View source for Commander Keen IV: Secret of the Oracle

[[Image:Commander Keen 4 - DOS - USA.jpg|thumb|256x256px|US box art.]]

'''''Commander Keen IV: Secret of the Oracle''''' is an action platformer game developed by [[id Software]] and published by [[Apogee Software]] for [[MS-DOS]] in 1991, originally as [[shareware]]. Although it is numbered as the fourth game, it's actually the fifth game in the [[Commander Keen (universe)|series]].

==Personal==
I first encountered this game because a special shareware version was included with the [[Gravis GamePad]] I bought around 1992. It had added support for the four-button controller making the game much easier to play than with the keyboard or a two-button controller.

==Status==
I used to own the special Gravis release of Keen IV on 3.5" floppy, but I have no idea where is is. I have beaten every map on easy difficulty, except the secret map.

==Review==
* '''Overall:''' 5/10
* '''Best Version:''' MS-DOS

{{Spoilers}}

===Good===
* The game is both fun and challenging.
* The graphics and animation are well-drawn.
* [[Bobby Prince]]'s music and sound effects are great.
* The story is pretty funny.
* The game is quite large with a lot of levels to play.

===Bad===
* Like most DOS games, the [[Enhanced Graphics Adapter|EGA]] colors were way out of date compared to the consoles of the day, although the great art style makes up for it.
* Large sections of several maps, and even a couple of levels entirely, do not need to be entered in order to win the game. This is poor level design.
* Far too much of the game is based on expecting the player to collect treats to accumulate points for no reason.
* Movement with the pogo stick is pretty clunky and difficult to control, especially if you're using the keyboard.

===Ugly===
* Nothing.

==Media==
===Box Art===
<gallery>
Commander Keen 4 - DOS - USA.jpg|Since this episode of the game was released as shareware, there aren't any professionally made boxes for the game. Instead, we see various cheap covers like this, with just a screenshot.
</gallery>

===Documentation===
<gallery>
Masters of Doom - Hardcover - USA.jpg|''[[Masters of Doom]]''. Describes the development process.
</gallery>

===Maps===
<gallery>
Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Shadowlands.png|Shadowlands.
Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Bean-With-Bacon Megarocket.png|Bean-With-Bacon Megarocket.
Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Border Village.png|Border Village.
Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Slug Village.png|Slug Village.
Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - The Perilous Pit.png|The Perilous Pit.
Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Cave of the Descendents.png|Cave of the Descendents.
Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Chasm of Chills.png|Chasm of Chills.
Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Crystalus.png|Crystalus.
Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Hillville.png|Hillville.
Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Sand Yego.png|Sand Yego.
Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Miragia.png|Miragia.
Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Lifewater Oasis.png|Lifewater Oasis.
Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Pyramid of the Moons.png|Pyramid of the Moons.
Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Pyramid of Shadows.png|Pyramid of Shadows.
Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Pyramid of the Gnosticene Ancients.png|Pyramid of the Gnosticene Ancients.
Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Isle of Tar.png|Isle of Tar.
Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Isle of Fire.png|Isle of Fire.
Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Well of Wishes.png|Well of Wishes.
Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Pyramid of the Forbidden.png|Pyramid of the Forbidden.
</gallery>

===Screenshots===
<gallery>
Commander Keen 4 - Secret of the Oracle - DOS - Screenshot - Title.png|Title.
</gallery>

===Videos===
{{YouTube|iKHUOKVzo0Q|Longplay.}}
{{YouTube|XUbKZ-xIbqY|Speedrun, hard, any %, no glitches.}}

==Download==
Commander Keen is still being sold, but this episode is a shareware release. This archive contains shareware and demo releases for versions 1.0 to 1.4 for both EGA and CGA graphics.

* [[Media:Commander Keen In Secret of the Oracle (All Versions).zip|Download]] ([[:File:Commander Keen In Secret of the Oracle (All Versions).zip|Info]]) - All versions.

==Links==
{{Link|MobyGames|http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/commander-keen-4-secret-of-the-oracle}}
{{Link|Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander_Keen_in_Goodbye,_Galaxy}}
{{Link|VGMPF|2=http://www.vgmpf.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Commander_Keen_IV:_Secret_of_the_Oracle_(DOS)}}
{{Link|ModdingWiki|http://www.shikadi.net/moddingwiki/Commander_Keen_4-6}}
{{Link|TCRF|https://tcrf.net/Commander_Keen_Episode_4:_Secret_of_the_Oracle}}

[[Category: Games]]
[[Category: Video Games]]
[[Category: 1991 Video Games]]
[[Category: Video Game Prime Order - Action, Adventure, Strategy]]
[[Category: Video Game Genre - Action]]
[[Category: Video Game Genre - Comedy]]
[[Category: Video Game Genre - Platformer]]
[[Category: Video Game Genre - Platform Shooter]]
[[Category: Video Game Genre - Shooter]]
[[Category: Media Theme - Cartoon]]
[[Category: Media Theme - Science Fiction]]
[[Category: Trope - Damsel In Distress]]
[[Category: DOS Games]]
[[Category: Video Games I've Beaten]]
[[Category: 4-bit Color Graphics]]
[[Category: Software Distribution Model - Shareware]]
[[Category: Video Games That Fail the Bechdel Test]]