Shivers Companion

On this page you can find a companion to Shivers, the 1995 Sierra game! It contains a walkthrough (as far as possible), screenshots, easter eggs, puzzle solutions and a tiny review. Beware! It contains spoilers!

Walkthrough

First, let's explain the game and the goal. You have to spend a night at a haunted museum. First you have to break into the building, then find and defeat all 10 spirits (Ixupi) that are there. The Ixupi can be incapacitated by returning them to their respective pots. Each Ixupi has its own pot, which has its own talisman (lid). You need to combine the right pots with the right lids on the right Ixupi.
Dying is possible, but so is saving your game at every point. Though it is easy enough to dodge the Ixupi, it may be best to save in every new room when you're new to the game.
Ixupi hunting tips:

• Approach directly. There's only one place from which an Ixupi can attack you or vice versa. Some Ixupi scenes are very exposed, but the bulk requires a close-up. If the spirit won't come out, you may have to get closer.
• Listen to the background music. Each room has its own music. If it changes into a certain different tune, you may be near an Ixupi. There's an Ixupi musical theme. It's also accompanied by noises that sound like the material the spirit is hiding in.
• Don't click on the hide-out with your mouse, the entity will come out. Click with the jar straight away.
• You can only hold 1 object at a time, whether lid, jar or complete pot. If you find a jar, click on the matching lid and the two merge. A lid won't merge with the wrong jar.
• You can tell which lid fits which jar by looking carefully at the jar opening and the lid section. These have various different shapes. If that doesn't help, there are 3 places you can examine for help: one of the photos in Merrick's bag, a photo in the scrapbook, and the opening VMD.
• You may hide items for use later. There aren't many hiding places though.
• An Ixupi atttack will cost you some life essence. It takes 6 attacks to die. Being attacked costs you points, so try to "save around it" as much as you can.

Entering the museum

At the third click of the wheel, the cursor turns into wait mode, Note the music. The first IXUPI of the game will jump up. There's no way to escape him, just try to get not too much of a fright.
Click the wheel once more. You're at the other shore. Get out the boat and walk towards the door. Open the jar you find there and talk to Windlenot's ghost.
(That's why you're attacked. It wouldn't make sense if he said "You've already lost some of your life essence" if you hadn't lost any.)
Now walk on through the tunnel. You'll end up at an elevator.

Ixupi Hunt

Begin the IXUPI hunt with the Ash ixupi. His lit and pot are not placed at random, but are at designated areas.

Elevators These puzzles must be completed every time you use the elevator. Using an elevator is necessary at only 3 points in the game, but you can increase your score by using it more often. The puzzles get harder as the game progresses: the first two are 4*4, the next three are 5*5, and the rest 6 by 6. The last ones can get very tough. If you don't like a puzzle, look away and look again for a new one.
Goal is to get the 4 symbols in a diagonal from bottom left to top right. Move them by clicking an arrow by the side of the diagram. Arrows make all symbols in that row or column move 1, 2 or 3 steps right or down. A symbol can't land on a place that has an obstacle.
There are three elevators: one from the office to the lake, one from the office to the bedroom, and the main elevator that runs between the secret passages on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors. This main elevator holds one clue: GEOFFREY is written in a circle at the 3 o'clock position.

Museum Office

The first room you enter is the museum office. The ASH talisman can be found in the bottom right drawer of the desk. The ASH IXUPI may be in the fireplace.
Stuff to do/note:

• Read the letter in top right drawer of the desk
• Examine the map on the wall and note the numbers 20N 75W
• Rewind and play the tape recorder on the desk
• Read the scrapbook on the desk, note the photo of the pots.
• Read the letter on the floor in front of the desk
• Read the newspaper in the coat pocket
• Discover the passage to the elevator behind the wall carpet

Workplace

The workplace holds one IXUPI, WOOD, in the wooden crate next to the door. One item can be found in the drawer puzzle.
Note the paper on the bench: read it. Note the numbers.
To get to the item, look at the cabinet and open all the drawers that are NOT listed on the paper. The ones you open are: 417c, 249c, 458, 299, 189a, 513g.

Bedroom

The METAL IXUPI may be in the armor. No items to be found here.
Read the diary on the table, note the time 5:30 is when the prof set his alarm. Also note the picture of Geoffrey.

Main Hallway

• Signs at the centre display and near the bird masks.
• The brochure in the desk drawer. Note the skull colour by each exposition:
  • Eagle's Nest = blue
  • Viking Burial = blue
  • Tomb of the Ixupi = green
  • Two-headed Celtic God = red
  • Myth of the werewolf = red
  • Legend of the Deros = white

Library

There's the WAX IXUPI in the candelabra. An item is hidden behind a statue on top of a bookshelf. To reach it, click the ladder, so it moves to the right. Climb it, then take out the large book. Turn right to see the item.
Stuff to note:

• There are 4 books you MUST read. They're all in the section to the right of the candelabra. Three are on the top row: the green/black slanted book (history of the Ixupi), 2 to its right is the orange Search of the Unexplained (UFO pictograms), 5 to the right is the white South American Pictographs which is very important to match each pot to the Ixupi. On the 2nd row is a purple book you must read.
• There's a secret passage at the middle, left to the side where you come in.
• Items may also be hidden in the cupboards below the shelves. You may store your items there.

STRANGE BEASTS

AMAZING PLANTS

The SAND IXUPI may hide in the sand pile. On the cup stand beside this pile, there is the ASH POT.
Note the button by the entrance, play it for some audio.

Theatre

To enter the theatre you must first copy the wind direction hieroglyphs from the Egypt book you found on the professor.
There are no Ixupi here. An item can be found after you played the film, behind the curtain.
Note the paper on the chair onstage.
From the left side of the theatre (for the viewers) you can access the hall to the tower room, a secret passage, and the projection room.

Projection Room

The METAL IXUPI may be hiding in the green pile of canisters to the left of the entrance.
Move to the projector. Click the top reel 5 times. A light turns green. Then press the Play button.
Note how Windlenot opens the door, and write it down! Square on right middle, left of the top three circles, square bottom right, right of the top three circles, circle on the left, then the right middle square again, then the circle on the left again.

Tower room There are no Ixupi and there's one item in the clock. Enter the tower room by spelling GEOFFREY at the 3 o'clock position. Walk up the stairs. Note the second box of chains on the way.
Note the clock mechanism, the jukebox, the pot and the security cameras. Play the Anansi song (B2) on the jukebox and leave it on. Open the pot and talk to Beth's ghost. Now, play with the security cameras.
Left:      Right:
1 2      1 2
3 4      3 4
5 6      5 6
On Right 2 and 5, you can see Beth and Merrick running around, dropping items. On Left 3, you can see the Shaman room. Use the joystick to move the camera and find the hint to the Shaman puzzle: Ramta Boba Taramba.
On Left 5, you can see the clock tower, now set to 12. You must set it to 5:30 (diary) using the chains you noted earlier.
Switch text on. Click the 3rd chain until the clock chimes once. Then click the 1st chain until the alarm sounds.
When the alarm sounds, go back up. In the clock mechanism, you can now find the item.

1st floor secret passage

There are no Ixupi or items here. Note:

• The raspberry lipstick outside the elevator. Examine closely!
• Beth's school card
• Classroom writing of Beth and a friend
• Beth's school results
• Beth's purse with address book

Mysteries of the Deep

There are the CHRYSTAL IXUPI in the yellow chrystals in the side passage, and a SAND IXUPI in Poseidon's temple. There's an item in Bimini. Raise it by clicking on Poseidon's globe and entering 75W 20N.
Open the door to the Subterranean World by playing the Siren Song on the organ (numbers from left to right): 1 6 5 1 6 5 7 4 2 1
Note:

• Several signs: Poseidon, Poseidon's Temple, Colossus of Rhodos, Chrystals and Sirens. The Sirens hold the clue to the Siren song.
• The blueprints of the museum are in Bimini
• The button by the entrance for some audio

Subterranian World

There's a TAR IXUPI in the tar pit at the end of the maze. You can't cross the tar pit (and get to the item) if you haven't caught Tar. There's an item on the ledge over the tar pit.
Note:

• Audio Button by the entrance.
• Signs at Legend of Deros and at the entrance
• Skeleton dial near the Deros, must be turned white

Tombs and Curses There's the CLOTH IXUPI in the mummy in the Anubis tomb. There's an item in the tomb across the Sfinx.
Note:

• Signs at Anubis tomb, Sfinx, Ixupi tomb
• The medallion on the floor of the Ixupi tomb
• The skeleton dial near the Ixupi tomb, must be turned to green.
• The entrance to the secret passage near the entrance.
• the audio button near the entrance.

Funeral Rites The CLOTH IXUPI is in the small chamber between the rags. The ASH IXUPI may appear in the ceremonial ashes. There's an item in the Chinese Checker puzzle.
Note:

• The corpse of Merrick in the lion casket
• Jade skull behind lion casket
• Merrick's notebook and photos in the bag. Look at the photos for hints on pots
• The audio button by the entrance
• Signs at the Viking boat, the hut, the ashes, the big coffin where the puzzle is, and the mask-shaped coffin.
• The Skeleton dial near the boat must be turned blue.

Shaman

The WAX IXUPI may hide in the tiny statue in the little corner. Items may be placed in the frames in the cabin.
Note:

• Scaffolding and ladder
• Signs near witch doctor and effigy
• Audio button by the entrance

GODS & KILLINGS

This room has a WOOD IXUPI in the wooden Ti'i the Canoe God statue, in the first section you walk in. There's an item in the bull.
Note:

• The strange pillar by Janus, Canae and Thor. It needs to be turned for the Fortune Teller Riddle #2. It'll give you the riddle: In hieroglyphs ancient a secret is concealed / Contemplate page 17, the solution is revealed.
• The signs at the Lyre, the bull, Janus, Thor, skeleton with scythe, and wooden statue.
• The audio button at the entrance
• Skeleton dial by Janus must be turned red.

Myths & Legends

This section has the WAX IXUPI in the wax cobra, and the WOOD IXUPI in the slates next to the horse crate. This Ixupi is hard to dodge.There are two items: one in the music box, and one in the standing coffin.
Note:

• The book lying about on the floor.
• Signs at Anansi, cobra, coffin, cyclops and werewolf
• Audio button at entrance
• Skeleton dial near the werewolf

Janitor Closet

There's the CLOTH IXUPI guarding an item between the red rags, and there's the WATER IXUPI in the toilet.

Second Floor Secret Passage The WOOD IXUPI may hide in the scrap wood outside the Fortune Teller Room. The secret pasage runs from the Tombs & Curses room to the 3rd floor. There is also an elevator and a small room, the Fortune Teller Room.
To enter this room you must solve a picture puzzle. A picture can be found here.
In the room you can find the pot with Merrick's ghost, and the fortune machine.
The fortune teller will give you a riddle:
Earth must be aligned
with Love and War
Then from below
You'll discover more

Planetarium

The planetarium hosts the ELECTRICITY IXUPI in the lamp over the Stonehenge structure. There's an item in the UFO.
Note:

• The camera lying on the floor. Look at the picture!
• Signs at the Space People, Stonehenge, Planets
• Audio button near the exit
• The movable planets. 2 can be moved, you need to align them with Earth to receive the riddle: Midst the storm, the Norse god executes his thunderous deed/Near him a message, its content you must heed.

Strange Inventions

Man's Inhumanity To Man

There's one ELECTRICITY IXUPI in the electric chair, it won't appear until you switch it on. There's one item: inside the scaffold. Hang the dummy first! Enter 120 on the machine, then pull the lever, climb down past the condemned to find it.
Note the signs at the guillotine and at the gallows, and the audio button at the start.

Puzzle room

Note the sign and audio button. Play MasterMind. 10 points counts for a symbol in the right place, and 1 for a right symbol in a wrong place. On your first guess, try 5 from the first symbol, then try 5 from the second, etc.
Walk past the next door. Click on the skull painting to approach the next puzzle.
It's the Infamous Pinball Puzzle! If you want to solve it yourself and have problems: number all slots from left to right, then write down all the moves and where which ball is at starting point, then write it down as:
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
It's a slider puzzle!
But, if you're lazy: here's my solution. But there are shorter ones around.
Moves: 4-5, 7-4, 8-7, 5-8, 6-5, 9-6, 8-9, 5-8, 4-5, 7-4, 8-7, 5-8, 2-5, 3-2, 6-3, 9-6, 8-9 (Now 3, 6 and 9 are there.) 7-8, 4-7, 1-4, 2-1, 5-2, 4-5, 7-4, 8-7, 5-8, 4-5, 7-4, 8-7, 5-8, 4-5, 1-4, 2-1, 5-2 (Now 1 and 2 are there too), 4-5, 7-4, 8-7, 5-8.

The next room holds an item. Now, go back and catch 9 Ixupi except for Electricity, and solve the first 2 Fortune Teller riddles.

Endgame

After you've caught 9 Ixupi and found the first 3 riddles, you must find Page 17. Beth has it. Go to the Generator Room (through 1st floor secret passage). Walk to the spot with a blown fuse box on the wall. Flip the middle switch to open the panel below it. There's Beth's body. Take a closer look at it and read the page 17 in her hand:
A noble punishment, it still causes dread
If this be your choice, relinquish your head
Go to the Man's Inhumanity to Man room, to the guillotine, and operate it. Look at the symbol on the blade. Now head back to the Puzzle room, move past all doors (The last one you pass is one with a 6-headed skeleton dial. You must have turned all 6 skeleton dials (Viking Ship, Eagle Nest, Deros, Werewolf, Janus, Ixupi) to the correct colour in order to open this door. Enter the room and click on the eye symbol. Enjoy the ride!
Now, after you've arrived in the main hall, you'll turn around and find the last talisman. Combine it with the Electricity jar to make the last pot. Now, move to the Generator Room, to the door of the generator. Then click the pot on the generator to catch the Ixupi.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Matching Ixupi

• Water: Tray of water with 3 raindrops above it. Lid has 3 sharks coming out. WATER can be found at the Underground Lake, in the fountain in the main hall, and in the toilet in the janitor closet.
• Ash: Rectangle with round edges, snake tongue shape at the bottom, at beginning of game it's always found in Amazing Plants. Lid is bull's head, always found in office drawer. ASH can be found in the office fireplace, and in the ceremonial ashes in Funeral Rites
• Wax: circle with bee and wax. Lid has dragon/flower. WAX is in the library candelabra, in the Shaman wax effigy, and in the cobra in Myths & Legends.
• Electricity: a circle with lightning on the right side, with curly things coming out the left side. Lid has scorpion, and is at the bottom of the slide. ELECTRICITY can be found at Stonehenge lamp in the Planetarium, in the electric chair in Inhumanity room, and in the generator.
• Cloth: symbol looks like a sofa with a windmill in it. Lid is an open mouth. CLOTH can be found in the mummy in Tombs & Curses, in the cloths in the Funeral Rites crypt, and in the rags in Janitor's Closet.
• Metal: a bug with 5 found feet and 4 antennae. Lid is wolf's head with spikes. METAL can be found in the green canister pile in the projection room, in the metal unicorn in Strange Beasts, and in the armor in the bedroom.
• Wood: a T. Lid is an Anubis head. WOOD can be found in the crate in the Workplace, in the Ti'i statue in Gods, in the scrapwood in the 2nd floor secret passage, and in the scrap wood next to the horse crate in Myths. Latter is hard to dodge.
• Sand: a rectangle in a rectangle in a rectangle. Jar is pyramid shape. Lid has 2 spiraling snakes. SAND can be found in the pile in Amazing Plants, and in the Poseidon temple in Mysteries of the Deep.
• Chrystal: +-shape with long horizontal bar. Lid is a dragon head. CHRYSTAL can be found in the chandelier in the main hall, and the chrystal pile in Mysteries of the Deep.
• Tar: jester hat with bells. Lid has a head with closed eyes. Tar can be found in the tar pit at the end of the maze, and in the tar pit in Strange Beasts.

Fun, fun, fun...

Easter eggs: Click on:

• the Deros head several times
• Poseidon's head
• executioner's head after using the guillotine
• the hung dummy when you're downstairs staring at his nipple
• the first lamp when you enter the passage below the first Stonehenge at the start of the game
• random buttons at the big door in front of the maze, before you enter the secret code.
• In the Inhumanity room, get in close-up of the skeleton in the hanging cage. Click the jug, glass and skeleton hand in this order.
• In Inventions, open the crate (first one on the left) with the scythe, look at the object, then close the crate. Repeat this until the egg starts.

• Check out the head after using the guillotine. Eeow.
• Inspect several of the crates in the Inventions room.
• Get a nice overview of the library when you turn while standing on the ladder.
• Look at the dragon. He's neat!
• Spot a strange shadow in the projection room when you're between the shelves, facing the door.
• Spot a strange shadow on the stairs to the tower room, 5th click from the bottom.
• See bats coming out the door to the Underground Lake at the beginning

LINKS!

• Balmoral Software created this walkthrough, including puzzle solutions, tips, and many pictogram pictures.
• Red Bean Soup hosts a Shivers fan page with infos, screenshots and downloads!
• Wikipedia on Shivers

Review

Technical issues:

• Needs 640*480 resolution for full screen
• Changing specifications to the advised 256 colours makes the pictures very ugly
• On newer PCs, it may not be possible to run the videos full screen, they'll be very tiny and unclear. It also messes up the ending.
• Some of the game music takes time to load. This makes you have to wait a long time occasionally. This gets vexing when you're done with the puzzles and have to walk about.

Game issues:

• Having to hang a dummy is just awful, and guillotining one is even worse. Too much unnecessary violence.
• The corpses are not just very gory, they also seem to be in good shape, considering they've been dead for 15 years.
• Some of the game music is too annoying, like the first floor secret passage, and the maze. These override the game too much. Other game music will become terrible if you listen to it being repeated for too long, which is quite possible in the Puzzle Room, the Inventions room, and the Gods room.
• Solitaire? Come on! The game is ancient and overly well-known.
• One maze, and two maze-like structures. Or how to stretch a game with minimal effort and cost.
• Most Ixupi look cartoonish, especially the Wax and Chrystal ones.
• The Electricity ixupi went too fast to screencap in Attack at Stonehenge.
• One Stonehenge in a game is enough.
• When new to this game, it's difficult to get hang of the controls.
• Instructions on how to use the menu in the manual don't match the actual menu.

Game pros:

• Amazing looks overall. The murals add to the feel very well, some rooms are beautifully decorated.
• Fun puzzles with changing reward. I especially enjoyed the tough yet solvable Pinball puzzle, the Pentomino puzzle, and the elevators
• Non-repetitive puzzles. Compare 7th Guest with 3 anagrams, 3 chess puzzles and 2 all-lights.
• Very mood-setting music, notably in the Myths room, the elevator... Excellent use of Bach's Sarabande, but I would have liked to see him credited.
• The ability to die, and the addition of the Ixupi. Compare to 7th Guest or 11th Hour where there's no real danger of losing anything.
• The Tar ixupi looks amazing!
• No puzzles that are too strongly depending on knowledge of the English language. In other words, non-native speakers can play it with equal fun. Compare this to the 11th hour "chase" with over 20 cryptic clues, or the 7th guest can anagram.
• The puzzles all reach the intended age group. Compare to the "heart maze" in 7th Guest.
• There's a lot to read and to discover. By comparison, the two-disk 7th Guest and 7-disk Phantasmagoria are more bare.
• Entertaining story, ranging from sad to funny. Compare to 11th Hour with the house that rapes women.
• No CD swapping! Compare to Phantasmagoria (7 CDs, at least 3 in-level swaps).

In short, Shivers shows what can be done with one CD of space and a limited budget. It's worth playing more than once!

First Play Statistics: