B SQUAD

A Crusade In Space

My first experience of an ST turn-based strategy game was with Sabre Team. I loved it, and it was one of those moments I wondered why I had spent my life 'avoiding' such games. Sure, I didn’t initially grasp the concept, but once I realised it wasn’t a run-and-gunner, I loved it. Games like this eat away the hours in the best way possible. I enjoy the careful pace, the planning, and the risk involved with every decision.

I suppose I've become a fan of turn-based games now. How did that happen?

B Squad was released in 1996 by Richard Hansell and has elements suspiciously similar to Space Crusade. So if you enjoyed that (stupendous) game, then I reckon you're gonna be head over heels about this one! However, please note this is the demo version and, with a heavy heart, I expect the full version wasn't released. Possibly because few people registered so late in the ST's life? If it had been released a few years earlier, I imagine it would have been a hit(££) like so many other PD/Shareware games within our library.

Before we begin, let's take a look at the first screenshot of my A-Team in action...

As you can see, the user interface is minimal, but incredibly effective.
(iPhone screenshots for this review rather than from Hatari)

User Interface

The story takes us into deep space as our ship docks with another that is (wait for it) infested with aliens! Of course, it is. And their queen has even taken control of the ship’s computers, preventing us from accessing the terminals, which means she also controls the AI droids. The good news is that we're not alone and part of a team of six military soldiers armed, who obviously have never seen any of the Alien movies.

When you first boot up B Squad, you're thrown into the start of a new game without so much of an intro or title music. The user interface is displayed alongside the main gameplay window and features our team and action buttons. Immediately, I'm impressed by this, as there is nothing worse than a chaotic screen of buttons offering functions that could easily have been simplified, as I found with (albeit excellent) Bio Hazard.

• To the right is our team that shows their name, health, and action points (you can right-click on any to view stats and information that will help with weapons, and more).
• Underneath are the movement arrows with the option to centre the gameplay screen around that particular character. These also scroll the gameplay window to.
• The button with the little squares is a map of the ship. Use this!
• To the right of the map is the button to execute commands.
• Next to the funky image (of your currently selected) soldier carrying his gun is a "?". This is used to describe the surrounding area of any soldier (similar to Temple of Apshai).
• Now you have two more boxes that are blank until attacking - the top one informs you of the chance of hitting the enemy (the calculation is based on distance, location, and weaponry). The lower one displays their chances of defence, and feels more like the expected dice roll.
• Finally, there is a button on the left side of the (erm) left arrow. Use that to end your turn.

See, it takes longer to read that than it does to understand. Let's see another screenshot...

We're inside the lift, which offers access to even more rooms to kill the beasts!

Let's play!

We're in control of six soldiers that we command in turn. Their efforts are executed using "action points" for walking/shooting. Being turn-based, the order of play is Your Turn - ST/Alien Turn - Random Events (before looping back to you again). The random events are a curious addition that works well; they might be something like jammed doorways or lifts failing, but could also be something irritating, such as random teleportation, or an explosion on a lower deck (which always seems to be where your soldiers are standing!).

Getting around is brilliantly easy using a grid layout for soldiers, enemies, and objects. Just select the soldier, and the screen changes to show all possible tiles that can be reached within the turn. Unlike in Space Crusade, walking doesn't need to be performed in one go, as you can move again later. This means you could move, shoot, and leggit (depending on how many action points remain). It's also worth noting that our soldiers need to walk around the team members during this action; you can't merely stride over a taken tile.

Each man (and two women) has their own skills and strengths, which should be taken into account before arming or positioning. Each person is different; for example, Hooper has tremendous strength, so I have him take point. Roxy has high agility with increased movements for each turn. Dorian is expendable, but he is good at chucking grenades. Also, this approach applies to the cargo boxes you find along your travels - inside are grenades, scanners, health packs, or better weapons like flamethrowers, assault rifles, and more.

Remember, check the character's stats. Put the right weapons in the right hands...

• Roxy is an ex-pirate and is best with an assault rifle (found near the start).
• Dorian is someone I'm wondering why he's here. A poet, no less, and with poor combat skills. Great.
• Julius is one of my favourite soldiers and is great with an assault rifle and grenades.
• Hooper is great with a flamethrower.
• Tobias is a good all-rounder who is neither rubbish nor excellent. Although if you find a plasma device, then he's your man. Powerful stuff that fwiw.
• Tallis is a great soldier and skilled with a Needle Gun.

The ship is split into three levels that you access using the elevator (lift!). The current level is free of the Alien Queen, but she has Grubs and Droids roaming the corridors, so it isn't long before you bump into something. There aren't many different enemies to contend with, but they are plentiful in number...

• Grubs are like a blob filled with explosive gas, so don't let it get too close!
• Droids are, just as you would expect. And they are armed to the teeth.
• Nest Warriors are extremely vicious, breathing fire that can affect multiple soldiers who are close together.
• Look out for Turrets later on, they're being controlled by the Queen, and they fire a powerful laser.
• Mines are something to obviously avoid. You may need to shoot some to create a pathway.
• The Nest Queen doesn't move, but it spawns Grubs through four tentacles. She is very strong and has bad breath, so beware! Beat her, and you've won the game.

It's worthwhile exploring everywhere on the current level before deciding to use the lift and venture deeper into the ship. My tip would be to head northwest of your starting location, as many decent weapons are waiting to be taken. And you won't stand a chance against the queen unless you are equipped properly!

Let's see another iPhone shot of my ST's screen in all its fuzzy glory...

The map might be a bit cramped, but it's helpful. Especially when locating members of your team

who were teleported elsewhere during the "Random Events". Can you spot the poor sod?

Aesthetics

The graphics are like an amateur Space Crusade, with a clean design that I love. Okay, I mean only the overhead part, as there is no funky-cool isometric display whenever the combat takes place. With that in mind, each part of the ship is distinct, and with a descriptive text that adds extra depth to your current location (think of Temple of Apshai). Likewise, the user interface is nothing short of legendary, with a clutter-free display. However, and this is my only quibble, I wish our six soldiers had more variety rather than all looking the same.

Interestingly, this game uses the Blitter, which positively affects general performance, especially when displaying new parts of the ship. So (yipee) play using an Atari STe if you can!

As for the audio, there is no music whatsoever, but we have DMA samples for shooting, explosions, cries, and (some) enemy movements. Sadly, our own men don't make a sound when walking. But, thinking about that, I'm sure they're in stealth and wouldn't want to give away their position... Hmm, I know, I know!

Right, it's time for a screenshot break with the Alien Queen spawning Grubs...

The "final" room with the Alien Queen. She's a beast of an opponent who spawns Grubs.

You shall note the computer-controlled turrets? Well, the Queen controls those, so beware!!

CryptO'pinion

I've thoroughly enjoyed playing through until the end (yes, without cheating!!). Most games I feature on my little-known website are deleted after reviewing, as I'm always on the go with something new to play and review. That won't be happening this time. B Squad is one of the best shareware games I've ever played. If you enjoy a tactical slog exploring a spaceship whilst hunting down the baddies, then this is for you. I've only defeated the Alien Queen once and lost two team members, but it's an incredibly tough mission! You won't get anywhere near beating it without exploring every inch of the ship to scrounge for new weapons/helpful items.

Surely I've got something to whinge about? Well, the soldiers could walk faster, and although there are loads of cargo boxes, there aren't enough health packs. My only real quibble is with the random events that occur after the computer has had its turn. That "Random Teleportation" sends one of your teammates to a distant part of the ship. ((Wow, what a whinger! I feel like slapping myself for that last whine because it happens so few times. At worst, it forces you to drop the plans you had to rethink and support that lone soldier))

B Squad is a legendary turn-based game and one I feel fortunate to have discovered (Richard, if I'd have known, I would have registered back in 1996). A terrific demo, and I can only dream what might have been with a full version. Quite literally one of the best games from the ST's homebrew library. Play this!!

• Atarimania has the download https://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-st-b-squad_30092.html.
• As the Blitter and DMA are used, B Squad is added to the Enhanced Games List!

I may have lost a couple of men, but I am victorious after killing the Alien Queen!!

It's an unfinished demo version, but I cannot deny how fantastic it is!!

AFL Pro Football

Time for another ad.

AFL Pro Football was released in 1996 by Brendan O'Brien and was originally planned for a commercial release. By that time, though, the idea wasn’t feasible, so Brendan released it as shareware instead. Hopefully, even in 1996, he picked up many registrations - which, if you keep reading, I think you’ll understand why.

Now, I know absolutely nothing about American Football. Zero. Zilch. Nada. So I’m hardly the best person to be writing this, so think of it more as a “news alert”, and a very late one! That said, I’m sure a few Americans stumble onto the nonsense I post here on AtariCrypt, so perhaps this will be of interest to them, and maybe a few curious “football” fans elsewhere.

From the start, gameplay settings can be altered to adjust match length, pitch type, and skill level. You can play with team rosters, although the demo sticks with the same two sides (not that I’d know the difference anyway). The AI is reportedly brilliant, but without knowing the rules, I couldn’t honestly tell you.

The graphics immediately impressed me with a choice of an overhead view and a spanky 3D perspective. The 3D look is incredible, though it does shrink the playing area - something you might not even notice until you try the overhead mode. While the overhead option is no slouch, I prefer the exceptional 3D visuals.

Hey, maybe someone from across the pond can explain this to me: why does American "football" involve so much, well, not playing? The endless standing around - timeouts, stoppages, adverts(!!), and something called a "huddle". Still, at least they are unlikely to get injured; half of the time, they are not moving!

From my admittedly clueless perspective, AFL Pro Football is slick and plays well, despite the sport's stop/starts! Sure, I don’t know my NFL from my elbow, but I can tell this is a classy game that's gonna appeal to fans big time. It’s just a shame we only have the demo; I fear the full version may be lost to time.

• Sadly, I only found the demo version, which is over at Atarimania.
• Into The Vertical Blank knows football and has a fascinating video you should enjoy!
• Yes, it's only for the Atari STe, so check out our list of other Enhanced Games.

The crowd are cheering as the teams rush on in next-gen 3D!

Something's going on here, no idea what!

The guy with the red marker is me, and moments later, I fell flat on my face.

Umm, something is incomplete. No idea what, though lol. What a game!!

The overhead mode has a bigger screen and feels more like an ST game now.

Right then, something's going on here. Yep, something...

The crowd look on in amazement as a goal still hasn't been scored!

Touchdown was made, and a goal was scored. Yippee, can I go home now?

Super Chicken

Faster than a speeding nugget!

I always say this, but I’m dead chuffed when I come across summat new for the ST. Well, new to me, anyway. Odds are, everyone else already knows, and it’s just me who’s been left in the dark? With that in mind, here’s a game I happened to stumble on by chance while moochin’ through the Hang Loose archive.

The moment I saw the name Super Chicken, I was amusingly intrigued. I chuckled to myself, assuming it would be some childish, half-baked attempt at a shooter or something. As it turns out, it’s actually a platformer developed in STOS by a guy called Thomas Smith in 1996. Maybe some of you have heard of it before, but I certainly hadn’t - because, around that time, I packed up my ST and went the Mac route.

The objective of the game is simple - just collect all the eggs and make your way to the exit. However, there is a catch! As soon as you pick up an egg, the floor tile beneath it becomes electrified, meaning you can’t step on it again. So, you’ve got to grab the egg and keep moving, or you’ll end up as fried chicken! Along the way, you will come across ladders and escalators to help you reach other eggs. Some tiles even have two eggs, but you can only pick up one at once! The exit remains blocked until all eggs are collected.

Super Chicken is all about planning the best route in real-time as you walk, making sure you never have to step on the same tile twice. Well, you physically can’t, unless you fancy getting zapped! Miss just one egg, and there’s no way to go back for it. No matter how many others you collect, the exit will remain blocked. It’s incredibly frustrating - especially when you realise you’ve left just one egg behind (as in my screenshots).

I think this is surprisingly good for a homebrew game released in the ST's dark ages. It’s frustrating, yet incredibly addictive all at the same time. I was shocked to stumble across it - but even more surprised to find that it looks comical, scrolls smoothly, and sounds great. Thomas clearly knew his stuff! It’s just a shame it came out several years too late for most ST gamers to hear about it. Or is it just me, again?

Give this a download - I’m sure you’ll enjoy it for a few plays! Let me know what you think in the comments. This review is dedicated to Miesiu who visits AtariCrypt all the time and leaves comments on so many pages! Okay, since this isn't a commercial title, I’m giving it a solid 60% because it’s damn good fun!

• The Hang Loose Archive on Pigwa: http://ftp.pigwa.net/stuff/collections/AtariSTarchive/...
• Atari Legend has this on Serenade #83 menu disk: https://www.atarilegend.com/menusets/...
• AtariUpToDate has it on a great Floppyshop disk: https://www.atariuptodate.de/...

This is the start, shall we take the escalator or ladder route?

Can you see where I went wrong here?

Foolishly I thought I was rocking the opening level.

Yep, I missed one egg so I could not exit... ARGHHH!!

Instead, I was fried alive like something from an old cartoon!

Serenade #78

I enjoyed the STAX #90 feature so figured I would do another one! This time we delve into the Serenade archives to see what's lurking on one of their amazing 85 "PD" disks - nothing quite like keeping it legit? Anyhow, menu #78 appeared to stand out from the crowd with lots of cool games crammed onto one disk.

This is a simple menu compared to others from their catalogue but there is stereo music for those lucky enough to own an Atari STe. In fact, it's one of few mods that hasn't aged badly, so a massive thumbs up from this chiptune guy. The scroller is very interesting - apparently, Man Utd did well against their arch-rivals!

Serenade's library can be downloaded from Stonish with credits/etc on Demozoo. Let's begin...

- DEADLAND -

A platoon of little stickmen have crash-landed on the planet Ursula Minor and this place is crawling with Ursulan Soldiers who are eager to kill you without mercy! Also, there are dangerous natural disasters to avoid so it's best we don't hang about and quickly repair our spaceship to escape this hellhole. This means piecing that together (JetPac-style!) before anyone can be safely evacuated. Sounds very easy, right?

Deadland first feels similar to Rebellion or Cannon Fodder: control the direction of your active soldiers using the mouse and a right-click turns them into trigger-happy Rambos. The planet is crawling with enemies and constantly frantic so it's tough battling whilst planning construction work - that might leave some vulnerable? It's easy to lose your bearings and, just when you're getting to grips, your men drown in a mud pool!!

The enemy is relentless so you cannot expect to wander about easily killing anything without taking a more strategic approach. Each member of your team is listed on the right-hand side of the screen for a health condition and other abilities. Don't forget to look after these guys - green is never good outside of the GEM desktop. There is a lot to master here, especially whilst defending against enemies, incoming rockets, mines /etc.

I enjoyed Deadland and the concept is great but this isn't something you can easily pick up and play. It takes time and a map would have been nice as would using the cursor keys to scroll. Yep, I have struggled to get to grips with Deadland but it's an excellent strategy and potentially rewarding. If you're brave enough?

- TRAPPED II -

I couldn't get this to work on my Atari STe - blank screen! So I switched to emulation to discover a Tron game. I've never been a fan of this genre but I gotta admit it's good. It features different game styles, screen layouts and even a few power-ups (which I didn't expect). There's not much to look at (shock) and I imagined the sound effects would grate, but they didn't. After all these decades, I actually enjoyed a Tron game!

- MANIC MINEFIELD -

Minesweeper was another fad that I have always failed to appreciate and Manic Minefield appears faithful to what I remember with gameplay that's about as enjoyable as I expected. Shockingly, after a few games, I enjoyed this crude imitator even though I never won a single game! I often felt robbed of a win because I'm sure the ST cheats!! Then it rubs salt into your wounds using a sound sample to mock your lack of success. Interestingly, the board size, wallpaper, /etc can be altered in the Options screen. Which is kinda cool.

Manic Minefield is okay and I imagine fans will enjoy it? But I doubt it's something I will play again...

- FRANK & THE LOST AUBERGINE -

Never would I have imagined loving a game's title more than "Hector vs The Mutant Vampire Tomatoes From Hell" yet here is Frank And The Lost Aubergine!! It's a fast-paced platformer developed using the STOS Missing Link extension and has us frantically running around screens crammed with monsters and gems.

Collect every gem to proceed onto the next level but watch out for the baddies. These can be killed by dropping a well-timed bomb directly in their path - difficult but doable. Or you could slam into them albeit at the expense of losing one of your 50 lives. Yep, 50 and you'll need them all because there are lots of monsters!

Movement is very fast - too fast!! It's difficult to position where to stand when you wish to leap off a ledge. In fact, leaping over the wider gaps is close to impossible and takes too many attempts. I love a platformer that tests your patience, skills and dexterity but it simply doesn't work here. A good idea poorly executed.

- DELUXE INVADERS -

I love Space Invaders and I'm confident nothing will beat Sinister Developments' fantastic conversion. That is arcade-perfect using authentic effects!! However, this is a conversion of Roklan's 8-Bit Deluxe Invaders by one of the biggest ST legends. I've never played the Roklan game so was hoping for something different.

There are two modes: slow and fast. The slower game looks superb with colourful aliens invading your screen and can be sped up by flicking over to 60Hz - something you should consider. The faster version is better to play but appears boring in comparison, so I went looking for a green cellophane to wrap around my monitor!

Sadly, I didn't feel it with Deluxe Invaders and preferred the original if I'm brutally honest. It's a good game but, there are better "Invader" games for the Atari ST. Sigh, I'm also a bit deflated about that fact.

- NIBE -

This is a great snake game I featured this a couple of years ago so I'll copy and paste it:

NIBE is a Nibbler/Snake game by Marc Bourlon that features an ever-greedy snake who wants to chomp his way through lots of apples. However, this gluttony makes him grow longer with each bite so it becomes harder protecting him from bumping into walls or even his own tail. It's our job to help him eat his way through lots of screens - and many are pretty cruel in their design. You can even change the game's speed (if you dare!!)

Graphics are humble and suit the retro theme plus I love its title screen - which is actually a good intro. Sadly, there are no sound effects so Mad Max music plays throughout - never a bad thing!! Overall, Nibe is pretty straightforward and also extremely challenging thanks to a sinister design. Stick with it because the basic mechanics are spot-on and Nibe will certainly test your reactions, patience and concentration so prepare thyself to be tormented!!

I really enjoyed this olde game but beware, it's tough. Probably too tough for you!!!

- MULTRIX -

Groan, another Tetris game? Yup, and it's not that good I'm sorry to say so play BLAT or Teserae instead.

- The CryptO'pinion -

That was not an awesome ride through the Atari ST history books I first imagined. In fact, it was a little bit of a letdown, if I'm honest. Not only did I have compatibility problems with a couple of games (Atari STe) but this was a true mixed bag of joy, disappointment and even a few stinkers thrown in for good measure!

It all depends on what you like but, Deadland and Nibe are the best reasons to click download.

ST Collection #8

Ignore the name, this one is cool!

Here's another menu disk that I really like, ST Collection 8 by Typhoon. As you can imagine, it features loads of intros by the likes of Cynix, Fuzion plus also a few other oddities: I love the strangely funny Sonic Demo and Dune's Faith features spectacular artwork, stunning effects, and audio to die for!! MJJ's Trisogames is always great but I must admit it was Pascal Ganaye's Strip Tetris that caught my attention (naughty boy)

As you'd expect, it's just Tetris but we're also treated to a 4-bit glamour girl who removes her clothing the better you perform. Hmm, that didn't come outright, but I'm sure you know what I mean? Gameplay is pretty good and my old man reactions did pretty well in the video recording. This is a nice conversion of the boring old classic!

There's lots of cool stuff on this disk and Demozoo has the credits and download. Check these out:

Overdrive

NFS

Feeling the need for speed, I booted up something different - Overdrive by Ross McNaughton which he developed in 1996 using STOS. It's an overhead racer similar to Super Cars or Power Up and features 25 GEM-green tracks. Yes, green. Okay, I know that grass is green and so is our desktop but, ugh, green. Too much!

Anyhow, after listening to the horrendous title music [nails on a blackboard] you're asked for your initials before viewing a diagram of the first track (I'm being mean there because it's FAR better if you have an Atari STe with clear stereo playback). Okay, the physics are pretty dodgy but controls are easy to learn so it's not long before you're tearing up the asphalt. However, that's about as deep as it gets because your opponents are like Sunday drivers! Plus there are no differing road surfaces, weather conditions, car repairs, etc...

I'm probably being harsh because Overdrive isn't commercial and there is a level of fun to be had. Sadly, it's too easy so gets repetitive and that green colour hurts the eyes. It's not long before things feel monotonous. Hence why I abruptly ended my recording. It's good, umm, enjoyable for a few minutes but nothing more.

Go on!! I dare ya to download Overdrive and play it. Let me know what you think!

Alien Blast

A quick news flash!!

Our Atari world is buzzing with news of Matthieu Isorez giving away his copy of Alien Blast!! Previous public releases crashed on level 3 due to data corruption and we've needed the original disks/files. Finally, we have them and can play the later levels - which is exactly how I plan to spend the rest of my Sunday!!!

More to come when I have the time. Thanks to Marko Latvanen @AtariMania for the heads-up :)

Death Chase - The Remix

This is a STOS game. Wait, come back!!

That's right, Death Chase was programmed in STOS, a tool that can produce some neat results but... more often than not... tends to leave me feeling cold. Usually, that's down to the jerky scrolling or oversized sprites! Anyhow, I thought Death Chase was going to be a remake of Mervyn Estcourt's ZX Spectrum racer. Alas, it isn't.

Actually, I'm glad!!! This is a vicious top-down shooter developed in 1996 by Daniel Fielding for the Atari STe and takes inspiration from a variety of action/shooters. It even supports both solo and an incredibly cooperative two-player mode. Yep, this is sounding awesome already, whether you're playing solo or not.

Our character roams Rogue-like locations and initially, armed with a pistol. It's our task to explore the rooms that are inhabited by cyborgs armed to the teeth!! Death Chase is loud, exciting and bursting with big explosions and many baddies. It's intense!! Come on, we have guns and many bad guys to kill. Oh yeah, bring it on!!

Wanna see a screenshot from my (one-player) game? No? Well, here you go anyway...

Each room holds so many possibilities for a whole new level of violence. It never gets dull!!!

Guns and loud violence?

We start with a pistol but our armoury is huge with a possible 18 weapons - including shotguns, rocket launchers, and lasers. I bet Star Wars fans will enjoy using the lightsaber. Ammo and health are found in most rooms, so inspect lockers and tabletops. However, beware of potential traps like mines or even TNT crates.

The deaths are hilarious! Zap, slice, or blow up the enemy and there is often a bucketload of blood splattering throughout the room! Each death will be different depending on the weapon used (how he's killed). And death leads me onto the excellent continue option - that means you can try again after dying - without restarting from the beginning. However, you lose the bigger weapons and start with the pistol. :/

This might be a bold statement, especially because the Atari ST has games like Rick Dangerous, Lemmings, and Gods but, I think Death Chase has the best dead scenes. Ignoring the enemy's deaths, ours is just as great. Which is an odd thing to say. Getting shotgun-blasted and seeing your body thrown across (numerous) rooms into a bloody heap is nothing short of sickening & hilarious all at the same time. Fantastic!!

This is an alluring game stuffed with an insane amount of violence and I love it! Screenshot time...

Death Chase is insanely good fun and bucket loads of it too. Either solo or with a friend.

Enemies?

This may sound like the weakest part of the game as there are only two enemies. I know, just two enemies sounds puny, doesn't it? Well, on one level it is but it isn't a problem whatsoever. Let's see...

Security Guards - these are common and wear blue uniforms but have no intention to serve & protect. Their armour is weak but they can use a range of devastating weapons and will often attack in packs.

Eliminators - these are the toughest and stand out like sore thumbs in their girly yellow body armour. These guys can carry a range of advanced hardware, like a mini-gun or a rocket launcher. Also, they don't care who gets in their way - even unlucky Security Guards can be torn to shreds during a pursuit. Interestingly, these guys aren't restricted to the current room and love chasing you through many screens. So beware because running away like a chicken has little benefit.

Strangely, having only two baddies is odd but it works well, so let's see a screenshot...

Only one guy stood between me and that ammo. So I fried him alive. Mwahaha!!

Controls, Gfx, Audio

Similar to Rogue, movements are performed within a grid layout in all 4-directions. However, I would not recommend using the joystick because it's too sensitive and the documentation advises the keyboard. It's dead easy: the A and D keys are used to turn anti/clockwise. W walks us forward with the Spacebar used to choose from an array of weapons (read the docs). Finally, banging on the Right Shift key produces an enormous amount of gratifying blood-soaked violence (I love the double-barrel shotgun). Absurdly superb!!

The graphics remind me of how today's developers seem to think "retrogaming" looked in the day. It ain't no Enchanted Land but I'm impressed by the perfect pixel art which is a style apt to the theme. Everything you see is gorgeously drawn with fine attention to detail. Needless to say, I love the visuals :-)

The audio is equal to the stunning visuals in all respects thanks to an array of incredible Mad Max chiptunes. These tunes play alongside the sound effects - which are crystal-clear DMA samples for almost every action you can think of. You will recognise many; these were recorded using Microdeal's Stereo Master from movies like The Evil Dead. Wow, so much effort went into every aspect of this killer game!!

Keyboard. Keyboard. Keyboard. Keyboard. Keyboard. Got that? Good. Okay, screenshot time...

Death Chase is almost like a nightmarish and blood-soaked version of Rogue. Love it!!

This is why we play Atari!!

What a pleasure it is to play Death Chase - The Remix. It's a job when a game comes along that, not only takes you by surprise but, completely blows you away. Death Chase first appeared quite modest, gimmicky, and perhaps even stupidly senseless. But a few moments pass during your first game and you are HOOKED. Use the keyboard and enjoy the frantic action which is exhilarating and bursting with bloody mayhem.

I can't stress how much of a rush it is to experience such a psychotic shooter. The unexpected "continue" feature is an excellent addition. Likewise, supporting two players spices it up beyond perfect to guarantee hours of fun. It's barbaric and Death Chase is one of the best games I've played. Well done Daniel Fielding.

I said that. Not only a brilliant Atari STe game but one of the best games I have ever played. Ever.

<<<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>>>
Stop everything & download now!
<<<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>>>

These sample screenshots show what the two-player games look like.

Gratifying violence for two players is legendary!

Oh no, I've been blasted. That means...

...I'm thrown out of the room and through to the next!!!
Before getting splattering against the wall!! LOL

PouifOuf

English translation, please?

PouifOuf is a French word (I imagine?) but no online translator seems to know what it means. Well, it's also the name of a unique platformer developed by Le Glod for the Atari ST using the old favourite, GFA Basic. Firstly, don't go off the familiar visuals because it really is nothing like you might imagine and there are no magic pockets too!

This familiar-looking kid must run around, almost like a headless chicken, collecting items scattered on each screen. The style is frantic, reminding me of a cross between Roger and CarVup. We can walk left or right but cannot jump, or use any weapon with our idle magic pockets. Thankfully, there are platforms with "springboards" to use. These propel us upwards to reach those higher places. It's now you realise the cunning thought needed to beat its design.

Curiously interested or have you already walked away? Well, here's a screenshot for those still here...

Hang on, is that the Bitmap Kid I see? The little fella is running around collecting everything!

Boing!!!

This is a great platformer but also very different from what I expected to play. It's a little crazy and there are lots of silly enemies who love to get underfoot and make our life hell. They aren't lethal but will humorously bounce you around the screen like a pinball. The emphasis here is Zool-like speed and fun which is a breath of fresh air.

Sometimes, fruit items will fall from the top of the screen but don't appear to do much more than offer visual diversity for extra points. I'm not sure but I can only assume PouifOuf is an unfinished project, so I would love to know more about this hidden GEM. I have contacted Le Glod but heard nothing back as yet. Anyhow, gather all items because we can only move on to the next level once everything is collected. This is basic stuff but it's darn good fun!!

Glad you stayed? Of course, you are because this game is different and so playable. Here's a screenshot...

I was enjoying the game and then a giant face appeared in the middle of the level. Wonder how it is ;)

Aesthetics

The visuals are lovely, everything scrolls very smoothly and perfectly complements the ultra-fast gameplay requirements. Okay, ignore the ripped graphics and enjoy the blistering speeds. Note, I cannot stress this highly enough, play using real hardware for the smoothest possible experience. Wonderful programming for a wonderful experience.

Sound effects or music can be activated at any time using the F-keys but I prefer the gorgeous chiptune.

It zips about like a drunk driver on a busy high street so let's check out one final screenshot...

Use the springboards but watch out for the baddies who will make you tumble!

The CryptO'pinion?

What a game!! Yep, I have really enjoyed playing this platformer which was a refreshing surprise - and nothing like I first imagined. It had me smiling like a Cheshire Cat thanks to the fantastic, zesty playability. I might not be able to pronounce "PouifOuf" but I know a great game when I see it - and this is a blummin' furious platformer!!

Simple gameplay that is incredibly fun. I cannot recommend it highly enough so grab yourself a copy now.