Alcatraz

Steve McQueen?

I have just received a factory-sealed treat, a copy of Alcatraz by Infogrames. I thought about leaving it as is but, within milliseconds, I had ripped it open!! Mint condition and I love the contents of this hidden gem.

Hostages fans will appreciate it but surely that goes without saying? This time, the head honcho of a nasty drug cartel has taken shelter in Alcatraz prison and he happens to be surrounded by many loyal henchmen. Yep, you've probably already guessed that it's your job to sneak in, kill the bad guys, destroy everything and escape in the nick of time.

Well, in light of that stunning revelation, I think we should take a look at a screenshot...

The first stage displays the coop action and reveals that strength comes from stealth.

Take it easy, take it slow

This isn't a gung-ho game, Alcatraz demands stealth and careful covert tactics. The starting level first appears in the style of an arcade beat 'em up but is actually the complete opposite. Tread lightly because firing your loud weapon isn't always the answer! Use the darkness to your advantage by nipping into the background scenery, avoiding any unwelcome attention. It's fantastic being able to hide and watch the enemy oblivious to you lurking in the shadows!!

This won't always be the answer of course, so you may need to resort to a little gunplay now and then. However, it's worth considering your weapon choice: why not silently throw a knife instead of using your BAM BAM noisy gun? And it's this way of thinking that makes Alcatraz very exciting to play. It's like you're there being sneaky and covert. Love it.

This next screenshot is for those who often go out at night and hide in the darkness...

Take cover in the shadows and wait for the best moment to step out and take 'em by surprise!

But is it fun?

Initially, I admit I wasn't sure about this game if I'm dreadfully honest. The controls can feel a bit fluffy, but stick with it and you will master that within a few plays. What is immediately superb is the support for two players in coop who can enjoy each mission simultaneously. This really makes a difference compared to going solo for such demanding missions.

Venturing deeper inside Alcatraz, the game changes to a first-person shooter, similar to a Dungeon Master clone - but we have a machine gun!! There is a handy map function which I really liked because it helped to detail the locations of enemies, rooms, etc. I really loved this part of the game but, I died. Talk about tough love.

Talk about a brilliant surprise! Let's take a gander at a screenshot...

Okay, now we're talking. This Doom part of the game was blummin' excellent!!

The CryptO'pinion?

Alcatraz is nothing like I initially expected but I'm really enjoying it. What a game, especially with a friend in co-op, which is exhilarating. I like what they attempted to construct with the realism element, it works in many ways. What a great game of perseverance, stealth and tactics which will eat away the spare hours. For all its niggly flaws, I love it.

Downloads are available as floppy disk images with a better option for hard drive owners (D-Bug).

Wait, don't go as I made a video and I wanted to show you what's inside the box...

Here's the back of the box cover that advertises the original game, Hostages.

The floppy disks were protected and unused for three decades. Yes, they work!

Codes! Fuzzy to read and will pop your eyeballs if you stare at it too long!

No, I'm not going to post this. Can you imagine their faces? lol

Short but sweet manual but it has a decent map of the island.

This was interesting to find. If anyone wants better scans of the pages then just holla.