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charybdis limited (1995-2001)

company profile of the late british developer

Charybdis Limited was formed in 1995 by Andy Smith, Mark Hardisty and Jerry Swan. Formerly workers at Virtuality in Leicester, the three had a dream to produce 3D real time strategy games. Hit and Run, the music publishers, were on board as the parent company, and partly financed the venture, With offices in Strelley Hall - 2 renovated farm buildings in 10 acres of unspoilt English countryside on the outskirts of the historic city of Nottingham, UK, Chaybdis housed their software and graphics/design departments.

During their 6 years in operation, Charybdis published 4 games, each with a consistent quirky house style. Magic & Mayhem: The Art of Magic was due to be their fifth.

Before it was liquidated by the parent company, Charybdis had grown to employ a talented workforce of 19 full-time personnel, predominantly software engineers and graphic artists, with game designers and a full time composer.



Machines (1999)
This forerunner of 3D RTS games was applauded for it's bravery in combining a first person shooter element in an RTS title. A mix of resource management, research and combat, and with 50 different machines armed with awsome visual FX, Gamepot announced "the age of 3D real-time strategy has finally arrived".



The Quivering (1998)
The Quivering was the second of the company's point and click adventures, with the same warped sense of humour as the first. This time, the environment was graveyards, zombie cellers, and black and white motels - host to the horror movie charactures of uncle frankenstamp, camp vamp and Elvis presley's brain.


Super League Pro Rugby (1997)
Charybdis' only foray into the sports simulation market was a sprite based rugby game. The company's wacky graphical style was transplanted into a sports arena, but the final product was badly recieved.


Spud! (1996)
The company's first game was a point and click adventure, which paved the way for the Quivering through re-use of the 'super-look-around-o-vision' engine.


charybdis' folds