Allein Gegen Die Mafia

Alone Against The Mafia

If Allein Gegen Die Mafia looks familiar, it's based on an old ZX Spectrum called Saboteur by Clive Townsend/Durell Software. Developed using GFA Basic by Diethard Zellmann in 1990 and translated into English by me (okay, the web helped too). It only works in monochrome and isn't something I'd heard about until a while back (greetings Jim!).

The narrative was changed... just enough... possibly to stop Clive from getting annoyed. This time we aren't a ninja but a secret agent for the police force. It's our mission to infiltrate the Mafia's hideout and destroy their computer and secretive data. Oddly, their headquarters look very much like those in the original but, if you keep quiet, so will I.

Let's pause this boring read to gander over a couple of screenshots bursting with colours...

Right, we've arrived and are ready for action. Bring it on, Mafia boys!

Hardly a ninja! I practice with the controls and end up looking like a knob.

Gameplay

The moment the game begins, it feels familiar yet excitingly surreal. Fans will note that the mafia's lair is remarkably faithful. Many rooms have slight visual changes here and there, but the overall layout remains comparable. Quite a feat!! This also applies to the enemy placement albeit less so. I remember the Speccy game having more guards (?)

Arriving on a dinghy, we climb onboard dry land and immediately begin to notice that there are only two types of enemies; guards and dogs. Our four-legged friends will chase but, the soldiers remain still, reacting only when you're within their line of sight. So, in true ninja style... sorry... in true secret agent style, explore carefully using stealth and tactics. If you enter a room and see a guard, but are unarmed, leave. He could be facing the other way when you return (/tip).

The mafia's hideout is large with many areas to explore. However, several doors are locked thus blocking access to further areas. This is probably the only puzzle element in the entire game. These locked doors have an ID number. Remember that number. To unlock seek the corresponding computer terminal with the associated number.

To succeed in Allein Gegen Die Mafia, you must be stealthy and quick on the draw. Explore carefully and unlock doors only as and when you need to. Don't waste time blindly roaming around, have a plan. And while you're there, look for bricks to throw at the guards. That never gets old! Of course, a gun is much better - with limited ammunition.

Fancy a couple more screenshots? I hope so because here they are...

Oh no, that guard is facing the wrong way and will kill you. Find another route!

The guards are tough but I'm tougher. He's dead and I'm alive. What more do you need to know?

Interface & Controls

The status panel is just like the original. On the left are the items you have found and currently carrying (limit of one removed). On the far right you shall see an empty box, this will only display an item if nearby. Next to that is the timer, I hate timers but this one isn't so bad. Finally, along the bottom, you shall notice the replenishable energy bar.

This bar begins to zap with every move and falling great distances also has an impact. However, I'm not sure it was needed because a single shot from a guard kills instantly - regardless of your energy level.

Ditch the joystick. It's a fact, that secret agents are best controlled with the keyboard. He can run, leap, and shoot/throw objects. Unlike the Speccy game, there are no fighting moves. I guess that's why we're not a ninja now?

The keyboard control might, initially, appear awkward? They're not as bad as you first assume. Well, yes they are. No, they're not. Look, it's gonna take a couple of go's before you fully grasp it. Practice makes perfect. He says...

cursor left = run left cursor right = run right cursor up = climb up cursor down = climb down	shift + cursor left = jumps left shift + cursor right = jumps right shift + cursor up = item pick up shift + cursor down = item drop
spacebar = fire gun or throw an object shift spacebar = use computer when at a terminal or switch weapons

Aesthetics

Saboteur is, effectively, a game of little colour so black & white offers the perfect ambience. Hey, at least there's no colour clash!! I love the backdrops that use a repeating tiled effect, copying the original idea well. Also, the characters look good with extra details in high resolution. However, I still find it odd that the guards don't walk - like they're skiving, frozen solid, or waiting for trouble to come to them! Still, without combat moves that makes sense, I guess?

The audio is very, very light on the ground with only a few spot effects - for the gunfire and sadly, nothing for footsteps. In fact, almost all the gameplay is silent which, I fear, heavily detracts from the atmosphere. Disappointing.

Enough yapping, let's see some more sexy secret agent screenshots...

Deeper into the adventure I find a room with an exit sign. Surely a trap?

Talk about overkill, I accidentally killed the guard with dynamite. Sod it, I'm still leaving!

CryptO'pinion

When I began playing, I thought this was nothing but a lame ripoff. I wasn't happy with the controls or instantaneously getting killed by the guards and having to restart from the beginning. Thankfully, I didn't walk away and translated the instructions. Once learned, the keyboard controls work very well with responsive movements.

Diethard must be a massive Saboteur fan who spent months beavering away in GFA Basic. Sure, there are visual differences but the screens marry to form the same map. So impressive. Once you are over that initial learning curve, you can run around like an angry ninja with a gun. So blast those guards and explore the Mafia's massive labyrinth.

Even with missing mechanics for the guards/combat moves, I'm blown away by such an authentic conversion. This is a blast and something I cannot recommend highly enough, especially if you liked the original. A fantastic remake.

I proudly rate this 75% and suggest you download Allein Gegen Die Mafia. Right away now - go!!

Download the floppy disk via Hang Loose at the Atari FTP Archive.

ZOG

Grab your joystick!

During my time away (wow, that made me sound like a criminal) I was enjoying videos by many YouTubers - ugh, I hate that expression. Anyhow, people like Trusty, PJ Neiland and those Vertical Blankers have released several amazing Atari ST videos. Go on, click those links and take a look for yourselves - but remember to come back here afterwards.

Earlier in February, Into The Vertical Blank released a massive video about many different ST shooters. One of which was called Zog by Chris Lloyd who designed it using SEUCK by Palace Software - and this acronym stands for Shoot 'Em Up Construction Kit. Now, one thing I did pick up from their video was his American pronunciation of SEUCK. I can't speak for all ST nutters over here in Blighty, but everyone I knew pronounced it as a human sound effect: Schhhhuck!

Ah... Okay, so it was just a few of us crazy fools over here then? Damn, let's move on quick...

Frantically bashing the fire-button like a madman hoping not to die!

Am I getting old and slow?

Chris released Zog in 1990 and it appears to be his one and only shooter 'em up (at least for the Atari ST). The gameplay is typically simple; a vertical-scrolling shooter with nothing flashy or fancy as you might imagine - but this is homebrew stuff we're talking about. The docs are pretty thin on the ground but perfectly explain the gameplay: shoot everything that moves. Even shoot the stuff that doesn't move. And that sums up this perky little shooter very nicely.

As with any similar game, we are positioned near the bottom of the screen with the nasties coming into view at the top. Shoot, dodge and blast everything you can whilst trying not to die. Points are awarded for successfully killing the enemies but you only get three lives - which isn't nearly enough. Thankfully, an extra ship can be earned every 10,000 points.

If... you... survive... long... enough!!

Our ship(s) manoeuvre very spritely, but that doesn't mean avoiding the bullet hell is easy. Well, certainly not for me thanks to my old man's reactions. Fortunately, Zog supports two-player mode which is absolutely superb!! Another cool thing is the use of autofire. Yep, no need to hysterically bash the button and I loved this little 'cheat' a lot if I'm honest.

Right then, it's got to that point where I stop waffling on and show yet another screenshot...

With two gamers playing at the same time things improve drastically!!

Aesthetics

Visually, this is a pretty neat game considering that it isn't commercial and also reminds me somewhat of Frenetic. I've played a few games developed with SEUCK and none will blow you away. However, it looks pretty good and the scrolling is smooth(ish) albeit with a slightly reduced screen size. Enemy sprites move predictably, making their way across your screen briskly as the landscape scrolls - a positive testament to the ability of this underrated development tool.

Sadly, there is no title music and all in-game sound effects are the traditional zaps and zings you've heard before. These YM effects are good but a decent background chiptune would have been a miles better option.

Steve, stop complaining because this is public domain! Sheesh, that idiot fella? Hey, it's screenshot time...

A message you see a lot. Argh, if only the gameplay was better optimised...

The CryptO'pinion?

Let's be honest, I doubt anyone will bother downloading this game any time soon. There are already many ace ST shooters like Lethal Xcess, Flying Shark, SWIV, Goldrunner, or Xenon. Heck, maybe even Chopper X. Well, maybe! ;)

However, Zog was released as public domain, so, with that in mind, I enjoyed it. Embarrassingly, I have to admit that didn't get very far! This is one tough cookie and I would have loved any kind of optimisation to its insane design. No matter how I try to avoid the stray enemy bullets, I always end up dying quickly. Which is hardly entertaining, is it?

Having said all that, it's a totally different story as a two-player shooter. With a friend, the hoard-blasting gameplay is fantastic. In fact, I'd go as far as saying this shooter feels like it was meant to be played this way.

So, how should I rate Zog? That's right, a slight improvement to the "CryptO'pinion" as I shall now provide a score (let me know whether you think this is a good idea). Firstly, my greetings to the Fulton boys for their enthusiasm by (wickedly) bringing this game to my attention. It's never a dull moment finding something new and I had lots of fun!

I'm gonna rate it a respectable 65% for dual-gaming. Knock off 10% if you're hammering that fire button alone.

What, you disagree with me? Then get it downloaded from Atarimania and let me know what you think in the comments below? Finally, go and check out Atarilegand for a ton of other SEUCK games listed.

Torvak the Warrior

Rastan the barbarian?

So, Torvak? Why do I love this imperfect hack & slash platformer so much? Well, it isn't perfect but, something I boot up regularly simply because I find it so enjoyable. It's a scrolling platformer where I'm transformed into Hercules with giant weapons (ooer) and is something I've kept returning to over the decades - whenever I'm brassed off and feel the need to hit something hard. Now, whilst the wife breathes herself a massive sigh of relief, I will admit that it's not perfect.

The basic concept is incredibly familiar but it whiffs of a rushed port with a small screen, sluggish controls, and suspect collision detection. Additionally, attempting to kill something that demands multiple hits and you soon realise that this is definitely no Golden Axe. Having said that, it looks great, sounds great, and plays well. So, no matter how old I get, I'm always happy to boot it up, especially with a trainer enabled to compensate for the above (and my skills).

Torvak The Warrior was released by Core Design and programmed by Andy Green who developed a couple of stinkers but redeemed himself with Masters of the Universe, a game I think is unexpectingly excellent. The rastan visuals are by non-other than Lee Pullen of Chuck Rock fame and Matt Furniss produced the gorgeous chiptune bleeps that are nothing less than exceptional.

Okay, I bet you're dying to play this beastmaster wannabe? I hope so because it's a lot better than most people say! Just remember to hold down the fire button to use spells and make sure you collect the Broadsword located near the beginning. Like I said, it's far from perfect but I'd love to know if there are other fans of this platformer out there.

Downloads are available for your hard drive and floppy disk. Righto, I'm ending with some nifty screenshots...

I love the first stage because it's not too difficult and probably the level I play the most!

The second stage is a lot harder and you'll find yourself being attacked from both sides.

The third stage is actually a lot better than my gaming skills might suggest!

Lots of jumps in the fourth stage and it's very hard with many hidden dangers.

The fifth level always felt a bit Castlevania'ish to me. It's good but too samey...

And this is the screen I see the most, so use your noodle and activate the cheats!

The Amazing Spider-Man

Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man!

For all those who love to read the rubbish I post here, you might remember this article: "5 Random Atari ST Games". I really enjoyed doing that and was mightily impressed with Spiderman because I loved the saboteur element as I sneakily explored each location. That concept transformed what I expected to be a tacky platformer into something quite different. So, you've guessed it, I figured it was time that I tried this "platformer" again and hopefully dig a little deeper into it.

The Amazing Spider-Man was released in 1990 by Empire Software and programmed by John Wood of Oxford Digital Enterprises - the same guy responsible for one of the quirkiest adventures, Sleeping Gods Lie. This game used an alternative style which felt open-world but isn't really - just bring a bad of pebbles as it's definitely worth playing!

Getting back on topic, this is an intriguing platformer taking place within a hostile Hollywood world and each stage is split into separate movie sets. This makes for a great place to chase the dreaded Mysterio who has kidnapped Spidey's girlfriend, Mary Jane. That means only one thing, it's time to mask up and save the day. And get the girl, of course.

Before the game starts, we are treated to a fantastic comic strip representation of the realistic storyline...

 

 
This is a great intro and the series of images only goes to prove two things:
One, gingers are some of the sexiest women alive. Two, not so much for the men!

Let's Marvel

Unlike most platformers, this one feels very different from the go. Visually, it's more like an older 8-bit platformer using smaller sprites and that's something I like because too many ST games went big and thus felt clunky (ala 9 Lives). However, controlling Spidey surprised me because the ST's joystick was never meant to do much beyond its basic single firing and 4-directions. So I was curious how Spidey was going to scale walls and ceilings like I had imagined.

Well, I love the joystick controls as they are unique and incredibly well-thought-out. Of course, he can walk left/right but, when coming into contact with a wall, move the joystick as if you were following the shape of that. Same for the ceilings, but hanging upside down is weird - as pushing upwards will crouch and pulling down allows him to stand. I think I've made the controls sound rather awkward but they're not. Tough to explain but actually fun to play.

Of course, we wouldn't be Spiderman if we weren't able to shoot sticky webs out from our wrists. It's dead easy to do but also an integral part of the game - just hit the fire button whilst also choosing from eight directions using the stick. There is an unlimited supply of his goo which we use to stun enemies, hit switches, and swing just like Pitfall Harry!

Many subtle Hollywood references are used throughout and here is Godzilla at the top of a Manhattan skyscraper...

These are two of my favourite screens because of their excellent mechanics.
Note the slippy wall parts leading to the dinosaur! Can you also see the exit up there?

Playing in DC World

The Amazing Spider Man isn't really that complex of a platformer, to be honest. Each room is a part of the larger puzzle using basic puzzle elements to work out your route through to Mysterio who is hiding in the executive offices of Rockwell Film Studios. This is a labyrinth with many pathways blocked either by an obstacle or something else so it won't be easy. To get by every so-called puzzle, we must source the switch and hit it with our webs (or walk over it). However, some areas are quite tough and may require a series of switches to hit in order but, that's about as complex as it gets.

Mysterio isn't daft and the environment is riddled with different traps that force Spidey to use his cunning and special abilities. For example, laser beams, fire, greased walls, and electrified water will mean crawling along other surfaces to safely pass. However, the madman also has many henchmen like robots, mummies, and rats so our arachnid powers are needed to fire webs. That isn't deadly, stunning for only a short period, but it's enough to execute any tactical plans!

A giant image of SpiderMan is located on the right side of the screen to represent energy levels. As they deplete, his flesh will strip away from his bones - Atic Atac style! Getting worried about that? Then look out for Clapperboard rooms.

It's time for a screenshot and here is the opening room where we can safely experiment with the controls...

The screen information is a bit pointless - at the top is your score with a bar that indicates progress through the current stage. That heart beats faster the more you are hurt but, tbh, none of this matters much. Just keep your eyes on the massive Spider-Man figure which depicts our energy levels. The more it turns into a skeleton the closer you are to death!

Graphics

I was quite surprised to discover Deathbringer artists Colin Swinbourne and Kevin Ayre are responsible for the visuals. That game wasn't great but it was a visual feast with large sprites, colourful landscapes and parallax scrolling. In fact, it was quite the showcase product even though I wondered how much better it might have been on the Atari STe. Ah well...

Anyhow, this game is basically the complete opposite with static screens, a reduced gameplay window, intricate designs, and a style reminiscent of older 8-bit platformers in many respects. However, it's the sprite animations that make this game very special as Peter Parker's movements are nothing less than exceptional for all his actions.

Hey, do you want a zippy-zappy laserbeam screenshot with a room of near-impossible-to-beat danger? You got it...

I love how integrated each room is and these two follow on perfectly.
Find a way to bypass the mummy but the next screen is very tough. Do you see all the switches?

Audio

Sadly, the audio fairs less than the gorgeous visuals I thought. The title screen music is fine but there is little else with only a few spot effects used in-game for actions like firing our webs. Impressively, they didn't wimp out and used quality samples that worked well and I loved hearing the distant Mysterio laughing. It's pointless but I enjoy additions like that!

Sadly, it's not all good because whoever made the effects obviously has a sinister streak deep within their soul. Try walking over something dangerous or touching a baddy and you will hear an eardrum-bursting noise - extremely irritating!

Okay, here's the final run of screenshots from the dreaded sewer screens! Ugh, use that clapperboard...

What were they thinking? This is the most frustrating room in the entire game!!

These rooms not only offer access to later stages but are also handy for replenishing energy.

The CryptO'pinion?

This game is all about being sneaky and I love that aspect. Getting around is interesting and enjoyable but the real challenge comes from your own careful exploration as a saboteur. Laying in hiding, waiting, knowing when to stun enemies to avoid contact in order to make a safe pass. It's invigorating and makes this a game I wholeheartedly recommend.

However, there are some rooms that are terrible in design and frustrated me no end: the sewer regions! This is actually a tiny part of the entire game but it took me ages to beat and I didn't enjoy a single second of it. In fact, it's not overly challenging, it's badly designed with too many environmental hazards, enemies and stupid switches.

So, the game ain't perfect but what is? Well, there's much to like and I feel positive about the perfect controls, interesting environments, and stunning animations. However, it's being a sneaky saboteur who silently and tactically explores each location. That is something I find exciting especially as I can't think of another Atari ST game quite like this.

Scroll down a little more to view the completed map (click the image).

There are many more maps for ST games right here! 

Atarilegend and D-Bug have the downloads: floppy and hard drive.

This is the opening level fully mapped. It might look small but this was challenging to finish!!
[ Clicking on it shall download the glorious high-resolution version ]

Voodoo Nightmare

It's a jungle out there!

Palace Software released Voodoo Nightmare in 1990 and is an isometric action/puzzler not dissimilar to the older Ultimate games I used to play as a kid on my ZX Spectrum. We are Boots Barker, a guy with a silly name and little good fortune - he went on an African holiday with his wife and best friend. Hang on, both his wife and best friend? Yep, I'm getting a bad vibe and wondering what naughty things she's been getting up to!

Anyhow, during the holiday, they all went up for a ride in a hot-air balloon. Suddenly, but not surprisingly, he gets pushed over the side and falls into the deep jungle wilderness! Thankfully, he survived that horrendous fall but was left unconscious in the mud. It got worse when he awoke to find that a medicine man had crammed a mask on his face! Try as he might, the damn thing wouldn't come off.

Our task is very simple get the mask off our ugly mug. To do that, we must find eight pins that we can stick into a voodoo doll of that African witch doctor. These are hard to find and only earned by materialistically-satisfying five temple gods (who each have a pin to provide). The rest are collected by completing jungle tasks, like helping an injured native, feeding a monkey, and finding a lion cub's mother.

These images I've taken from the manual brilliantly depict the outlandish narrative...

What an insane expression!!

This artwork is outstanding. Love it.

Dazed, assaulted and mocked. A great start to anyone's day!!

Now's my chance to be Sabreman?

The jungle is a beautiful place with a lush green landscape and an assortment of dangerous animals. Its wilderness is designed like a turf maze; getting around takes practice because you can easily make a wrong turn and feel lost. Wild animals roam but only come out during the daytime - which is odd but rather handy as you will discover. The jungle is also home to native residents, shops, and (wait for it) casinos!

Okay, my first impressions weren't favourable and I didn't care for Voodoo Nightmare at all. After playing a game or two, I left it for several weeks because I didn't appreciate the concept of blindly wandering around a restrictive maze. I think a lot of this was also down to the control system and positioning my joystick at an awkward angle - something I never did in Knight Lore or Fairlight! Yep, this game didn't gel with me whatsoever. 

Thankfully, I returned to the game after I accidentally stumbled upon some screenshots that I had previously taken. These piqued my interest and I gave it a second chance - I even surprised myself by reading the manual. Yep, I did that just don't tell anyone. Anyhow, I decided to give it another go, just in case I happened to prejudge it too harshly and incorrectly. Sheesh, it turned out I had!

In light of that revelation, I think I better roll on with a selection of funky screenshots...

Come on, this is the most gorgeous jungle with stunning colours. Love it!!

Watch out for holes in the bridges. Sloppy workmanship, I say...

Yikes, look at that angry fella!! What's his problem?

Out of Africa

The basis of the story is to collect 8 pins from each temple and some jungle tasks. Then we can end our masked torment by beating the living daylights out of that witch doctor! Sounds easy but it's a lot harder than you may think: each temple is home to a greedy god who must be showered in gems before giving up his pin.

The first is the Spider Temple, a maze of rooms containing gems. It's daunting with some inaccessible areas and locked doors. So this is where the puzzle elements come in - either killing a nasty beast, moving objects, or using teleporters. You are alerted for nearby gems in the status menu to make sure you don't miss anything. Once we have collected enough, the spider god can be visited who will cough up the first of our pins.

She also rewards us with the power to break webs so we can discover more, like the jungle tasks. The first, that I found, was a lion cub who needed to be returned to its mother. This is just a case of heading back through the jungle to find Mom. But that's easier said than done thanks to the jungle being a maze of angry animals.

The jungle is a formidable force of nature and home to many animals and natives who use poisonous blowpipes for varied effects - one of which is temporary blindness. The animals only roam during the day and can drain your energy unless you're quick to stamp on them - they sometimes drop a plate of food. Very handy!

It's not complex but the tasks are huge. Wanna see more screenshots of stunning 16-bit artistry...

Unlike most cities, it's safer to go out at night when the nasties are sleeping.

Here I've returned the baby lion to its mother. She looks so... happy!

Hang on, what have we here? Shall I say hello to this peculiar gang of natives?

Shopping and nightlife

The jungle isn't like we saw watching Tarzan. This place has shops stuffed with helpful items like weapons and maps. These places are only open during the daytime and are manned by Romero. He's a nice chap and several of his Supply Huts dotted around different parts of the jungle. Shop around to find specific items.

Wanna know what you purchased? Hit the spacebar to reveal the inventory and use the joystick to choose an item. I would advise purchasing a weapon which makes it easier to kill those nasty animals roaming the jungle. However, this does mean you can no longer jump, which makes no sense, but it's easy to alternate.

During the night, casinos open their doors to anyone wishing to try their luck. That's right, we can gamble away our warez by taking a chance - Vegas style! It's called a Treasure Tree and is open at night but it may prove fruitful for those willing to risk it. Or you might just get yourself in big trouble... How is your luck?

It always pays to explore everywhere; you never know what you may stumble upon...

Jungle stores are plentiful with supplies but it pays to shop around.

Inside is Romero... dunno how they thought that name was original!

Casinos are only open at night and it's great if you have loot burning a hole in your pocket?

Jane's big tips

• It may help you a bunch if the joystick is held at an angle. But get familiar first before you jump into the gameplay. It may be awkward but it's not impossible! Ugh, trust me...
• Starting in the spider temple is an overbearing experience. Take your time and make use of the teleporters whilst also making a mental note of those that appear to lead to a dead end.
• Watch the status bar for a flashing red gem alert.
• Getting sick of the rabid animals constantly sapping your energy? So you didn't bother to master the controls? Nor have you shopped for better weaponry? Well, you can pause the game - when the sun comes up. Now, unpause when the moon is out. A weird cheat!
• The jungle quests are confusing only because the jungle is a challenging labyrinth. Why not memorise it? Plus there are maps to purchase (only if you have an abundance of funds!)
• Jungle tasks? The lion cub is so easy, head back north and grab a weapon.
• Stuck in the spider temple? Try pushing some central objects.
• Blades are great but also mean that you don't need to jump on the animals anymore.
• Did you know some of the jungle's brush can be slashed?
• Holes in bridges - use your inventory to put your boots back on.

The spider temple is actually very easy once you realise the rooms follow a structured layout.

Look out for a flashing red gem in the status bar. Very helpful for hidden objects.

Finally, I made it and reaped my rewards. Onwards to the next temple?

Tarzan aesthetics!

I absolutely love the visuals, all thanks to the talents of Lyndon Brooke and Lorne Campbell (Operation Harrier and Barbarian II). This design is something that Ultimate could only dream of back in their colour-clash ZX Spectrum days. Thankfully, they didn't make the mistake of going overboard to produce something garish. No, each temple looks incredible with fine attention to detail and the jungle is lush in technicolour.

As for the audio, Dave Whittaker created both the effects and background music. The effects are nice but it's the music I enjoyed the most. Okay, it's not his finest work but it certainly functions as a subtle background melody. It's timid so doesn't overpower the sound effects and this shy approach works perfectly.

Check out these screenshots from the Snake Temple. Stunning visuals with a menacing design...

The snake temple is one of cruel design and silly puzzles. How will you escape this trap?

Watch that status bar and collect all gems like the one here, it's easy to miss.

A brilliant design. Hopping across the void is superb - just be careful!!

The CryptO'pinion?

I may not have liked Voodoo Nightmare at first but I'm glad I returned to it. This is now growing to be one of my favourite ST games and feels somewhat like a "modern" Sabre Wulf with its jungle and crazy critters.

My only quibbles are the constant onslaught of angry animals and the time it took to feel comfortable with the controls. Of course, the jungle would be dull without animals crazily running around and it's fun learning to kill them using the fast and fluent joystick controls. You may start playing by cautiously walking through the animal-infested jungle but it's not long until you're running and killing like a Tasmanian Devil.

Voodoo Nightmare is a thrill and will entertain you for hours. An incredible game and highly recommended!!

> The floppies can be found on Atari Legend and you can also run it directly off your hard drive.

Badlands Pete

On a steel horse, I ride. I'm wanted, dead or alive...

Sorry, I just had to get that in. Okay, let's crack on... ARC released Badlands Pete in 1990 and is an action-adventure set in the American wild west. I love anything like this, so couldn't play without the attire - I'm wearing a stetson, chaps, spurs, etc. This helps me to write even though the wife laughs at me. But I know that I look like Clint Eastwood. Honest.

Badlands Pete is a platformer that incorporates a pseudo-3D method of walking in/out of each scene. It's a bit like what we saw in Fred and they're calling it Strip-A-Mation, which is quite a cool name. Using this movement alters what's visible. So changing position might mean seeing additional objects along with the ability to navigate differently.

This is a really neat idea that adds depth to the mechanics of each scene and allows freedom to explore everywhere in separate ways. Well, that's if it works properly, otherwise, it could be cumbersome and messy therefore totally ruining the game. Sometimes it's best to keep a platformer simple so we can concentrate on just playing the game!

Anyhow, let's take a look at some screenshots from the 16-bit American frontier...

This is where we begin, riding into town on a Union Pacific train. Nice!

There's a shifty-looking cowboy to our right. Try to chat with him and see how he reacts!

Get out of Dodge!

Arriving in town by train, the task is to rescue the Governor's daughters who have been kidnapped by ruthless thugs from the Badlands. He enlists the help of Pete Coyote, aka Badlands Pete, to get them back. Yep, that's you - the quickest draw in the west. However, my first game didn't go very well and I soon realised the town is full of irate cowboys, crazy Indians, sleepy Mexicans and other townsfolk who first appear to be innocently going about their business (don't be fooled!!)

First things first, the controls are easy: walking left/right is obvious and you can also move in/out of any scene by pushing up/down. However, I would practice in the comfort of the train station area before daring to explore the town itself. Your guns are drawn/holstered by hitting the spacebar with the fire button to shoot.

The user interface shows Pete's energy levels, our score and ammunition. Energy is obvious and when Pete is shot, his bleeding heart needs replenishing with food & drink. The belt of bullets is for ammo - running out leaves you defenceless in this insane frontier so top it up whenever possible - dead bodies are a great source to find goodies!

The score is shown as a dollar bounty which goes up when collecting items or killing someone that's already decided to shoot at you (beware: a negative bounty equates - to others - your worth to them). Finally, the ladies you see at the bottom of your screen are the governor's daughters who require rescuing for a lucrative reward. If you live long enough!

Let's take a look at some more screenshots from my "victorious" gameplay...

I entered a room and was ambushed, for no reason, so I killed him. What's wrong with these people?

Arrrgh even a preacher pulls out his weapon (again, for no reason) and then starts shooting!!

Gunfright!

As you begin, a Wanted Poster depicts the task at hand with the reward. Walking around is kinda cool if I'm honest thanks to the stunning artwork using an arid colour palette. Leaving the station depo for the town reminds me of Rio Bravo and other westerns. Almost all characters have a dollar value but it pays to be coy rather than trigger-happy because those who draw first aren't well respected plus serial killers only end up as wanted themselves... think about that.

After only a short time you soon realise everybody is out to get you. It's rare to walk close to someone who doesn't pull out a weapon in aggression. Most people are nuts, even the preacher wanted me dead! After a while, this constant pointless onslaught is irritating as it halts any chance of progress because you're constantly fighting off everyone.

You can help yourself to various things that replenish your health and ammo: look out for items like a hot pie cooling on a windowsill or a box of ammo, etc. It's worth remembering where these items are usually located because it won't be long until you're backtracking in extreme desperation. And this is constant throughout your gameplay. Yes, constant.

In all honesty, I didn't understand why most characters needed to have such hostile actions. It's not like there are unlimited supplies lying about town to compensate! Anyhow, I think we need to see a couple more screenshots...

Great, now the Indians are shooting arrows at me. Why? I didn't do anything to provoke him!

Oh joy, I walked into the sheriff's office. What happened? Of course, another shooting match!

Aesthetics

I'm a big fan of westerns and I love the old John Wayne movies the most. Badlands Pete is a cartoon representation of that era and it works remarkably well. In fact, I adore the artwork with its dusty frontier for each scene as it reminds me of being in Wichita, Tombstone or West Texas. And that makes this old Atari cowboy very happy indeed!

Sadly, Arc somehow decided against utilising the Atari STe as they did with Chronicles Of Omega. Why I do not know because this game feels very sluggish. Slow to move and also slow to scroll. I think a little help from the Blitter would have been a marvellous improvement. Having said that, there is no reason at all that it's this bad on the STFM!

The idea behind Strip-A-Mation of walking in/out of each scene is superb. This, not only unveils objects that you might have missed but also suggests alternative ways to explore. This game design is by Steven Cain (Black Lamp) and Badlands Pete appears to have evolved somewhat from that. I admire what they where trying to do.

Musically, things aren't bad at all with a title screen tune that sounds great considering ARC foolishly made no use of the Atari STe. Gotta say though, I liked it a bunch! Sadly, the in-game effects are quite lame by comparison. I'd have loved samples from Westerns like Rio Bravo or A Fistfull Of Dollars. Heck, any stock samples would have worked.

Feeling like a bit of a rushed port, isn't it? And by Atari too! Hmm, here are a couple more screenshots...

Hey, this town has a mine. Let's use Strip-A-Mation to walk in to see what's lurking below...

The steps lead off and down. I wonder what's here? I'll save you time - another pointless gunfight!

Hints & Tips

I did wonder whether it was worthwhile even writing this section. I imagine nobody has scrolled this far so I could probably write whatever nonsense I like? Hmm, Atari Legend sucks. Commodore wimps love to whine like big crybabies. ARC hated the ST. Commodore is the best. I love Amigas. Amiga forever!! I have never owned an Atari ST!! I'm pregnant!!

That was fun but I think that I better write some tips, which is extremely difficult for this game...

* Have many practice games and learn the controls, especially with regards to quickdraw.
* Don't get too close to somebody you intend to have a gunfight with. Very weird!!
* Be patient, let the bad guys draw first. I know, I know...
* Never draw your weapon in front of a lady. Ooer!
* Look for items and also top-ups for health and ammo.
* Don't go looking for trouble, run away if you can. If you can...
* Arc obviously had no beta testers so we desperately need a trainer!

I entered the town's jail. Looks quiet, right? No!! After I took this screenshot, they began firing!

This is a screen that you will see a lot!!

The CryptO'pinion?

I'm not exactly sure where to begin... Okay, I love the idea behind Badlands Pete but it's far too difficult so I failed to make much progress. No matter where you go, someone pulls out a weapon and begins firing. It's weird and this relentless attack soon becomes irritating, especially as you find yourself repeatably looking to replenish health and ammo.

The idea behind Strip-A-Mation is great but it would be more suited in an adventure rather than here because it's too fiddly to be functional at speed. Along with Carlos and Chuckie Egg 2, this is possibly one of the worst games I've featured here on AtariCrypt. Ignoring the theme, and excellent visuals, I've nothing much more to say about Badlands Pete.

Sigh, for those still wanting to be a lame version of John Wayne, download Automation #409. Good luck!