Battlemaster

A day in the life...

Battlemaster was released in 1990 by PSS, but it isn't something I recall playing. Which is a little odd because I remember seeing the screenshots and being captivated by what I saw. They showcased an overhead-action RPG featuring battles against insidious creatures, including Orcs, Spiders, Elves, giant insects, and more. These are the types of games that really appeal to me, so I'm baffled why I let it slip by. What a weirdo!

Booting it up for the first time presents an impressive title that sets the scene for what appears to be a festival of bloody gore. We can be any of 16 adventurers from four races: human, elf, dwarf, and orc. Some venture solo, whereas others are part of a clan. Beginning my first game was fun, with good graphics and a user interface I found intuitive and easy to grasp. Selecting the warrior seemed a great choice, but I made the foolish decision to touch the water, which is oddly deadly - instant death (and you only get one life).

So I restarted as an Orc; an utterly disastrous move, as I was hated by everyone, so I died quickly. Once again, I restarted, this time as an elf, which was confusing because this fella wasn't alone - his party ran around like maniacs. Then my elf fell into a pit that suddenly appeared without a warning. Instant death!

This wasn't going well. So, I did what no guy does: I read the manual. This pamphlet is short, but engaging, with a background story that is both predictable and intriguing. The gameplay basics are nicely explained, including a guide for newcomers, which I appreciated. Also explained are the differences in gameplay styles that concern commanding troops (if applicable) and negotiating with NPCs for items or safe passage.

Incidentally, I chuckled at a section of the manual about the four different races. It's humorously candid and helps you decide who you want to be. I cannot read this blunt piece of text without smiling...

Dwarves hate Elves and Orcs,

Elves hate Dwarves and Orcs,

Humans like no one but despise Orcs the most.

Orcs hate everyone!

I guess it pays to read the manual? Who'd have thunk it? Let's see the first screenshot...

The user interface isn't baffling at all. In fact, it's quite superb:

1) These are our main stats.
2) Depending on the situation, we can access weaponry and inventory.
3) The journey icon is replaced with Parley (returns when the quest is done).
4) The next three text options are relevant for commanding troops.

5) The green area is a scanner; we're the red cross/other characters are yellow.

6) There is an info box that provides location names and helpful tips.

A Cruel World

The first thing that struck me about Battlemaster was how you're hurled straight into the action without a hint of guidance. You then notice the frantic pace at which enemies move about. It's quite chaotic as they run into view, firing off missiles before legging it. The key to surviving is teasing them out and away in smaller groups. Otherwise, you will be mobbed by a bloodthirsty pack of medieval lunatics with a death wish.

This instantly means you must practice with the controls to get anywhere. Battlemaster employs 8-way movement using the keyboard, mouse, or joystick. The mouse is terrible, and I got nowhere with my joystick, but I need a new one, so that could be why. However, I instantly took to the keyboard, which you can redefine with 8-way controls via the numeric pad. I preferred keeping it simple, using the cursor keys.

Exploration is always fun and part of what makes any RPG a fascinating experience. What's better than discovering a new place with potential for enemies, people, treasure, weapons, etc? Well, hold your horses and slow down because you won't get very far without keeping your eyes on the scanner...

• Use it to get an idea of where the enemy is, and begin walking towards them - with a ranged weapon at the ready. If they get close, hit the spacebar to pause and flip to a melee weapon.
• Sounds like real-time with pause? Kinda, and you should use that!!
• Hidden traps are a big thing in Battlemaster, but there is never any indication of where they might be. It's stupid because you only get one life, so falling into a chasm that appears from nowhere is infuriating! So tread softly. Thankfully, their locations are static and easy to remember.

Let's take a break and view a lovely woodland scene where life is peaceful and quiet...

There is an option to parley, but wait, I see a bottle on the ground?
Should I take that, or will it anger the locals into a frenzy?

Riverdale

Battlemaster's world is massive and splits into dozens of sections accessed via a world map. Once you muddle through the initial confusion of the first level, which generously teaches you the joys of hidden traps and punishes you for paddling in a stream (groan), you will blast through the following early stages pretty quickly. Every area is not only visually different but also moves the story forward in its own unique way.

It’s always worth exploring properly to see who is waiting for a chat, and whether there is anything remotely helpful like armour, food, etc. Each zone is fairly compact and has a specific task you’ll need to complete before progressing (use the journey icon, which remains greyed out until the tasks are completed).

Don't expect this game to be a pushover, as most battles devolve into chaotic scuffles where you're hammering the fire button and praying for a win. But think before raising your sword, not everyone is ready to fight. Assuming you win and don't fall victim to a hidden trap, then you will enjoy making progress because each area is uniquely interesting. That said, not everything makes complete sense, like stumbling across food the locals left lying around, hoping you'd politely ignore it. Erm, no! Why would anyone do that???

Once back in the world map, you can move to another adjacent area to continue pillaging! As you can see in the next screenshot, the game shows the available places you can (currently) travel. It's like Baldur's Gate, as you cannot travel huge distances without traversing through. And I liked that a lot!

A huge number of places are waiting for you, dear adventurer. Let's pause for a screenshot...

This map displays the various locations linked via currently available stages.

Graphics & Sounds

I'm not usually bothered by flashy visual effects in an RPG, as the adventure lies in the storyline, characters, action, and exploration. But let's be honest, they're good to have, and Battlemaster's landscapes range from lush woodlands to rocky deserts, and they look impressive. However, it’s the monster sprites that I really love. They’re fantastic and very much in the style of Dungeons & Dragons, constantly providing a 16-bit feast for the eyes to highlight the ghouls encountered, and this is where Battlemaster pleases me.

Sadly, the gameplay window is only about half the size of the screen, as the user interface occupies the other half. That's understandable for a game like this (and helpful), but I'd have expected better scrolling as a trade-off. Don't get me wrong, it's good enough, but still a little bit disappointing if I'm honest.

The audio is a mixed bag. There is no title music, but PSS didn't skimp on the sound effects by using crunchy samples. I like the cries of people dying with such elaborate samples, which is hugely entertaining.

One last screenshot of me avoiding death (for once) before the gripping conclusion...

From the start, Battlemaster shows how cruel it can be. Hidden traps!

CryptO'pinion

Battlemaster certainly plunges you into the thick of the action from the very start. The manual gives a few helpful nudges and starter tips, but nothing really prepares you for the sheer brutality of the first area. Choose your character wisely based on their skills, weapon types, and whether you want backup or to go solo. Then spend a little time mastering the controls and getting used to scrapping with the enemy.

Even once you've got the basics down, you're still likely to meet a quick and ridiculous end, which is hard to initially grasp. It might be a mob of goons hiding in a cave who leave you no chance to react, or maybe it’s an arrow from off-screen, or the classic blunder of sipping water from a deadly river. Worse still, death may come because of a perfectly hidden trap that you had no way on God's green Earth to detect.

Every step you take will be like walking on eggshells, and you will suspect everyone and be wary of everything. Nothing scares me more than a bottomless pit suddenly appearing from out of thin air, but these are always located in the same place(!). Once you grasp how pointlessly illogical these initial traps are, then progress will be made to other areas. Regardless, save your game regularly, as you will be reloading a lot.

Battlemaster's emphasis is always on action and solving obscure puzzles. Discovering new lands is very exciting, as you see the story unfold with new places, tales, and people. Plus, there is a myriad of different beasts just waiting to be killed. Also, if you’ve built a good team, the squad mechanic actually works quite well - even if the AI is a bit thick. Controlling them feels a bit clunky at times, but I enjoyed giving the orders!

When I first played Battlemaster, I didn't care for it. You're thrown in at the deep end, and the pointless traps become tiresome. However, I liked the setting and the opportunity to travel to unique places, so I stuck with it. I'm glad I did. You will get to wander strange lands, slay monsters galore, and do it all in the name of a baloney storyline. It's fantastic, so I’m giving it a trapdoor-dodging, monster-mashing 85%.

• Here are a few screenshots and download links from Atari Legend or Atari FTP Archive.

I love going into other people's homes uninvited.

Hey, I see a ladder. I'm sure nobody will mind if I take that...

I found a hidden cave and went inside. This is a dangerous place!!

I only took this screenshot because I liked the graphics so much lol

This is where I'm currently up to, and stuck. How can I get through the door?

Utopos

Gravity, Guns, and Glorious STe Action

Yet another game I love, but without a write-up here on AtariCrypt. Which is just weird! Well, from my point of view, anyhow. Developed in 1993+ by Jani Penttinen and Jan Achrenius, Utopos is a slick "Gravitar"-style shooter specifically designed for the Atari STe. And when I say slick, I mean greasy-spoon slick!!

We are dropped into the cockpit of a nimble spaceship, trapped in a series of cavernous levels. As with Oids, Rotor, Thrust, etc, we are still fighting gravity and inertia, but you can alter these settings to your own tastes. Warning: the learning curve is massive, so it pays to tinker with them!! Once you're happy, things become more forgiving, and you will be zipping about, dodging obstacles, and blasting stuff like a pro.

Utopos takes inspiration from games I've just mentioned, but with a more arcade-like approach that favours speed and action over realism. What makes Utopos really stand out is its (overscan) presentation and superfast frame rate. It glides like warm butter on a non-stick frying pan in zero gravity! The backgrounds are subtle but effective, and the STe’s enhanced sound chip gets a proper workout with music and effects.

"This joystick feels like it came from the war." – My daughter, after 30 seconds.

As a single player, it's incredibly tough. Perhaps too tough? It doesn't appear to have the playability or strategic depth of Oids, as it prefers a fast-paced, arcade-style over realism. Personally, I think it's best as a two-player, even though nobody here (ahem) can control their ship. In fact, my daughter hated this game, so I'm left to go it alone - but don't listen to her, she's mad and wrong about this stupendous Atari STe game.

• Atarimania appears to have every version (demo and registered), but it seems that the one-player mode was dropped from the final release? I had to use version 1.52
• A must-watch video by Maarten/Atari Legend.
• A remake appears to be in the works, even supporting the Mac!!
• Being an STe game automatically enters it into the Enhanced List. Check that out!!
• This post is dedicated to our eldest daughter, Katie. 🤍
• If you are one of the few visitors to look back through the Crypt's archives, you’ll see an old recording of mine that I posted all the way back in October 2014. How has over a decade passed so quickly? Anyhow, the link is on the right-hand side if you scroll down a bit (or click here!) :^)

The one-player game is next to impossible without altering the gravity...

...and even then, it's next to impossible!

The two-player game is an absolute killer...

...well, if your family can get their head around the controls.

Pooz

Zoop

Pooz, originally released in 2005 by Paradize, was based on the Atari Jaguar game. It supported the Atari STe and featured spanky colours and incredible DMA audio. Yes, the name is reversed, but the rules are simple: we’re a funny face in the centre of the screen and coloured tablets march relentlessly in from the edges. Fire at them, match their colours, and clear the relevant tablets before they reach the centre. Sounds easy? It’s not. The pace quickens rapidly, and I inevitably panic as Pooz emphasises speed and my anxious reactions!

If you’re not into fast-reaction puzzlers, you may find it repetitive after a while, as it's a maddening rush of "fire, match, repeat". I may not have played the Jaguar game, but I know ours is incredibly fun, addictive, and proves once again that Atari can still poo(z) all over the competition in a surprising and zesty manner.

• Pooz is on Mars Disk #9 over at Atari Legend.
• Atarimania also has the official download.
• Of course, this little Zoop'er is now added to our enhanced games list.

My first game and I hadn't a Scooby-Doo what was going on!

Then I noticed my smiley face was somehow changing its colour.

Hey, it was my first game!! I assume 1080 is pretty poor? Can you beat it?

Super Pac-Man

Waka Waka Waka!

The ST already boasts a wealth of Pac-Man games, and here’s another released in 1997 by Ed Cleveland (the creator of Donkey Island, a fantastic adventure game, albeit unfinished). Super Pac-Man is Ed’s take on the pill-popping classic and supports the JagPad along with DMA samples on the Atari STe.

The concept remains the same: chomp on the pills to complete a level. However, this time there are a few notable changes. Certain sections of the maze are locked and require keys to access. The ghosts are noticeably smarter, providing a tense and satisfying chase - particularly the aggressive red ones. Alongside the traditional blue power pills, green pills supersize Pac-Man and freeze the ghosts in their tracks. Hey, here's a thought: why not try collecting both pills? That will make it easier to swallow all four ghosts at once... ;^)

Super Pac-Man features enough changes to make it feel new and different. I like how the slower movement of Pac-Man is balanced against the livelier ghosts, keeping the challenge fair without becoming frustrating. Best of all, the ghosts’ behaviour seems deliberate rather than random, so getting caught feels intentional rather than accidental. Yes, it’s just another Pac-Man, but it’s different, challenging, and super fun.

• You can grab the download from Atarimania.
• Supporting the DMA means it's entered onto the list of enhanced games!
• If one game isn't enough, there is a "Pac-Man" section here on AtariCrypt.
• This post is dedicated to my beautiful wife, whom I first met 24 years ago today!!