Gift (Windows, PlayStation 2)

Gift
Also known as: Gifty (DE Windows), Giftie (DE PS2) Developer: EKO System Publisher: Cryo Interactive Platforms: Windows, PlayStation 2 Released in US: 2000 (Windows) Released in EU: October 15, 2000 (Windows), July 20, 2001 (PS2) This game has unused areas. This game has unused graphics. This game has unused cinematics. This game has unused abilities. This game has debugging material. This game has regional differences. This game has revisional differences. This game has hidden bonus content.

This page is rather stubbly and could use some expansion. Are you a bad enough dude to rescue this article?

To do: Add more PC and PS2 comparison images, cutscene comparisons, better screenshots, etc. Document the debug menu in the PC version, and find if one exists in the PS2 version. Find a way to access the unused levels and Shadow Power in the PS2 version. Several more unused textures are known to exist, including a rather risqué female Gift in Paztec 2. Document the "EKO Cube" found in Mine of Horror by using debug mode.

Gift tells the tale of its namesake bartender's quest to rescue Princess Lolita Globo (yes, that's really her name), that no other video game hero could.

It's notable for being the first commercial game with dynamic lighting and shadows, which a lot of puzzles and mechanics involve, and having character designs and artwork by Régis Loisel, a well-known French cartoonist.

Unused Levels

Early Iceland 2 (?)

In \GIFTDATA\DATA\SL52, the PS2-exclusive level's folder, there are two extra sets of files, one on the base folder with the filename "SL_5_2" and the other in a folder named "OLD" with the same file names as the final ones. There's another folder also named "SL52", but it's empty. These files are only present in the UK release of the game, and were removed from the other versions.

Test Level

In \Data\LevelType on the PC version and \GIFTDATA\DATA\SL00 (?) on the PS2 version there's a test level which can be accessed by replacing the files from a used map with the ones from this folder and renaming them. While it can be done, it's not recommended to put them in the menu folder, as the menu code would still be active.

This level has a "hub" room that connects to three other rooms on the left, front, and right. In one corner there are 10 health orbs, which allow you to have 11 health extensions if you already have all 10 on the PC version. The left room is a mostly empty room aside from a falling death trigger in a corner, which makes you lose a life. The right room is similar but completely empty. The front room is a narrow hallway which triggers Gift's level-end animation, but doesn't end the level. You can't leave the hallway, since the animation always plays when you step on its trigger. This level has no music and features unique textures not seen anywhere else in the game, although they are stylistically similar to ones used in Draculand 1.

Unused Textures

8.TGA and 32.TGA

These odd textures were left over in Iceland 2's level folder in the PS2 version for unknown reasons. The latter is a completely transparent image, while the former appears to be a metallic texture that resembles the ones found in the Star Stress levels. These are only present in UK copies of the game.

Shadow Power

Through the debug window in the PC version you can enable the Shadow Power, which despite being mentioned in the manual and some previews of the game is inaccessible through normal means. This power would allow Gift to attack the enemies' shadows, like how it's described in the manual. However, it's unfinished and does not deal any damage to any enemy, despite showing an (also unused) hurt effect. It can be used even if you have no magic powder.

SAMPLE.PSS

This video, located in \GIFTDATA\DATA\VIDEO on the PS2 version, is a 30-second clip of sea life set to a funky MIDI-sounding track. It has a higher resolution than the rest of the (used) videos in the game (720×540 vs 640×480). And, once again, this is only present in the UK version. Judging by the filename and the fact it has nothing to do with the game, it is fair to assume this was simply a test/placeholder video.

GIFT.SAV

In \GIFTDATA on the UK PS2 version this file can be found, which appears to be a save file for the PC version.

Crash Handler

If the PS2 version crashes, it will turn the border color red and, sometimes, will display the full crash handler.

Regional Differences

Opening Credits

English	French	German	Spanish	Italian

The Régis Loisel and Philippe Ulrich credits screen uses the Impact font in the English and French versions and Comic Sans in the German, Spanish, and Italian versions. The Comic Sans text is much larger than the Impact text, and the way the text is worded is also different, with the latter reading "From a script and original idea by Philippe Ulrich and Régis Loisel". The formatting and positioning also varies for every language. The English version of this video is much more compressed than the others, with a lot more micro-blocking.

Title Screen

English	German

In Germany the game was renamed to Gifty on PC and Game Boy Color and Giftie on PS2, due to "gift" being the word for "poison" in German.

Cutscenes

The Spanish and Italian versions use slightly different (likely earlier) cuts of the cutscenes, which have more subdued slapstick, sound effects, music and overall slightly longer. This is most obvious in the opening, Tipanic ending and fake ending cutscenes.

• The opening is missing the first shot of the computer room, has a quieter alarm sound and, after being hit by the door, the skeleton simply falls to the ground rather than having all its bones fall off.
• The Tipanic ending lacks the black and white freeze frames after paparazzies take photos of Gift, making this cutscene significantly shorter.
• The fake ending has a completely different and much less exaggerated scared animation for Gift and shorter running-away sequence.
• The Gift theme song that plays in some cutscenes when Gift appears or does something wacky is replaced by short fanfares or removed completely.

Paztec Bugs

The song used in the Paztec levels, for unknown reasons, is played incorrectly by the game with a lot of stuttering in all versions but the English one, where it plays as intended. In Paztec 2 and only in the Spanish version, the text for the UI and pause menu becomes corrupted and spells out gibberish.

Platform Differences

This page or section needs more images. There's a whole lotta words here, but not enough pictures. Please fix this.

Although this is one of the least compromised PC-to-PS2 ports, there are still some minor differences between the two platforms.

Cutscenes

The cutscenes are of much higher quality on PS2, having a higher framerate and color palette.

Start-Up

Aside from the Cryo logo, all of the opening logos and credits are completely different between the two versions. The PC version has an extra Gift splash screen, which was removed from the PS2 version, probably due to it being redundant.

PS2 Exclusive Level

The PS2 version adds a brand new Iceland level that wasn't present in the PC version (although there's evidence to suggest it was going to), taking up the spot of Level 9. Because of this extra level you can get an 11th health extension, which was impossible on PC through normal means.

Lolita's Design

Lolita Globo, the princess Gift rescues at the end of the game, has a completely different design depending on the platform.

• On PC she appears with longer and darker hair, a thiner face, blue eyes, a golden chain on her neck, and a much larger chest.
• On PS2 she has shorter and lighter hair, wears makeup, and has a thicker face and smaller chest.