The Shivah: Kosher Edition, a newly remastered version of Wadjet Eye Games’ acclaimed 2006 adventure The Shivah, is now available for download on PC and iPad / iPhone / iPod touch. In this story-driven game players don the yarmulke of Russell Stone, a disillusioned rabbi at the head of a struggling New York City synagogue, who gets tangled up in a murder investigation after inheriting a large sum of money from a former congregation member.
The commercial debut of game designer Dave Gilbert, this unassuming adventure game sparked interest from mainstream publications including CNN, USA Today, and The Jerusalem Times and earned a “Best New Studio” Game Developer’s Choice nomination for Gilbert’s company, Wadjet Eye Games. In the seven years since, the self-sustaining Brooklyn-based studio has gained recognition for developing the supernatural Blackwell mystery games and publishing breakout indie hits such as Independent Game Festival winner Gemini Rue.
From its rabbinical conversation methods, Talmudic combat, and handy in-game Yiddish dictionary to its point-and-click gameplay reminiscent of classics like King’s Quest and Monkey Island to its thoughtful storyline, The Shivah is a unique adventure game poised to appeal to Jews and goys alike. The new Kosher Edition has updated pixel art graphics, a new soundtrack, and a refined interface as intuitive and comfortable on touchscreen devices as it is on PC.
“Rabbi Stone and The Shivah jumpstarted my career in 2006, in more ways than one,” says Dave Gilbert. “Working on this game was what made me decide to pursue this ‘full time game developer’ thing, and the positive reaction it received is what made me stick with indie development all these years. Creating The Shivah: Kosher Edition has been a wonderful experience of revisiting where it all began, and I look forward to sharing this revamped version with a wider audience.”
The PC version of The Shivah: Kosher Edition sells for $4.99 and can be downloaded from the official website (http://www.shivahgame.com), Steam (http://store.steampowered.com/app/252370), and GOG (http://www.gog.com/game/the_shivah). A free PC demo can be downloaded from http://www.shivahgame.com/demo.
The iOS version of The Shivah: Kosher Edition is a Universal App that can be downloaded for $1.99 from the App Store