Shaar is a planet featured in Deadlocked. Located in the Shadow Sector of the Solana Galaxy, it is a cold planet where various mysterious ancient temples are located in its icy tundra, one signature temple being known simply as the Temple of Shaar. The planet is inhospitable and seems to have been entirely abandoned by any population that once dwelled there. The planet became home to one of many DreadZone battlecourses.
Ratchet and Team Darkstar arrived to Shaar as their first battlecourse prior to the Crusader Tournament. They were tasked with destroying one of the temples of Shaar, a feat that had not previously been accomplished.
History[]
Though Shaar has attracted colonists, explorers, pirates, and smugglers, the cold has made the planet inhospitable for all of its recorded history, driving them away.[1] In its history, a civilization built the temples of Shaar, which were protected by warriors known as its guardians.[2] It is unknown if these were a native civilization that had been driven from the world, or were also colonists.
Vox Industries eventually colonized the world to create a DreadZone battlecourse in which contestants would need to entire the temple of Shaar and destroy it. Prior to Ratchet, while some contestants had reached the temple during his season, none made it out alive.[3] Ratchet and Team Darkstar eventually breached the temple successfully and completed the battlecourse.
Geography[]
The Temple of Shaar map.
Shaar is a planet of icy waters and frozen landscapes, with apparent constant snowfall. The outskirts of the battlecourse on Shaar show frozen icebergs floating in the distance, on what appears to be a large ocean, and the island on which the battlecourse is located has several icy mountains off in the distance.
The battlecourse takes place around the island on which Temple of Shaar is the centerpiece. Just in front of the temple is a small DreadZone arena, after which is a coastline block of ice just in front of the temple itself.
The Temple of Shaar is an immense ancient building surrounded by tall walls, comprising three structures—one at the center, and one each next to the walls—each resembling a spire. These each have a room within the spire, though the central construct has a smaller, hidden room underneath. From the outer walls, some hanging drapes also have emblems embedded in them. Most of the landmark appears to be left intact from its historical origins, though some Vox Industries additions come in the form of a forcefield locking the entrance to the temple.
Multiplayer[]
Part of the Temple of Shaar is featured in multiplayer as the Temple of Shaar map. The accessible terrain only includes the inner temple area, providing a relatively tiny space for players, with a level of verticality thanks to the structure in the center and the walls along the sides. The wide open space at the front of the temple contrasts with the narrow corridors, broken up by tall walls that only partially block line of sight. This map is one of the few that includes the Landstalker by default.
Citations[]
References[]
- Insomniac Games (2005). Ratchet: Deadlocked [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 2.
- Greg Off (2005). Ratchet Deadlocked Prima Official Game Guide [Book]. Prima Games. ISBN 0761552049.