release of Forewarned (2021). The author himself has stated in several interviews that it was his visit to the tombs in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt, and the feeling of claustrophobia he felt when trekking those passages, that inspired him to create this game (see Interview).
In addition to being inspired by these games and his own experience in Egypt, the author has also stated how Stephen Sommers' Mummy films have had a great influence on him. This is clearly seen in the game, through the aesthetics of the characters and the storyline. The struggle to prevent the resurrection of an evil ancient Egyptian character, the choice of the 1920s as a time setting, and the character design are reminiscent of the 1999 film. Players can choose to play as one of four characters: the Archaeologist, Engineer, Mercenary, or Sage. The female archaeologist is reminiscent of Rachel Weisz’s character, while the mercenary recalls that of Brendan Fraser. The sage is of Egyptian descent, similar to one of the film's own Egyptian scholars, and the engineer brings together the characteristics of several characters from the movie.
As the story progresses, the characters enter the most important element of the game, the tomb. Players must explore the tomb in order to prevent the resurrection of an ancient pharaoh, a herald of the serpent Apophis. The tomb is a complex of 13 levels that each increase the difficulty of the game. The levels of the game (apart from the initial, introductory level) correspond to the 12 chapters of the Egyptian Book of the Gates. Thus, the entire tomb is littered with hieroglyphs, paintings, reliefs, and grave goods, many of which come to life to attack the adventurers. These elements are particularly interesting as the designers tried to adapt real hieroglyphs in order to leave messages for the player, which range from warnings for traps to clues for advancing in the game. They have also recreated familiar paintings and reliefs in this fictional tomb to create a more realistic experience, even if there is no chronological coherence.
In the game, the Shabties are the main enemies of the adventurers. At the start of the game, they come to life and emerge from their dormancy when an adventurer attempts to eliminate them. Parallel to the sense of pursuit that is generated by the shabties, there is also a sense of anguish caused by the darkness, and which is only broken by the adventurer's oil lamp, whose fuel is limited. This is interesting because the designers have added an element of Egyptian terror to the darkness with the shadows or shuti. In this case, the tomb raiders that have entered over the centuries have been transformed into a zombie/shadow hybrid that approaches the character to slurp out his soul when darkness falls, fleeing only when a light is turned on.
The game also brings back a narrative of confrontation between Ra and Apophis, light and darkness, which gives players a sense of fighting to save the world, while also saving their lives from the dangerous tomb.

Author: Víctor Sánchez Domínguez