Best laid plans...
For those living on another planet for the last few decades, Knightmare is an RPG similar to one we all know and love. Developed by Commodore legend Antony Crowther, it utilises his excellent Captive engine, but with a user interface that looks much better. I admit, I've been eager to give this game a proper go for ages. I was hoping it would be a good one, as I wanted to attack its dungeon and come back with news of another crawler to recommend. Unfortunately, things didn’t quite turn out as expected, but more on that later.
Before we begin, pessimists might judge this game as nothing more than a Dungeon Master wannabe. They could be right, but the box has a line boasting, "It makes Dungeons and Dragons seem like newts splashing around in a muddy puddle". Needless to say, I booted it up feeling cautiously wary but with great anticipation. After all, who doesn't enjoy romping through dark, creepy dungeons, killing the unearthly beasts?
This 1991 computer game is based on the 80s TV show, and being of a certain age, you might assume I was a fan. Well, no. I don't remember much, as I thought it was cheesy. I recall a medieval environment with kids pretending to be in a cryptic dungeon - all thanks to bluescreen computer-generated graphics.
I have no idea how closely the game follows the show, but I know its opening intro is cool...
This is the Knightmare castle? Awesome pixel art!! Wanna step inside with me?
Arghhh!! Lord Fear turns up to ruin everyone's day. Miserable sod isn't he!
What's the story?
As a party of four adventurers, we have the noble task of seeking out magical objects held within these dungeons: The Shield of Justice, the Sword of Freedom, the Cup of Life, and the Crown of Glory. By the sounds of it, the adventure will be huge and spread over four "episodes". Once all are found, we hope to destroy the evil sorcerer, Lord Fear. It sounds melodramatic, but show me the dungeon entrance. I want in!
The manual pulls no punches and instructs the player that 'fear will be with you constantly". There are other cheery lines like "death is always around the next corner". It's grim and aims to prepare you for the difficult challenges ahead. Of course, it's not all bad. Treguard is the dungeon master who tries to provide helpful tips and advice. Well, I said, "Tries". Nonetheless, heed his words, but don't expect too much.
Dare you to enter the Knightmare and battle the minions of Lord Fear? Of course, you do...
First things first, create your own team or head out with a default crew of dungeoneers?
Choosing your own is best, but make sure you name 'em better than I did!
Controls & User Interface
Beginning with the basics, the controls instantly feel familiar to fans of Dungeon Master and the ilk. Exploration is done through a grid layout with 90-degree turns. Directional buttons are used for walking, sidestepping, and turning (there are buttons for up/down, but I've yet to find a use). The user interface is clean, uncomplicated, and concise, with our party's stats illustrated with bars for health, stamina, and magic.
The layout (and execution) of our actions is expected, whilst also fresh, using a design that performs perfectly. With the mouse, a left click interacts with the user interface and the world (picking up and throwing objects). Any character can also assign an action (like kicking and punching) to his/her default. This is superb, especially when holding a weapon, and a spellcaster's abilities expand greatly when using a wand.
This excellent design continues for other aspects, like the inventory with its many available slots. Encumbrance is conveniently detailed, so don't ignore it whilst lugging everything you find. There are also slots used to equip clothing and weaponry. That alien-looking dude in the middle indicates hunger and should make perfect sense regarding food. I found the user interface a breeze, which is odd for a nitpicker like me!
Yep, I'm often slow to grasp a game's user interface, but Knightmare's is far beyond excellent...
The inventory screen is beautifully designed and so easy to use.
YES, click this thumbnail for a larger image!! Go on, you know you want to :)
Welcome to the dungeons of Dunshelm
So, who will you venture into the wild with for companionship and support? Well, you can decide whether to stick with the default or assemble your own band of merry men/goblins/elves/etc. I have a couple of Clubber Langs at the front with others helping with range, magic, healing, etc. The starting area is void of anything interesting, with no items or puzzles. Isn't that bizarre, but wait, I see a cart. Let's jump inside that...
Once you've arrived at the woodlands, exploring is mind-boggling. The area is a confusing jungle labyrinth. A Goblin soon appears, but is easy to kill, and he disappears into the void after a few kicks. Soon, you will stumble upon a 'ghostly thing', which is super easy to defeat and made me wonder what the point was. Look out for rabbits, these nip at your heels the moment you turn away - give them a kick and watch them scarper. Actually, it's worth chasing these blighters because their death rewards with a rabbit pie. YUM!!
Compared to a typical dungeon environment, the woodlands are incredibly bewildering, so it's advisable to make a map as you explore. North of your starting location is a walled area and the place where the 'ghostly thing' would often appear. Hint - look around for anything obscure that could be usable. Getting around the woodland is tough, but a map now proves its worth because I struggled to see the wood for the trees!
To the west is a prison, and inside it are several Giants. They are like goblins, only bigger and much stronger. This is where my progress hit a brick wall because this seemed to be the only way through the woodlands. They constantly killed me, no matter what tactics I used (I was losing the will to live). So, I eventually concluded that this was something to return to later. There must be another exit, somewhere...
I continued on and, by sheer chance, I found talking trees. One wanted her baby back, another asked, "Have you seen my cup?", and another wanted a weapon. By this point, I had collected quite an inventory of junk, and I had a thought about the first tree's request. What did it need? I'm sure you can guess. Well, she rewards our kindness with entrance to The Shield of Justice. FINALLY, I'M GETTING SOMEWHERE!!
You don't want to know how many hours were spent to get this far! Let's see some screenshots...
You thought a rabbit was timid? Not these buggers!! Kick 'em to death lol
You won't be able to beat these Giants so early in the game!
The Shield Of Justice
After (finally) escaping the woodlands, I arrived in what can only be described as Dungeon Master World (ha!). A nearby plaque announced that this was indeed "Quest One, the Shield of Justice". Instantly, I was relieved to be playing something that I originally desired from Knightmare, a dungeon and not a forest!
Yes, this relief of standing in a dungeon after many wasted hours in those damn woods is intense. As you begin, the first thing you will notice is the visuals. This is one enchanting place illuminated by a colourful design that makes Dungeon Master look decidedly bland. So, as I carefully tread and begin discovering interesting pathways, bizarre objects, and doors just waiting to be opened. This is great, I thought to myself.
I begin mapping and exploring the corridors, and I stumble upon an obvious trap involving a switch that launches a fireball to light you up like Blackpool Tower. However, I can also see something in the next room through the wall's bars. These problems are easily overcome, and a few corridors later, I find myself using pressure plates in the floor to access a hidden area. This episode is becoming increasingly exciting!!
Sadly, my elation doesn't endure because something's not quite right. The deeper I get, the more frequently I fight the bad guys. Unfortunately, it's more of a struggle than a challenge because I've found few weapons, and health was also suffering. Not only this, but all combat is extremely tough, and soon to the point where you cannot win any battle without running away to hide and gather yourself behind a closed door.
Thankfully, there is a ridiculous cheat I discovered by sheer chance - use the doors. There is no standing your ground like a man here. No, it's better to draw out an enemy and lead them towards an open door. Stand there, and when a monster gets close enough, shut the door on it. This action will eventually crush it to death, which is similar to Dungeon Master, Space Crusade, and others. However, I was using this method all the time rather than my weapons/spells because it was simply too difficult. It didn’t help that so few items were accumulated within this dungeon, aside from fatigue. Unfair, unbalanced, and disheatening.
I'll be honest, I was starting to wonder by this point why I had bought the game. Yes, bought. What a sucker I am. Anyhow, it wasn't long before I discovered the game's next oddity - sharks! That's right, there are flooded areas with sharks swimming about. Getting safe passage is a pain because this aspect of the game's engine doesn't work well. Try as I might, I've completely lost interest in defeating Lord Fear.
From what little I remember, I cannot imagine this game comes close to following the TV show. In fact, it's an abomination!! I’m at my wits’ end and completely lost interest. I suppose I’d eventually find an object to unlock the next quest, but I won’t be returning to the nightmare of Knightmare anytime soon.
So, umm, shall we carry on? Well, I suppose so with a couple of screenshots...
This is the first object you come across. Wanna risk touching it?
Unlike this guy, most enemies are tough. So use the doors to crush them!
The CryptO'pinion?
Of all the Atari ST games I have played, this one took the longest to get into, perhaps even more than Armada (and that's saying something!). But it was all for nothing. Sure, the graphics are great, and the thought that went into the user interface is impressive. But all that effort is for nothing as the game is utter tripe!!
I spent ages trying to leap off the moving cart before being rewarded with a woodland nightmare. Then, the joy of finally entering a dungeon was short-lived due to the ridiculous, unbalanced gameplay. Constantly needing to crush enemies with gates takes the... Michael!! However, I did enjoy the tasty rabbit pies.
Knightmare has clawed its way into my Hall of Shame, and I'm rating it an unforgivable 35% because it's the Atari ST's worst RPGs I've played. Straight to the eBay pile with this. Just play Dungeon Master.
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