Defensive Alien Remoting Command

Hidden GEMs

Every so often, I weirdly stumble upon something that wasn't hidden but is new to me. Both DARC and DARC II are first-person shooters I’ve likely seen at some point but since forgotten (why does that keep happening?). Anyhow, Dieter Marfurt released these around 1996, and the second isn’t strictly a sequel; it’s essentially the completed game, so the one to boot up and play (well, if you ignore its dreadful intro).

The year is 2153, following the world’s destruction by nuclear contamination. To restore the Earth’s fauna, a team is sent 2,000 ft underground to find a backup(!) we can restore. However, the contamination mutated the life forms down there into aggressive Zorks that angrily roam the corridors. The place is huge, the corridors are dark, and monsters are waiting for you. Dare you venture in to save the planet?

Sounds great, right? Yeah, it does, and I love first-person shooters! Let's see a screenshot...

A Substation-like maze with little red devils running around!

Gameplay

Both games are first-person shooters similar to Substation or Destruction Imminent. No matter what the documentation says, the engine isn't Doom and more like Wolfenstein, which is still cool. The gameplay involves navigating your team through dark, mutant-infested corridors, collecting items, and battling the red devils (Zorks). These guys are quick and never in the mood to talk - so shoot first and ask no questions. But trigger-happy adventurers will need to source pickups, as your ammo will not last long.

The first thing that struck me was the engine's speed and agility. Walking around and exploring the maze is surprisingly fast and smooth. Possibly because of the Blitter being used, although the game still works on older machines. The colour palette is murky and quite spooky as you begin to scour the badly-lit corridors. However, the joystick/keyboard controls are strange and will take some getting used to. Unlike the above-mentioned games, you cannot simply walk and turn as you would expect. It is (ahem) slightly different:

• For example, if you prefer the joystick, pushing up/down moves you forward/backwards. Pushing left/right will sidestep. To actually turn around, you must move left/right whilst pressing the fire button. To shoot, press up and fire at the same time. Yes, it's most peculiar.
• I found the keyboard miles better: walking forward = 8, walking backwards = 2, sidestep left = 4, sidestep right = 6, and firing is done by slapping that space bar. Now comes the cool part: turning around is performed using the cursor keys in all four directions. As you can see, this is a two-handed game, but I gotta admit, this octopus arrangement works surprisingly well.
• Additionally, whatever method you use, you can switch between team members by pressing "y, x, c, v". If you're lost, press M for a map, and press D if the music is making you anxious!
• Doom had been out for years, so I'm baffled by how complicated this is.

As with anything, practice makes perfect, so have a game or two before you play properly...

Screenshots really do this game no justice. Anyhow, grab that ammo!

CryptO'pinion

Playing DARC II is unusual, but an absolute blast. The engine is fantastic, especially given the competition, and it's still running on an 8MHz computer. The Blitter makes everything a tad quicker compared to the older STs, and the thumbing background music adds so much to the already genuinely chilling atmosphere.

However, I don't really see the point of having a team of players rather than being a Doomguy, since there's no real gameplay benefit other than "extra lives". Sadly, ammo is scarce, as caches are very rare, but my biggest issue is the size of the underground. It’s enormous and likely too vast to fully explore.

Okay, for all its faults, DARC II is incredibly enjoyable. The engine alone blows me away, and even more once I discovered it was coded in GFA BASIC!! Yep, I love this shooter and exploring through the dark, murky corridors is great. Substation remains unbeaten, but if you enjoyed that, then you're gonna love this one.

• Download both games from Atarimania.
• Click here for more first-person shooters for the Atari ST/e.
• Hey, both games use the Blitter, so let's add 'em to the Enhanced List.

Up-close and personal. Prepare to die!

Oh no, they're ganging up on me now!!

Hang on, what's that? Let's kill them and find out.

DARC has a superb map, so hit the M key and don't get lost.

Things get even better in DARC II with extra information to assist.

The Vodka Demo

Alcohol is good for you

For me, The Vodka Demo stands as a defining moment in the Atari ST demoscene. It pushes 16-bit limitations far beyond (my) expectations. It also bridges the gap between older and newer demo styles, with some rather cool screens. Released by the mighty Equinox in 1991, it showcases some impressive technical wizardry, especially its game-like menu. Of course, each demo pushes the ST to its limits with stunning colours, speed, full-screen displays, and gorgeous YM2149 sounds. It’s pure early 90s black magic.

I'm reaching that point where I always say the same thing: download and play this megademo on a proper Atari ST if you can. It's far superior and the best way to experience this outstanding production.

Demozoo has the download, plus a dedicated group page for Equinox.

Credits

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Fab - Music (Unlimited Bobs screen)

Krueger - Code

Moby - Music (Intro)

Starlion - Code

Steprate - Code

One of those screenshots that does no justice to the smooth movement of colour.

I guess no screenshot ever does a demo justice? Yep, like this one!

Never did I understand the concept of these sprite challenges. Use it in a game!

Wow, this demo is mind-blowing. Love it. Love it. Love it!!!

Oh dear, why did I take these screenshots? Look, just get the demo downloaded.

I love how smoothly the dragon moves. Those eyes though.. Arghh, those eyes!!

A nicely timed capture, and the message is right. The ST is better than Psygnosis thought.

A hidden screen, and it's by one of my favourite groups too!

Yeah, this demo has style by the bucket load!!

No megademo is worth its salt without a cool reset screen :)

SpaceWar: The Next Generation

SpaceWar!

Steve Russell developed this unique space-combat video game in (wait for it) 1962. Two players control spaceships, nicknamed "the needle" and "the wedge," engaged in a dogfight while manoeuvring within the gravitational pull of a central star. Sounds simple. It is, but it was groundbreaking back then.

Fast-forward thirty years, and along comes Howard Jones (no, not that Howard Jones, so don’t expect any pop/synth music), who decided that the Atari ST definitely deserved a slice of this historic action. His 1992 remake keeps the soul of the original while sprinkling in some extra ST magic. And if you’re lucky enough to have an STe, you even get enhanced DMA sound effects to really crank up the atmosphere.

The gameplay is dead simple: two ships, one star, and a cargo hold of torpedoes. The needle/wedge is replaced with something that looks kinda like Grav, but the game itself remains the same. You’re locked in a frantic tug-of-war with gravity, constantly fighting against the star’s relentless pull while trying to line up your shots. Matches are fast and chaotic, with extra options to tweak gravity, add ship functions, and more.

Visually, it's fairly minimal, but also excellent because the gravitational field doesn’t just drag your ship around – it bends pixels in a way that feels almost T2K hypnotic. As for the audio, the STe’s DMA is brilliant with loads of crunchy shots/blasts/death, but even on a regular ST, the sound effects are great.

SpaceWar honours the original very well, and for such a simple idea, it’s incredibly addictive!

• Atarimania has the download, including the documentation.
• Check out YouTube if you're wondering what a game from 1962 looked like.
• SpaceWar proudly blasts its way into the Enhanced Games list.

Tinker with the game, bounce mode is fun, but I preferred wrap.

Red is trying to catch up, but is getting a bit too close to the star.

Death to all blues!

Woo, getting a bit too close there!

Weeeee, we love to fly!

Death!

Ultima IV

And so it begins...

I've been lucky the last few years and enjoyed a number of great games like Cosmos Chronicles, Times of Lore, Shadow Sorcerer, Questron II, Phantasie, and more (but not Knightmare!). So, I went on the lookout for something new (to me), and Ultima IV struck a chord, as it's not something that's been played before. Plus, the storyline was very different, and I fancied a game that would last for the long term.

This won't be a walkthrough or anything silly like that; I simply wanted to enjoy the journey. So, I'm approaching Ultima IV as I would have done back in 1988: armed with the original map (albeit an online copy - thanks AL), my notebook, and a willingness to get muddled and lost. I'll be looking forward to learning how Britannia works, as I'm completely new to it. However, only as I write this am I wondering why I'm not beginning with the first game (well, Ultima II for the ST). Yep, I'm just very awkward.

So what is the storyline? Well, this was quite a shocking moment, as there doesn't seem to be a big bad baddie to slay - or at least die trying. Nope, Ultima IV is set after the defeat of Exodus (from the third game). Peace has returned to Britannia, but I fear that Lord British isn't totally happy, as monsters still roam the land and darkness resides in people's hearts (as always). So, we have been summoned to become a good example for all, to prove ourselves worthy of a far greater title. You guessed it, that Avatar malarky.

I gotta admit, I was shocked by this alternative storyline objective. Britannia isn't saved by the clang of swords, but by the spirit; our goal is to master the Eight Virtues through exploration and wisdom. Yikes, this journey kinda worries this old melee warrior, but it also appears quite compelling, too. I'm all in!

The legendary opening sequence of Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar...

Day one...

So, I dug out PP's version of Ultima IV, as it supports installation on the hard drive and saves don't require a floppy. It's brilliant and highly recommended over any cracked menu disk. My first few hours have been a mixture of wonder, excitement and complete bewilderment. The interface is straightforward enough, presenting Britannia from an overhead perspective, while the controls remind me a little of Questron II. Initially, I thought the command-driven approach was a bit over the top, but that was simply me being a knob. Need to open a door? Press O. Ready a weapon? Press R. Wanna attack something? Press A. /etc/etc...

Emerging from the castle, I found myself outside in the fresh air after finally figuring out how to escape using ladders and doors. I went for a wander and immediately loved the environment and the way enemies appeared rather than materialising out of thin air. This makes Britannia feel more realistic, like a living place rather than a collection of random encounters. Exploration is a cinch and enjoyable, but I stayed close to his castle because I didn't fully understand the fundamentals of survival. i.e., health, food, recovery, and so on. Plus, I could see a skeleton getting closer. What should I do? Run back inside or stand and fight?

Of course, I fought! And this part of the game reminded me a lot of Cosmos Chronicles (or should that be the other way around, lol). Of course, fights are turn-based, but the action flows quickly enough that encounters feel exciting as you scurry to ready a weapon. These battles are superbly thought out and a lot of fun - especially as the music changes, which enhances the atmosphere. More so with a Roland MT-32!!

At this moment, I'm staying close to the safety of Castle Britannia and a town called Britain (great names). I don't wish to travel far in case I get poisoned by a snake, jumped on by monsters when camping, run out of food, and so on. I need to grind, earn some XP and get more gold to afford supplies such as food, weaponry, armour, and so on. I expect this grind will last a while before I feel comfortable. Also, I should consider forming a party, as it's lonely atm. Yep, I haven't even scratched a millimetre off its surface.

I have no plans for future updates, but you never know. Follow my progress on X (Twitter) by using this tagged link. I'm going to enjoy this adventure! Hey, are there any fans out there? Silly question, right?

Oh, and I'm playing using real hardware, so there are no nice screenshots coming...

Yep, I recently acquired a Roland MT-32. Beautiful music!

So I'm still quite new here. Hence, heading out into the dangerous world alone.

Gotta love the characters you meet. I need a spicy woman!

A little later on, someone was selling a horse. So, I bought it. No idea why!