Alcatraz

Steve McQueen?

I've 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? The head honcho of a drug cartel has taken shelter in Alcatraz prison, and he happens to be surrounded by henchmen. You've probably guessed that it's your job to sneak in, kill the bad guys, destroy everything, and escape in the nick of time.

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 covert tactics. The starting level appears in the style of an arcade beat 'em up, but it's the opposite. Tread lightly, as 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!!

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

This 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 any good?

Initially, 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 them within a few goes. What is immediately superb is the support for two players in coop who play the mission simultaneously, which is fantastic for such demanding missions.

Venturing deeper inside Alcatraz, the game changes to a first-person shooter, similar to a Dungeon Master clone, with a machine gun!! There is a handy map function, which I liked because it helped 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 expected, but what a game that easily eats away at your spare hours. Also, 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 is best played in co/op with a friend. Brilliant game.

• Download the floppy disks, or the better option for hard drive owners (D-Bug).
• Don't go, 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.