Kowloon's Gate
Encyclopedia
Kowloon's Gate is an adventure
video game developed by Zeque. It was released for the PlayStation in Japan
on February 28, 1997, and re-released for the PlayStation Network on April 14, 2010.
The game is set in Kowloon Walled City
in Hong Kong
. Critic Shin Muramatsu drew on his experience with the game's "Hong Kong Gothic" version of the Walled City to compare the past and future of Hong Kong itself.
Though never released abroad, Kowloon's Gate was a cult hit
in Japan. In the video game magazine Famitsu
, a 2009 reader poll of games with highest demand for a sequel ranked the game tenth with 151 votes.
(陰界) back to the streets of Hong Kong in the living realm of Yang
(陽界). The Hong Kong Supreme Feng Shui
Conference (香港最高風水會議) determined that the reappearance of the walled city was a sign of an imbalance of the yin and yang, and the if the two parallel worlds
are not separated once again, great calamity would occur. To set things straight, the order of feng shui would need to be re-instilled in the realm of Yin. Thus the protagonist, a Super Feng Shui Practitioner (超級風水師), was sent into the Kowloon Walled City to seek and awaken the Four Symbols
so that order would be revived.
Adventure game
An adventure game is a video game in which the player assumes the role of protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and puzzle-solving instead of physical challenge. The genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based media such as literature and film,...
video game developed by Zeque. It was released for the PlayStation in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
on February 28, 1997, and re-released for the PlayStation Network on April 14, 2010.
The game is set in Kowloon Walled City
Kowloon Walled City
Kowloon Walled City was a densely populated, largely ungoverned settlement in Kowloon, Hong Kong. Originally a Chinese military fort, the Walled City became an enclave after the New Territories were leased to Britain in 1898....
in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. Critic Shin Muramatsu drew on his experience with the game's "Hong Kong Gothic" version of the Walled City to compare the past and future of Hong Kong itself.
Though never released abroad, Kowloon's Gate was a cult hit
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
in Japan. In the video game magazine Famitsu
Famitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
, a 2009 reader poll of games with highest demand for a sequel ranked the game tenth with 151 votes.
Plot
On June 22, 1997, before the handover of Hong Kong, the demolished Kowloon Walled City reemerged from the realm of YinYin and yang
In Asian philosophy, the concept of yin yang , which is often referred to in the West as "yin and yang", is used to describe how polar opposites or seemingly contrary forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to each other in turn. Opposites thus only...
(陰界) back to the streets of Hong Kong in the living realm of Yang
Yin and yang
In Asian philosophy, the concept of yin yang , which is often referred to in the West as "yin and yang", is used to describe how polar opposites or seemingly contrary forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to each other in turn. Opposites thus only...
(陽界). The Hong Kong Supreme Feng Shui
Feng shui
Feng shui ' is a Chinese system of geomancy believed to use the laws of both Heaven and Earth to help one improve life by receiving positive qi. The original designation for the discipline is Kan Yu ....
Conference (香港最高風水會議) determined that the reappearance of the walled city was a sign of an imbalance of the yin and yang, and the if the two parallel worlds
Parallel Worlds
"Parallel Worlds" is the debut single from York based rock band Elliot Minor taken from their self-titled album. It was originally released on April 9, 2007, and later due to interest from radio stations and the band's label it was decided to be re-released on April 7, 2008, almost a year...
are not separated once again, great calamity would occur. To set things straight, the order of feng shui would need to be re-instilled in the realm of Yin. Thus the protagonist, a Super Feng Shui Practitioner (超級風水師), was sent into the Kowloon Walled City to seek and awaken the Four Symbols
Four Symbols (Chinese constellation)
The Four Symbols are four mythological creatures in the Chinese constellations. They are:*Azure Dragon of the East *Vermilion Bird of the South *White Tiger of the West *Black Tortoise of the North...
so that order would be revived.