Showing posts with label Action. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Action. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 11, 2021

Winglord


Survival of the Fittest

I don't mind admitting it, but Joust is one of those games that I am absolutely terrible at. In fact, I could end this right now because I really am that bad - it really is quite humiliating! However, I also have much affection for flappy jousting, no matter the quality of my skills. Joust is something uniquely entertaining and something that thrills as much as it infuriates (me). So, it was a pleasure to discover that the Atari ST/e has another jousting competitor.

Winglord was originally a shareware game by Victor Bruhn who has since kindly released it as freeware a few years ago. Now, first things first, Winglord can run on either the Atari ST or its sexy sister, the STe. However, Victor intended it for the Atari STe as he utilises the Blitter Chip and DMA Audio. Older STFM's can still play but, won't get to hear the samples and might even suffer some visual anomalies due to the lack of a Blitter that handles the silky-smooth 50Hz display.

I think we need to stop reading and take a gander at the first screenshot. Well, here ya go then...


I struggle to fly whilst the computer cleans up. Yup, another drubbing by my faithful Atari ST...


README.TXT

Nobody ever reads the manual. Well, that's mainly a guy thing but, in this case, it's worthwhile taking a look. Not only are there lots of handy tips but also a great storyline that is fun to read. Come on, there are nasty wizards, medieval castles and winged unicorns which is all great stuff!! For those that still won't read it, here's my take on it:

Guardian Castle is above the villages in the valley below. They're under attack by the wizards of the Northlands whos minions have found a way into the tunnels under the mountain atop which it sits.

They have gained control of most of the caverns and passages that run through the ground underneath the castle, as well as a very large portion of the castle itself. Sinister beings now roam through these areas and have crushed all resistance offered by the sentries and the castle's contingent of soldiers. Evil creatures, some mounted by riders, continue to advance into the halls of the castle and through the caverns in a seemingly unstoppable march! (It's not sounding too good, is it?)

Thankfully, teleporting into the skies above the castle are WingLords who are ready to do battle with the invaders. Mounted upon winged unicorns whose beauty is matched only by their quickness and power, they descend into the depths of Guardian Castle and intercept a group of creatures. Two more riders enter the room and an airborne jousting battle begins between the adversaries.

Their powerful Fire Lances easily destroy the enemy riders, while providing their wielders with a shield against the enemy. The enemy is defeated and the Winglord's unicorn steeds use their natural teleportation ability and leave the battlefield to have their lances re-charged.

Now the WingLords wait for another onslaught, ready to do battle with the fire-spitting Yellow Jackets. The Dark Riders are also armed with fire-spitting lances. The Wing Masters, deadly flyers who are immune to missile weapons, and must be jousted against. This war is far from won!

Sounds cool, right? Of course, it does so let's take a break from reading and check out another screenshot... 



The Apprentice knights are a little slow but a lot harder than you might think.


Winged unicorns?

Winglord will instantly feel familiar to seasoned jousters. One or two players can compete, at the same time, controlled by either the computer or another humanoid that you may have lying about your house. Of course, each level is of a similar design with platforms that can/will prove to be of strategic use. As with the original, the screens feature a wrap-around design when reaching the edge. However, the eggs are gone and there are ceiling vents.

Yes, there are some alternative changes and also some that are peculiar ones. Gone are the lanky ostriches for unicorns - and unicorns don't lay eggs. But these majestic beasts love to strut their stuff - just watch them walk. So cool. Battling against enemy knights follows the same format but they now feature some unexpected traits and there are even buzzy bees too. Best of all, some medieval knights are expert jousters with exceptional skills. Beware!

Once again, let's stop reading my nonsense chit-chat and take another gander at a screenshot...



This isn't good, I'm about to be pounced on or stung to death at any moment!


Know your enemy

Any level can feature four different enemies each with its own strengths, control, style and armament:
The Apprentice - these guys are armed with only a lance. You might be fooled into thinking he's going to be an easy opponent. Don't kid yourself, he's crafty and has some nice flying skills. Also, he's immune to your missile attacks. Hang on, a moment... did I just say missile?!!

Yellow Jackets - this is a buzzy bee with suicidal tendancies, which means they're quite tough to safely defeat. These can, and will sworm, so watch out. Okay, they're a little dumb but, as a nest, they are a fanominal force. Perhaps a missile in its face is a good idea to teach them who's boss?

Dark Riders - this guy carries both a lance and a pack of missiles. He's fast, he's brutal and he's a damn tough lancer. Basically, he's gonna kick your ass!! Excellent fighters.

Wing Masters - Winglord shows its true colours when this guy enters the arena. These are jousting geniuses and tough cookies with ferocious combat skills. Be warned!! Hey, it's time for another sexy screenshot...



I tried my best to get a screenshot of a missile hitting a bee! Quite impossible lol.


Controls

Joystick controls feel much like they do with ST Joust, which was a massive relief because I was dreading any disastrous changes. Both flight and control are perfect, even if you are as unskilled as me. However, there is an option to choose your preferred 'flap power' that will alter the effect of the vertical force which is applied with each press of the button. Choosing high will gain greater altitude whereas low offers better control. It's best to experiment with what feels right for you.

Pushing downwards will fire a missile. Yep, a missile. It's one of the most unexpected treats I could have imagined. I must admit though, at first it felts a little weird but it sure comes in handy against those dopy Yellow Jackets! And who doesn't love blasting rockets? Note, these work against the Dark Riders and the bees - and can only be used during flight.

Hey, come back!! I know that you're dying to play this game but we're not done yet - it's screenshot time...


Mummy, I wanna go home now!


Big Tips!

1) Don't panic.
2) Playtest with the different flap rates to see what suits you the best.
3) Disable the second player, he can be distracting I found.
4) Disable the second player anyhow as he's far too skilled!!
5) Judge your entrance for a well-timed drop onto your unsuspecting opponent.
6) Don't bang down on the joystick too quickly, unless you enjoy hearing the sounds.
7) Those platforms can make for good defence.
8) Bonus rounds are a great way to earn extra points.
9) Why you listening to me? I suck at jousting!
10) For those with skills like mine, hit the Up/Down arrows on the main menu!!



So, there's a swarm of nasties coming and my unicorn decides to strut his stuff and look cool. Sheesh!


Aesthetics

Visually, it's more or less, Joust and a damn good take on that original format I might add. However, being similar to Joust means it's also hardly something to gawk at in wonder and the levels appear to have less detail compared to the official ST conversion. Having said that, it looks nice and the animations are quite beautiful. I love watching my unicorn walk between the levels just for fun. He just loves to strut his stuff!!

It would be a crime to end it there without mentioning the framerate. It is smooth. Very, very smooth. In fact, it's smoother than Kojak's bald head drenched in baby oil. I believe this is thanks to the Blitter lurking inside the Atari STe. It's a great thing to see a developer that obviously enjoyed going that extra mile.

The sound effects are made up of a neat selection of samples. All are crystal clear, thanks to the DMA hardware that Victor is using. I only wish he would have recorded more for extra pizazz. Sadly, older ST's suffer minimal sounds but Winglord was developed on (and intended for) the Atari STe. So stop moaning and upgrade!

Jousting is excellent fun but can you handle the heat when it's 6 against 1 like in this final screenshot...



Hang on, I've lasted longer than the computer? Time to shoot and beat his score, for once!


The CryptO'pinion?

Joust is one of the best arcade conversions for the Atari ST. With that in mind, Winglord really needed to deliver the goods and guess what, it did. The cosmetic changes are nice and I love the option to use missiles. Also, tinkering with the flap-power attribute is a superb idea and the option for a second player is just dandy, even if the computer outperforms me each and every time. The change of theme worked well as did other changes like the regular use of bonus rounds.

Winglord cannot replace Joust, that's impossible but, I don't think it was ever meant to. As it stands, it's a fine alternative and something that doesn't disappoint in the slightest. This game is so much fun and I would have liked nothing better than to show you more of it (in my video) but that was never gonna happen with skills like mine. Sorry :p

Personally, I think this game is a fantastic "clone" of the original and the differences work great. Best of all, the Atari ST/e has another version of Joust and that's never a bad thing in my opinion. Winglord is absolutely excellent. Play it!!

- Download from AtariMania -

Saturday, November 14, 2020

Techno Cop



I Am The Law!

Have you ever booted up something that instantly felt cheap and tacky yet you spent hours playing and never once considered hitting the reset button? Think Club Drive for the Atari Jaguar... Well, here is a game by Gremlin Graphics that tries to blend together two genres: car racing and a quiet walk through rough neighbourhoods.

If you hadn't already guessed, we're one of the heroes in blue but, no ordinary policeman. No, we're a Techno Cop who is under orders to take down various members of the DOA - Death On Arrival. This is a huge gang of thugs who enjoy driving fast cars, live in abandoned buildings and look like extras from a Death Wish movie!

Actually, being a Techno Cop must be cool because they get to drive a VMAX Turbo Interceptor sports car and use a Magnum to kill anyone they don't like the look of. That's about as technical as it gets and I love that simplicity so, ignoring first impressions, I soon started to enjoy what is nothing less than crude and violent.

Sounds like my kinda game then!! Shall we take a gander at the racing part first of all...


It's hardly Crazy Cars 3 or Vroom, but this is a fun section of an insane game!


All In A Day's Work

For each stage (scene of a crime), we begin behind the wheel of a fancy sports car on the way to a troubled hotspot. The roads are cluttered with DOA agents but our VMAX is fitted with a cannon to blast those suckers into smithereens. The dashboard shows speed, revs and even a damage meter that worsens with each roadside skirmish. Also displayed is the distance to a crime hotspot - so put the pedal to the metal!

Upon arriving, we get out for a stretch of the legs as the game flips into a scrolling shoot 'em up quite similar to Thunder Jaws or Rolling Thunder. These rundown apartment blocks are full of trash, graffiti, thugs, hookers and even rats that nibble your toes. The thugs are relentless; carrying chains, whips, baseball bats, knives and more. It's now that you should use the magnum and blast 'em into a gloopy mess of blood and gore. More, later...

Mission objectives detail how you uphold the law; be it a hostage situation, a mugging in progress, a boss to eliminate, etc. It would be impossible to follow out these orders without using your wrist gadget that shows lives, score, and jumping energy - plus you can even swap the magnum for a net, used to capture rather than kill. Importantly, it also features a radar to help locate each boss. Beware, this isn't a direct route so you may need to use the elevators to avoid a dead-end. Completing a mission grants points and promotion through the twelve ranks:

1 Grunt... 2 Rookie... 3 Flat Foot... 4 Patrol Man... 5 Cop... 6 Officer...
7 Sergeant... 8 Enforcer... 9 Commander... 10 Top Cop... 11 Chief... 12 Technocop


Okay, now that you have an idea of this whacky game, let's take a look at the next screenshot...


Hey, have I got the time? Erm, no I don't so let's just move on searching for bad guys!


Gimme That Joystick!

The VMAX handles like a wooden wedge and is very unrealistic. Okay, this is an arcade racer and nothing serious but, even so, it's lagging way behind something like Crazy Cars 3, Test Drive, Lotus 2 or Buggy Boy. And by a mile. Sadly, it's all too easy to crank up the damage by smashing into the roadside objects when preoccupied with shooting enemy cars. Plus, I didn't care for the initially sluggish rate of fire. Road Blasters, this stage is not!!

I learnt that it's good practice to simply rush to the next crime hotspot, ignoring the DOA cars the best you can. This is not only quicker but saves lots of potential damage so your game should last longer too. Plus, quick racers are awarded upgrades such as a turbo boost and (much needed) faster firing.

The crime stages are best where we can walk, crouch, leap and run through (yet another) condemned building with ease. The leaping is ace, allows you to explore quicker, and is best when surrounded by henchmen. The radar is a huge help and I doubt it would be possible to complete any mission without using it. And learning the map.

Gun love is why we're here and Techno Cop is superb. In fact, there are times I forget I'm a policeman and behave more like an escaped psychopath because it's easy to ignore the plan and go about killing everyone. Yep, everyone! Even the odd innocent kid stupidly runs by or when playing outside. The death of all victims is bloody and violent as they scream and explode into a pile of gloop. Gloop with eyes stuck on top. Brilliantly brutal and I love it.

You won't believe how cool that is. Argh, go on then, here is a screenshot to prove it...


Come on, how cool is that? Play the game and enjoy the effect for yourself lol


Aesthetics 80s-Style!

The driving scenes are quite bland with little scenery and average framerates. Though I did like the mountains and the palette choices/changes. Weirdly, the DOA cars are cumbersome beasts and the road changes far too quickly to be driven well. The fuzzy sampled sound effects are great... Okay, it's not Turbo Cup but I enjoyed them.

The scrolling-crime parts are excellent!! Each building is packed with incredible attention to detail: litter, traps, graffiti, broken plaster, damaged floors, dead bodies, loot and traps. It's basically the perfect environment for the Michael Winner movies!! Enemy sprites are nicely animated and detailed, even down to their spikey punk hair. Okay, the scrolling could have been better but at least the developers didn't wimp out with push/flick.

Audio is made using crunchy samples which are nice and add to the violent atmosphere although I don't understand why our Techno Cop makes a silly "meow" when he jumps! Anyhow, the best sound effect from the entire game is the screaming explosions when killing a criminal - your gun can turn a human into a horrendous pile of slop! It's brilliant and makes Techno Cop one of the most hilarious killers you could imagine. Fan-freaking-tastic!!

It's fun, fun, fun and looks/sounds the part. So, one more screenshot of me getting promoted...


Promotion leads to better gameplay with many more baddies all too willing to challenge me!


The CryptO'pinion?

You can't go wrong with fast cars and big guns. This game has what it takes but there are a few more niggles that bugged me: the driving stage feels like a clunky afterthought but the power-ups are a neat touch. The missions are pretty much the same, thus quite repetitive and later tasks certainly require extra time.

However, Techno Cop still scores very highly because of its arcade styles, and killing scumbags is quite simply brilliant. Okay, it could have been better in parts but blasting baddies into a pile of mush is bliss. I loved it.

Download for floppy or hard drive.

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Line Of Fire



We're going to war, bring a mouse!

Line of Fire was converted from the arcades in 1990 by Creative Materials for US Gold and is basically a "crosshair" shooter. It begins from behind enemy lines as we're trying to escape never-ending hoards of angry bad guys. They're annoyed because we've sneaked in and pinched their brand-new toy - a Rapier Gun. Of course, we have no intentions of returning it so must now escape in a blaze of glory. A-Team style!

The gameplay is really simple: move the mouse onto the enemy soldiers and hit fire to send 'em to hell. Kill anything that looks mean, including the hardware that they use: a truck, plane, boat, or even their incoming missile attacks. Well, that's about as technical as this shooter gets - lots of frantic killing and loud explosions. Great stuff!

Oh yeah, so let's start by taking a look at the first screenshot...



The map shows our escape route through the base, jungle, rocky canyon, town, etc.


And bring a friend too!

One or two players is supported for a single or a (much-needed) co-op onslaught of pure adrenalin. Solo is controlled using the mouse which is perfectly precise but I felt the crosshair should have been bigger because it sometimes got lost among the action and explosions. Try it - hit the SHIFT key to spark a nuclear explosion (aka grenade) but be thrifty because these are best left for the end-of-level bosses. Trust me, you'll need 'em all.

We begin trapped inside the enemy compound with lots of baddies lining up the corridors all ready to kill us! The display shows our health and the number of grenades - both of which can be topped up by shooting the corresponding supply boxes left lying on the ground. There's a boss waiting at the end of every stage, be it two ugly brutes firing missiles, a plane stuffed with a cargo of airmen, or a ghost train and its endless supply of soldiers.

Okay, shall we take a stroll through the many levels of this crazy game? Yes, a good idea...



- Eight Stages To Freedom -


Level 1 - The Enemy Camp

This is where we broke into the enemy camp, kicked in their sandcastle and make the bad guys cry. However, tons of smurf-looking soldiers were alerted (very odd) and they're mean and sneaky - some even hide inside the floor panels and ceiling vents. Once you reach the end it's time to battle two enormous bad guys who are just asking to eat those grenades.

Overall, I really enjoyed this opening stage albeit very short. Should have been much longer!


Level one kicks in with an assault of smurf soldiers!


It's not long before a couple of bosses appear but I brought fire!!



Level 2 - Destroy The Enemy Jungle Base

Those smurfs failed to stop us and we made it outside to jump into our jeep and head for the jungle. Lots of enemies are lurking in these muddy waters, along with choppers and planes dropping bombs of mass destruction! The action feels unbalanced for solo gamers but the helicopter boss is pretty cool and a good fight without being too complicated.

Overall, this stage proves the developers used ST Basic and had no beta testers! Let's take a look...


Chug...Chug...Chug... alongside an unused Blitter...


Be quick and get blasting everything you see on the screen. Gun love time!



Level 3 - Exit By Speed Boat

Pretty much more of the same as the previous level - but this time we're riding through the soggier parts of the massive jungle. Watch out for the soldiers hiding on the river banks and you might even see the odd Rambo impersonator. The two bosses are back but this time they've brought some help for what is quite a fatiguing battle.

Overall, this level is more of the same which isn't great unless you have a faster computer?


It's good fun actually. Essentially, my pessimistic attitude is because of the framerate.


Okay, the two guys have brought in some help. It's very tough so expect to lose lives.



Level 4 - Fighting In The Canyon

Like the jungle, this time the graphics have changed to an odd-looking rocky canyon. Hmm, those walls don't look right, especially when you see soldiers hovering in mid-air! Anyhow, this level is another which is stuffed full of gun love and there's even an aeroplane boss that lunges rockets at your face.

It's probably better than the jungle stages but just as crazy with too many enemies eating away at your credits.


Enemies everywhere! Shoot - quicker - shoot some more. No, be quicker!


Gotta be impressed by the boss scenes, especially as no Blitter is utilised.



Level 5 - Do Or Die Battle In The Desert

Landscape graphics are gone and the display is reduced to objects and sprites. It's now that I noticed the odd blue background - it really stands out because there's nothing else. Looks very strange. However, the benefit of this sudden change is a decent framerate which means it plays better than all the other levels. The boss stage is a train, which is something solo players should fear!

Overall, a great level and I wish the others were as fast and responsive as this one. I enjoyed it :o


It looks... odd... but fear not there's a bunch of fun to be had here!


The train level is great actually, but there's a lot to do and it seems to last forever.



Level 6 - Foes Await In The City's Ruins

Finally, we've made it into a rough shantytown for a terrifying urban siege. Terrifying because that horrendous framerate has returned with a vengeance - I think this stage is the most sluggish of all? To be honest, it's a bit boring and also far too tough in solo. Where's the boss stage?

Overall, it's okay but all a bit... meh because of the dreadful framerate.


The idea behind this stage is actually very good but poorly implemented.


I'd had enough by the time this screenshot was taken and that's not good, is it?



Level 7 - Evade The Enemies Aircraft

We're on the runway and zoom off into the skies for aeronautical hell. However, this stage is tacky with a lame submarine boss - which is rubbish. Overall, this feels like a stocking filler and is the worst level so far.

Wow, I said that after playing the previous stage? Dang!


I've really had enough...


Oh, go away! (Yes, I've really really really had enough of the game now)



Level 8 - Fly To Your Base By Helicopter

Glad I didn't throw in the towel because Howling Mad Murdock would have loved this stage! The enemy chucks everything at you for one final attempt to get their fancy gun back! Don't get defeated because the end is very near. Sadly, I did, because it's insanely difficult! Which means I failed to save the Western World from the dreaded Terrorists.

Ah well, at least I tried...


That blue background might look daft, but imagine it black. See, it's actually a good idea!


No matter how much I tried, I failed to complete the final stage by my lonesome.



Graphics and Sounds

Visually, Line Of Fire is an oxymoron because it impresses and shocks in equal measure. Overscan is utilised with both top and bottom borders removed to provide tons more pixels. I also loved the palette which is comically bold, the sprites are huge and those explosions are just ginormous! Sadly, the sprites look like I've drawn them and the framerate shocking. In fact, it's possibly the worst performance I've seen from an Atari ST which is a sad thing to type.

The audio failed to impress. It begins with a nice title screen chiptune with a humorous intro but it's all downhill afterwards. In-game sound effects are basically your gun and grenades. So it's your gunfire that you're constantly hearing, which sounds like a room full of dancers shuffling their feet. Ugh, turn down the volume.

A mixed bag of goodies alright but the Blitter would have helped a lot... sigh... Time for another screenshot...



Gotta take my hat off to the developers for using overscan albeit at the expense of framerate? :/


The CryptO'pinion

I must admit, I'm not a huge fan of crosshair shooters but Line Of Fire shocked me. There's no 2D landscape with pop-up cardboard soldiers waiting to be shot. Instead, we have a first-person perspective similar to something like Narco Police but in overscan. Which is kinda cool for a machine with only half a meg Ram!

However, this conversion is screwy and appears to do everything it can to make the Atari ST perform like a Vic-20. Okay, I would never compare a home computer to the specs of an arcade machine with its faster processors, sprite scaling hardware, etc but this feels rushed and should have been better. I don't understand what Creative Materials were thinking. Then again, aren't these the guys that gave us Street Fighter 2 and Days Of Thunder?

Overall, I enjoyed Line Of Fire because it's something different from what I usually play. It's better with a friend as it's not balanced for solo play, but at least it provides a few continues to keep you interested. I'm glad I didn't buy this terrible game, but I still enjoyed rampaging through the various levels. Worth playing - but only with a friend.


- Downloads -

Floppy - Bad Brew Crew #33 (Stonish)
Hard Disk - 8BitChip (w/ extra credits)

Saturday, November 17, 2018

Robotz



Chicken, fight like a robot!

Once again, we find ourselves in deep space on board a ship which has been invaded - by robots. However, they are the most sluggish robots I've ever known so how these brutes managed this is anyone's guess. Anyhow, as the last surviving crew member, we must eliminate them before they take over. This won't be easy because each room has electrified walls for instant death! (Hey, let's find some rubber gloves before we begin! No? ...sigh...)

Developed by P Fox of ProjectX, Robotz is kinda like a tactical remake of the Berzerk genre. Each of the rooms is different and populated by a number of randomly placed robots which follow your movements in their own specific order (use that to your own advantage). We are armed with a one-shot gun which is my only gripe because it's rather restricting! Especially as each robot is protected by a shield so your shots cannot destroy them but will stun them for a few seconds. Ultimately, blast each generator into smithereens to leave the invading robots helpless!

For a homebrew release, I must say that I adore the visuals which personally remind me of a cross between Xenon and Leavin' Teramis. The palette is gorgeously metallic and I love those shadows which add so much depth to the scenario. All sprites are simple but nicely detailed with good animation and I giggle at our protagonist's legs as he walks. Yeah, it's funny but nowhere near as entertaining as his "ouch" scream when losing a life (Grrr!!)

Thanks to ST Format, I think many have played Robotz back in the day - but how long did you last before hitting the ST's reset button? Personally, I think this is a cracking example of 16-bit Marmite, but whether you will enjoy the stress and tension as much as I did is debatable. Yeah, Robotz is cruel yet tremendously addictive. Highly recommended.


Each level has a design that demands lots of time to master the tighter areas.


Those robots are indestructible! Surely there's a way to kill them?


Some levels have more freedom to move, but that doesn't mean they're easy!


This level is extremely tricky. When I say tricky, I mean agonisingly difficult!!


Hmm, this appears easy? One generator... but... three droids!


Oh no, this level features TWO generators to destroy BEFORE the robots are killable.

Sunday, August 26, 2018

Time Bandit



Today, I woke up wanting to play Microdeal's awesome 1985 cracker, Time Bandit. I recorded this video and had some fun... but... now I should enable that trainer and finally get this beauty completed. One of the beST games there is!!

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for lots of great Atari ST videos :)

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

The Last Trooper



I'll be Danny Welinski

Last year, I spent several fantastic weeks enjoying Where Time Stood Still but was later left deflated because I also wanted to play The Great Escape, which is a truly outstanding affair. Alas, the Atari ST game was never meant to be, but wipe away those snowflake tears because there might be light at the end of this 16-Bit tunnel? Well, I hope so!

Here we have Mastertronic's very own The Last Trooper which appears to be more than a tad inspired by the previously mentioned Ocean classic! However, the historic storyline and adventure elements are completely gone in favour of four levels of brutal arcade-style killing so go and grab your big boy pants because this is going to be tough!

Wanna see some screenshots of this isometric Commando shooter? Yeah, of course you do...



Escape the POW Camp in true A-Team style using whatever you can find...

Now it's time to attack your foes but watch out for those GEM-Green mines!


Good but tough!

We're a muscle-bound Schwarzenegger trapped inside an isometric POW camp. Oddly, we already have a machine gun so must find a way to escape before attacking the enemy and destroying their base. The enemy will come after you constantly but they're not the most intelligent and can run around like headless chickens - a little annoying. Other soldiers will hide in trenches or operate gun turrets and you should also look out for other tricky traps, like camouflaged mines.

The controls are simple and very responsive but I initially found it frustrating learning how to line up a shot to kill the frantic headless chickens - it's like they don't care about you being there!! Hmm, anyhow, your crusade won't last very long unless you eat the food that's been carelessly left lying about. Don't forget to top-up your weapon with fresh ammo.

There are other items that you will need to source that will help you out later in the mission. These are essential items that might not be obvious at first: ropes are always handy to have, for example. And there's oddly a huge supply of wire cutters left inside the POW camp. Hmm, that's two interesting pointers that you should remember.

Well, enough reading! Let's check out some more screenshots...



Things got a little tiresome by the third level which was more of the same but a lot harder!

But the fourth level is explosive and much better. Although it's a shame about the poor ending...


The CryptO'pinion?

I've quite enjoyed playing The Last Trooper - but only after activating a trainer for infinite lives. Without that, I failed to beat the second level due to the ridiculous difficulty that is primarily thanks to the headless chickens running about. They blindly shoot everything with extreme efficiency so I wonder if anyone actually bothered to beta-test before its release?

Overall, an above-average shooter that's quite flawed with high difficulty but it's still a bundle of fun for an hour or two. However, if I'm being brutally honest, then I'll stick with Fernandez Must Die and Elite's Commando.


Download the floppy or hard disk versions.

Monday, July 23, 2018

Custodian



Help! What do I do? Everything wants to kill me!!

I've been going through my old videos and found this frantic 8-way shooter by legends, Hewson. Programmed by Chris Hinsley, who also made the awesome Onslaught and Verminator, it features stunningly fast visuals which whiz across your screen like lightning. It's crazy and these are all by Nigel Brownjohn who was behind one of my fave platformers, Beyond the Ice Palace. The audio is gorgeous, all thanks to the magic of Dave Whittaker.

We are a "custodian" of a massive tomb which has been infested by alien parasites. Obviously, we've gotta clean up this place which means killing everything! The best part is that we not only look like something from the demoscene [cough] but are also equipped with an armed jetpack. Zooming about this place is exciting stuff but the aliens are relentless and the basic mechanics just don't work well together, so it soon becomes a demented slog!

Chris sure knew how to program the Atari ST but I feel he has missed the mark here. There's just too much going on with gameplay that is confusing and relentless. But, perhaps I'm wrong? If you're feeling brave then Custodian can be run from a floppy or hard drive. Get ready and brace yourself for a rough journey!! Let me know what you think...


Attack!! Attack!! Attack!! Attack!! Attack!! Attack!! ARGHHHH!! Help me, somebody!!


Too much!! Too much!! What's going on? Everything wants me dead... Oh, I died!

Sunday, July 08, 2018

Into The Eagle's Nest



'Allo 'Allo!

Into The Eagles Nest is an overhead Gauntlet-like shooter set within the enemy's castle, heavily occupied by thousands of Nazi soldiers. Our orders are simple: infiltrate the castle, rescue three allied soldiers and then detonate the hidden explosives. Leaving without blowing the place to kingdom come would just be rude!!

As soon as the game begins, the battle is on! And it's against an onslaught of soldiers who eagerly patrol the castle's dingy corridors. Sneaking into the enemy's lair was the easy part, now we've gotta bust out of our safe room with guns blazing and rescue our fellow Allied soldiers before General Von Klinkerhoffen orders their execution.



Look for keys, health and ammo because you never know what's gonna happen next!


Search, Shoot, Kill

As you explore, look for anything that may assist in completing your mission: health packs help repair hits you've endured and an ammo stash will replenish your Nazi killing abilities. Elevator keys need no explanation - but don't be too quick to use these because you should fully explore the current level a lot more than you might realise! Don't forget to disable the messages telling what item has been collected... so annoying!!

Collect keys and use them wisely to unlock parts of the map otherwise out of limits. But some doors were bought from Ikea and need only a little gun love to bust open!! Some soldiers have had too much beer and fallen flat-out cold drunk so an easy target - but unnecessary if low on ammo. Remember to watch the status panel because you can withstand 50 hits, which sounds a lot but even Rambo would die without stealth and a tactical approach.



Shoot the barrels and make your way to a secret area with items to collect.


Aesthetics

I've always enjoyed overhead shooters but I oddly didn't care for this at first - the push-scrolling technique isn't ideal for this type of game. So my first impressions weren't good if I'm honest. However, it does grow on you and I've gotta say that I love the general 8-Bit feel with the superbly drawn sprites and a point of view which truly is "overhead".

The title screen music is flunky but pretty good all at the same time. I'm more of a chip guy but I still liked it. In-Game sound effects are all samples and really nice too but I miss a background chippy tune if I'm honest.



Sneak by and pinch their food [oddly on the floor]. Hang on, they're asleep? BAM BAM BAM!!


The CryptO'pinion?

This is an easy one to rate because it's a freaking brilliant shooter. A classic and the Atari ST got a fantastic conversion. I think most of us have played this incredible game so I'm positive everyone has happy memories and should play it again.

As fun as it is challenging. A totally engrossing adventure for the most persevering player. Enjoy it!!


Grab this cracker on floppy or hard drive.

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Sleuth



I've been searching for more...

Yep, after the jaw-dropping Berzerk, I went searching for other variants of the genre to see what might be lurking inside the ST's archives. Eventually, I found Sleuth a PD release by Larry Scholz of MajicSoft in 1993. The year is 2525 and man's existence is threatened by evil cybernetic organisms (yup, robots!) which Dr Spirit has so kindly butchered and made evil. Okay, it's not exactly what you would call an authentic clone (ahem) but the premise is there!

We are Inspector Sleuth and are about to infiltrate the doctor's lair to show these clumps of metal who's in charge! Gone is the randomly generated screens, replaced with a map that is populated by six different models of the doctor's robots. These range from the Hemroid which is a low-level (wait for it) "pain in the butt" to the Hopperoids and their warp technology, so don't get too close. Come on, you must love the humour in this whacky style?

Well, defend yourself using an armour-piercing gun which features a nuclear charge to incinerate all robots from the inside out. You still need to stay clear of the electrified walls and if you hang about for too long then something freaky appears and chases you across the screen. Now we're back on the familiar ground lol.

Overall, is it better than Berzerk? Not on your nelly! Sleuth feels like a tacky ripoff with rubbery controls, dodgy graphics and sounds. However, it's a good game in its own right, and my 8-year-old daughter loved it. I must admit, so did I.



IGNORE the graphics!! Remember, gameplay counts the most. It always does.


Shoot anything that looks... well... weird. Don't think, just shoot!! Enjoy :D

Thursday, January 25, 2018

Alien Thing



In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream

Alien Thing was released late in the ST's life by 999 Software for Top Byte and if you've ever played Alien Syndrome, Gauntlet or Storm then you'll know exactly what to expect from this overhead shoot 'em up set in space. It's the same old story: heading for Earth is a distant spaceship filled to the brim with a vicious alien hoard who are hungry for our blood. It's time to tool up, sneak on board, and begin mercilessly killing anything that looks like it bites.

Their spaceship is split into 11 levels with each requiring a mission to be completed. The first starts off simple (kill everything!!) with later missions being far more complex and if you happen to fail then you are immediately sent straight back to the beginning. This ship is huge, yet with a clear definition in design, so you won't lose your bearings.

Almost every corridor has some kind of doorway which can be opened, one way or another. Key cards are a good idea and these can usually be found hidden inside the blue cabinets - along with other bonuses like a 1UP and ammo. However, use these cards wisely because not every door needs to be immediately opened...



Argh, those green pools of acid! Let's get rid of 'em right away!


I love those splatter effects, quite messy but in a good way.


They mostly come out at night, mostly

Joystick controls are excellent and responsive so it's easy navigating this ship, even if I oddly move quicker than the aliens! These beasts are everywhere - so stay frosty - because they can withstand several hits before turning into a splattered mess. Their eggs must be quickly blown up before a new alien is born and pops out to eat you!

Dead aliens leave behind pools of poisonous slime that need to be destroyed before you can pass. Each of your weapons has a varying level of effectiveness and the flamethrower is awesome so try searching the orange cabinets for yours. However, I'm not fresh on the laser which needs a recharge too frequently for my liking.
  • I feel Alien Thing to be well-balanced but hardcore gamers might consider the revamped "Expert Edition". However, I found those changes made it ridiculously difficult thus frustrating.
  • The Director's Cut is the sequel due to be released in 1997. It featured a change in the visual perspective, complex missions, new enemies, and lots of DMA-enhanced sound effects. A three-level demo is available but I'm unsure whether it was officially completed. Can anyone help? Thanks.



Alien Thing (above) and the updated Expert Edition (lower)

This is a simple example of the differences, ie: map changes, items, pools of gunk, etc.


Close your eyes, baby

Actually, no! Open them and enjoy the nicely drawn graphics which are clean and well-designed. I liked the contrast of vivid colours used against the spaceship's metallic structure and the near-luminous green aliens really do stand out. This works so well, even if the aliens walk like squashed spiders! Sadly, the scrolling isn't too great and should have been smoother - it's disappointing that the Atari ST'e hardware wasn't used to full effect.

Sound effects are varied for just about every action with many of them ripped, I like the Star Trek doors opening. Okay, they might be crude but that doesn't mean they're not superb because they are actually genuinely entertaining. Also, I love it when an alien dies - almost as much as our own pitiful death cry. On an STFM the quality is good but quite fuzzy whereas they've made use of the DMA of the STe for greater clarity. Which works great.



Explore everywhere and leave lots of dead bodies in your wake!


Tooled up and patrolling the corridors... Surely, this is a gamer's perfect dream?


I guess we’re not leaving soon?

Nothing is perfect and Alien Thing provided me with a few things to whine about - like when a corridor is blocked by a pool of slime that's impossible to destroy because it's too close to a wall. Also, one touch of slime means instant death! Plus it's silly having just one sound effect when a shot hits the wall, regardless of the weapon. Let's end the moan now, please!

Okay, that moaning aside, Alien Thing is a decent take on the Aliens scenario with a nifty balance of arcade-style action, exploration, and strategic thinking. All this is thanks to a good design with lots of challenging missions. Plus it looks great too with a ship design that I appreciated and the sound effects on the whole are excellent.

I absolutely love Alien Thing. So stop your grinnin' and drop your linen because this is a seriously addictive shooter!!


Separate downloads are scattered about all over the internet for each of the Alien Thing games. So I've bundled together all the best versions which you can freely download off my Dropbox. For those struggling, there is a genius password system (just press the "/?" key on the menu) and use these codes: PARTY,  WORK,  LARD,  WHEEE,  HELLO,  HARD,  GOSH,  NIGHT,  PEN,  RULER