Eye Of Horus

Walk like an Egyptian...

I've been trolling through my old videos and found Logotron's Eye Of Horus. I remember this platformer thanks to its confusing labyrinths with many peculiar enemies. I was impressed but oddly, left feeling a little cold too. It's one of those games that looks, sounds and plays great but it has relentless enemies. Kinda like Black Lamp in this respect.

We are the hawk-headed God, Horus, a good fella for the ancient Egyptians. Our task is to explore the labyrinths of Osiris' burial chamber because he was murdered by Set who scattered his body parts everywhere. We need to collect them and rebuild him. It sounds cool and a little bit gross but it's time that I revisited this peculiar platformer for a second go.

So, let's waste no more time talking, and get him rebuilt like the six-million-dollar mummy...

I think Eye Of Horus nails the ancient Egyptian scenario perfectly using awesome visuals.

Hard as nails

The ancient tomb contains many traps and even the decor appears angry, so finding the body parts is not going to be easy. Thankfully, being a demigod means we have the ability to morph into a hawk, even if birds don't have any hands to carry things... Keys and Amulets can be used from operating particular elevators to summon other so-called gods.

I can see why I originally felt overwhelmed: the level design is pretty confusing at times which isn't helped by the repetitive backgrounds. The mechanics behind the elevators/coloured keys are unnecessarily rubbish plus I think that there are far too many amulets. All enemies are unique and it's peculiarly funny when the fixtures and fittings begin wobbling in anger. Well, at least our demigod is armed with a paper gun! No, really we are lol

Okay, Okay, let's keep this civil... but Hall Of Light has awesome maps, which I feel are essential.

Aesthetics

Graphically, this game is gorgeous and reminds me of how a game conversion of Stargate might have looked. It also reminds me of Death Trap and its intro whiffs of Ice Palace. Anyhow, the scrolling is super-smooth with gorgeous animations and the hieroglyphic backgrounds are stunning. This is a beautiful platformer and I can tell a lot of love went into its design.

Sound effects are very zesty and accompanied by gorgeous Whittaker music. Not his best but still superb.

The CryptO'pinion?

This is a cunning platformer with lots to offer. It's different and I loved exploring the tomb but the ability to flip into a hawk is a genius move albeit with its own restrictions. Just have a pen and paper ready to make a map (until the right amulet is found). Overall, I still found it confusing in terms of memorising the map plus the constant onslaught of enemies does not help. The only way you're gonna love this game is if you are willing to put in the hours (pun intended)

Otherwise, don't bother because this fantastic platformer demands your time and respect. I hope you play it.

Budding Daniel Jackson wannabes can download Eye Of Horus for floppy or hard drive.

Strider

Ugh, another lame Amiga port?

I remember reading the review for Strider in ST Format which basically said it was great. And, although the ST version had smaller sprites, the gameplay was faster and better than on the Amiga. I foolishly believed them and wasted my cash on a game I could not play. Boy, this was nothing more than another terrible Tiertex port I thought!! I recently gave it a silly mention and wasn't too kind when I remembered its eye-popping scrolling and ridiculous difficulty.

Since then I've mellowed - and I've also come to realise that my gaming skills suck (well, there's a shocker). So, I figured I should give it another go. And you know what, I think I'm not only older but also a lot wiser. Well, ahem... Anyhow, almost three decades have passed since I last played this game so let's see what I think of Strider today.

Before we begin, here's a screenshot of the opening start to this wonderful arcade platformer...

The first level is unique and kinda Ruskie. This is the place you'll learn the controls and that swoosh!

Me? Wrong? Never!

Well, after several games, I still found it extremely difficult and failed to beat the first boss - a Flash Gordon wannabe. However, eventually, I did it!! But then fire rained down and halted my cries of joy. Thankfully, I beat him on my second attempt and proceeded to a whacky level that I absolutely enjoyed, but was also wishing was larger. Sadly, no matter how much I tried, I couldn't beat the next boss so that was that and I gave up [see the first part of my video recording]

For some odd reason, I felt brave and booted up Strider once again only to enjoy my greatest success. Heck, I even beat the worm thingy and made it onto the following stage - which I've never seen before. This starts off great with big cats that wanted to eat me before a giant mechanical creature thing tried its luck. Banging on the fire button proved profitable and I beat him quite easily but I died later by a circular saw which came outta nowhere. Quite unfair as it's impossible to see it approaching off-screen... [see the second part of my video recording]

Oh, how time flies and can also change the perception of many things. Games being one! Check this out...

That swoosh is absolutely superb as are the enormous monsters. Love it!!

Aesthetics

Graphically, Strider is beautiful. From the very start, it looks the part and I think they did a cracking job of converting the arcade backdrops over to the much-lower-resolution ST. The sprites are just freaking incredible - they all look impressive and some are huge. This is a beautiful game but, of course, something had to give for all that glam and that means we have a slightly reduced play area and the scrolling isn't nearly as smooth as it should be. Don't get me wrong, the scrolling is good and works very well but dies alongside other ST games, like Turrican.

The audio is tremendously entertaining, I love the beautiful tunes which are so apt for this conversion. From the very start, I was hooked, just click on the green arrow below to see what I mean. The effects aren't massive in quantity but who doesn't enjoy swooshing through each level? Yes, I love that swoosh lol. I think they did a great job all-round.

Okay, before I give my opinion this needs to be said: Dear ST Format, I've hated your review for years but today I hold my hands up and apologise for that!! After all these years, you was bang-on correct so please forgive me! You guys rocked and I shall blame my old opinion on my poor skills ;p

The CryptO'pinion?

Strider is absolutely superb so now I'm tempted to whack on the trainer and play through to the end? Okay, the scrolling could have been better but the gameplay is furious and makes the Amiga conversion look dull as dishwater. Strider is sleek and with bucketloads of fun so don't be a fool and load it up right now. More fool me, brilliant game!

Klaz has a spiced-up version for both floppy & hard drives (it includes an option for faster gameplay)

No Buddies Land

When the demoscene and game industry join forces!

Eternal's No Buddies Land was released in 1991 by Loriciel and is programmed by David Boshoven who is possibly better known as Lair from the group Hotline. Okay, the story is silly but let's roll with it: the land is flooding and Bud is the hero of the day who must climb up into heaven to ask for help before everything is destroyed.

Five dreaded levels are all about to be flooded but our adventure begins in a dingy castle before heading outside to hop his way through the trees and then up into the clouds. As each level begins, the waters begin to rise just as in games like Flood, Goin' Down With The Captain or Killing Game Show. So, be quick and get moving!!

Before any more waffling from me, take a look at the first level...

Level one is pretty cool but it also introduces you to the cruel mechanics and an overpriced shop!

Prepare thyself!

Yes, prepare thyself for a world of hurt because this is cruel with wicked environments and lots (and lots) of traps and frustrating jumps. We must also contend with moving platforms, acid droplets, spikes, disappearing ledges and much more. Not only all that, but the local wildlife is never friendly and will zap your energy with a single touch.

Thankfully, there's nothing better than arming yourself with weaponry. It's perfectly natural to see a kid carrying a pistol in any 16-bit world - we love that! Best of all, this can be upgraded (along with health and more). Yep, you heard me, there are actually shops on the way up to Heaven. Who would have thought that? Well, brace yourself because I'm told there are also hidden side games and annoying puzzles (Grr!!). Something for everyone.

Want more screenshots? Of course, you do! So here is a couple from the second and third level...

I liked level 2 the most which also reminded me of Elf but I found level 3 a killer and really annoying!!

Platforming never looked so good!

The visuals are by Bram Leyten, aka Sense of Hotline, and are stunning with incredible attention to detail for both the environment and cute sprites. Animations are also nice but Bud walks like he's rushing to the toilet - gotta laugh at his zippy legs!! Not only do these graphics knock you for six but they slide down your screen at a graceful 50fps using sync-scrolling.

This method screws up my VGA monitor each time it attempts to scroll, but it works dandy using a standard CRT monitor/TV. So, I guess it must be a VGA issue with my own setup?

Audio has not been forgotten and if you remember Monster Business' outstanding tunes then you're in for another treat. Laurens Tummers, aka Lotus, has done it again to provide the most stunning examples of timeless chip music. In fact, I would say No Buddies Land has some of the best tunes I've heard in any game. Stunning results.

Both levels 4 and 5 feature disappearing platforms which I really, really, REALLY hated!!

The CryptO'pinion?

Technically, a masterpiece and one that proves what the Atari ST is capable of knocking out when in the hands of talented people. However, No Buddies Land isn't perfect. The controls are great but jumping diagonally can be awkward unless Bud is currently walking (YMMV). Also, knowing which ledges to hop onto isn't always obvious when some can blend into the background scenery. Ultimately, with a little extra tweaking, everything would have been perfect.

Having said that, this is a belting platformer and I've really enjoyed playing it. It's nothing like I first expected and is actually enjoyable, unlike that other platformer by TCB. I loved the aesthetics but that doesn't make the game. Thankfully, the range of levels is extraordinary with each featuring different environments that are as challenging as they are gorgeous.

Overall, a belting game with a few niggles but otherwise really enjoyable and highly recommended.

Download the floppy or HDD versions.

Thunder Jaws

Big guns and a pervy boss!

I'd seen pictures of this underwater shoot 'em up but didn't really know what to expect from what seemed a pretty naff James Bond wannabe. Released in 1991 by Domark, our villain is the busty Madame Q who desires nothing less than to rule the world. She's gone and kidnapped lots of gorgeous girls who are to be experimented on and turned into monsters. Okay, so our task is to find her secret base, kill all the baddies, and free the hostages.

Grab something rubbery to wear because her base is deep underwater which reminds me of Scuba Dive on my old ZX Spectrum! But these dangerous waters are patrolled by armed guards and robotic sharks. Harpoon everything that moves and destroy the automated defences before blowing open an entrance to her lair.

Let's check out the initial screens...

A cool loading screen but where's the intro disappeared to??

Still, at least a 2-player co-op is still included which is ace!


The opening scene is underwater heading to the evil lair...

Inside are lots of baddies and some great weapons to pick up - the punk girls scream lol

Wear your best flippers for the girls!

Inside, the game changes to a scrolling platformer which is basically a ripoff of Rolling Thunder (yikes, we all remember that dreadful conversion). Anyhow, this stage is better with henchmen and other strange characters chasing you. Weaponry remains the same and can also be upgraded to a flamethrower, uzi, rocket, and more. Finally, battle a boss and rescue yourself a few gorgeous babes - who will be extremely grateful.

Once completed, it flips back to the underwater stage and we repeat for similar missions. The difficulty level increases as we infiltrate through the base but it's now that I needed to activate a trainer because the later levels are crammed with an insane amount of baddies!! Also, the end-of-level bosses are tough and made worse by tons of other bad guys turning up to help out their boss. Argh, my screen is littered with too many brawling sprites!!

Gimme a flamethrower and I'm happy...

Yikes, our evil villain looks freaky like something from Twisted Sister!

Rescuing the sexy girls produces lots of kisses and hugs for our hero!!

Later on, we're in dirty waters with toxic waste barrels.

This leads to a scary rock monster and naked firewomen. Nice!

Graphics & Sounds

The visuals are nice with gorgeous backgrounds and different artwork styles. I liked how each level looked and the sprites were always superbly drawn: nothing beats watching the girls falling to their feet for lots of comical kissing. The scrolling is smooth but feels a little lethargic, especially on later levels when there are lots going on.

Sadly, there isn't a chiptune bopping away in the background but the sound effects are quite good. Actually, no, they are crude but the grunts are deranged - I loved the haunting female's scream of death. Sonically superb!!

Check out these screenshots that demonstrate this game's stunning artwork...

The end boss battles are rubbish if I'm honest. You are forced to cheat which is a bit daft!

This is basically because there are far too many enemies. It's impossible!

Finally, we get to meet the flame-haired temptress. Gorgeous pixel art!

But it isn't long before she morphs into something hideously ugly. Like a dog turd with hair!

The CryptO'pinion?

I must admit, I'm a little unsure what to make of Thunder Jaws. It's predictable fun and the addition of a two-player co-op is excellent. However, the later levels are impossible without cheating and I got a whiff of a lame port when things slowed to a sluggish pace. Having said that, it's not the disaster Rolling Thunder was and I enjoyed pretending to be James Bond, rescuing sexy girls, and saving the world from a busty flame-haired tyrant.

Yep, I enjoyed Thunder Jaws - it's not perfect but I played through to the end and loved every second of it!!

You can download for floppy or hard disk but only if you look good in a wetsuit! Note, faster computers will certainly benefit with smoother framerates when running of hard drive - thanks to 8BitChip.

Here is the end screen... it's probably best I don't comment? :)

Risky Woods

Spanish Games

I'm digging up another oldie video from my YouTube channel (please subscribe) and this time it's Risky Woods developed by Dinamic - the ones who gave us a Marine with his wiggly legs (lol fantastic!). This time we are Rohan, a young knife-wielding chap from a place called The Lost Land, a once-peaceful place protected by Monks. Yep, monks.

These monks once guarded the wisdom of the Lost Land until a rather nasty baddie turned up to ruin everything - Draxos brought his legions of evil armies and turned all the monks into statues. Nobody is safe, children are crying and evil roams the lands. What can we do? Of course, this is our queue to enter the woods and free the monks and defeat Draxos. It's gonna be a tough challenge - can you do it? Come on, kids are crying so it is time to kick some demonic ass!

I know, another silly story for another normal day in retro gaming land. So, let's play...

Hurry and free all the monks to save the land from the evil Draxos!

Sexy platforming!

Risky Woods is a scrolling platformer that has us leaping across platforms, frantically banging on the fire button to kill everything in sight. Each level is stuffed with many enemies who are only too eager to rush onto the screen but there are also lots of bonuses. Just don't forget why you're here as all monks need freeing before you can exit.

This game feels like a cross between something like Ork and Black Tiger much of the time. I love how responsive the controls are and they need to be - many enemies are constantly rushing onto the screen at a frequent pace. It's quite overwhelming, but great fun without ever crushing your spirit. Think Black Lamp and you've got the idea.

Each level is superbly designed and looks absolutely stunning with lush environments, high details and fancy effects. However, it's the sprites that I love even more because they are large and superbly animated - just look at those skeletons!! Slain enemies leave behind gold coins to collect for use in the shop to purchase much-needed weapons.

This game plays well and looks great. What, you need another screenshot to prove it? Okay...

There's no denying the stunning artwork which is some of the best I've ever seen.

Aesthetics

Visually, this is one heck of a looker. A beautiful game with stunning landscapes, raster backdrops and many different spooky sprites. The level of artwork is impressive and I dare anyone to say otherwise. Scrolling is responsive and smooth for an STf game but a part of me cannot help but wonder why they didn't push the boat out for some level of STe support.

Like the visuals, the sonix doesn't disappoint thanks to the great chiptunes by Jose Martin. The sound effects are nice yet nothing remarkable, but, they do their job. Yeah, it's the music that works wonders. Absolutely superb.

A game that looks and sounds this good needs many levels as this mini-map so kindly displays...

Check out the map. This details your torturous journey through the Lost Lands.

The CryptO'pinion?

The problem I have with this game is its difficulty. The constant onslaught of invading enemies is often too much and made worse by having to bend down to collect dropped coins during the heat of battle - rather than simply walking over them. Also, bumping into a baddie makes you drop the loot, and you cannot fire for a brief moment. Irritating!!

Having said all that, I've had a blast with this gorgeous platformer! It's exciting, frantic, and devilishly addictive. If only Dinamic had balanced the gameplay mechanics better, then it would have been nothing less than a classic. I'm afraid old me found it too demanding - without a trainer. Am I wrong? I never am... but let me know in the comments.

Downloads for floppy and hard drive.

Rolling Ronny

A wheelie good platformer

This is an attractive platformer developed by Carsten Neubauer of Bones Park and published by Virgin Games in 1991. Before I begin, we're not using our feet as this is a rolling platformer - because we're on skates! This is in the quiet town of Fieldington, a lovely place that has just suffered the theft of its crown jewels. I know, I know...

Fortunately, the gang of bumbling thieves were thankfully disturbed but they still had the time to hide each jewel inside glittering boxes and scatter them about the town before fleeing. Why? I don't know but Scotland Yard then decided it was a good idea to enlist Ronny as their secret agent to recover the stolen jewels in return for a generous reward.

Ronny uses his skates to get around this oddball town but he can still climb ladders and leap across most platform gaps. He will need every ounce of agility to avoid and kill the nasties that lurk here. And there are a number of silly creatures so defend yourself by hitting the fire button to fling your supply of killer salamis. Yes, you heard me correctly!

This is starting to sound rather unbelievable, right? Well, I think we need a screenshot then...

Ronny needs to watch out for various nasties, even those cute little birdies!

Run, Jump and Kill

Any platformer needs decent controls and thankfully, these are responsive and allow Ronny to leap from ledge to ledge but, as usual, reaching for the function keys to activate a gadget is a bit of a pain. The status panel displays various pieces of information: love hearts indicate health, a clock is counting down, the number of remaining jewels, and the gadgets enabled. Along the way, you can be stopped to run errands for extra credit. This is an excellent way to top up your earnings.

Ronny's inventory is his four spare pockets to store cool gadgets - which are essentially power-ups. These provide a variety of functions like a Super Jump or the Magnet which attracts any out-of-reach items. There is a massive range of different power-ups and I really like Power Sneeze!! Coins can be collected to spend in the town's shop. However, be wise and leave enough cash for your bus fare which is the method you take to play the following level. How very odd!

I love it when a platformer like this actually comes with gameplay that matches the aesthetics perfectly! The controls are a joy and complemented by interesting ideas and amusing mechanics. Simple, and it works. Why didn't I know about Rolling Ronny back in the day? I missed this one and I'm gutted about that!

Right then, let's take a little break for another colourful screenshot with our red-nosed fella on skates...

This jump across the water looks tricky! Surely, I can make it in one?

16-bit Sex Appeal

The visuals are fantastic with superb cartoon quality, comical sprites and very smooth scrolling. It's obvious that colour is a big deal because of the richly decorated backgrounds, even the title screen is a stunning Spectrum 512 image. I believe this was Bones Park's only Atari ST game and they should be proud of their achievement.

The audio is nice with a sweet title tune (that I can't get out of my head) all thanks to Adrian Dalecki. The neat sound effects are accompanied by an obsessive tune that manages to get my foot tapping. No complaints from me!!

And on that note, let's view the final screenshot...

Hang on a moment, there's an actual droplet of water chasing me? Or is it a ghost lol

The CryptO'pinion?

As platformers go, Rolling Ronny doesn't exactly break the mould but the addition of a skating clown is a rather odd idea that works (even if he has mad hair - well, just look at the hideous barnet - lol - brilliant). There are a few niggles which I didn't care for, the most irritating is failing to collect enough cash for the bus fare. I hate that as I've done it many times!!

However, there is something about this quirky and extremely entertaining game that I love. It's so much fun - for all the family - whilst offering a challenge that keeps you coming back for more. This ain't no lame Amiga port, it's obvious that a lot of love went into making Rolling Ronny. One of the best platformers for the Atari ST. Yes, I actually said that.

Floppy & hard disk versions from Klaz!

Switchblade

Looks like Ricky D. has a new bandana?

Switchblade was released in 1989 by Gremlin Graphics and programmed by Simon Phipps. Yes, he of the Atari ST classic Rick Dangerous. Okay, we are a little dude called Hiro who wears a bandana and must explore the UnderCity to locate sixteen broken fragments of the Fireblade to reap revenge on today's evil entity - Havoc! This beast has been on a savage rampage, after being dormant for 10,000 years. So it's time for us to save the day... once again!

Okay, I'm always worried when a big name makes something that is along similar lines to what they're famous for. After all, this is another platformer so, will we get another carbon copy of Rick Dangerous or will it be different?

Hmm, I worry too much so let's begin with a couple of cool screenshots...

Wow, that is in-your-face aggression alright!

Hmm, looks easy enough. Just gotta drop down a couple of levels. Hang on, what's that?

Get ready for a great adventure

We begin on the surface before taking the leap (fall) into the orientally inspired UnderCity. This labyrinth is made up of lots of individual rooms and exploring each is fascinating and enjoyable. Tread with caution because you never know what baddies might materialise from out of thin air. Your route is completely "free-roaming", which I love.

Look out for dodgy blocks that might crack with a single kick: these can unveil health and weapon power-ups or may even lead you on into hidden rooms of even more goodies. Boss characters appear regularly, the first is easy to kill whereas later ones can be quite frustrating and beaten only with patience and lots of well-timed jumping. The only negative is the immense size of the map which isn't - visually - diverse so I often needed to backtrack after getting a little lost.

The controls are superb with all the usual movements like running, jumping and climbing ladders but there are also three kinds of attack. Tapping firing allows you to punch like a weak Arnold Schwarzenegger but you should also notice a white combat meter along the bottom right? This helps perform two kicks: holding the fire button for a mere second (so the meter isn't at full strength) will perform a high kick Jean Claude Van Damme would be proud of. Finally, holding it down indefinitely performs a powerful Chuck Norris sweeping kick. Which is superb!!

Wake up, there's something creeping up on you mister!


Tighten that bandana, Rambo. Now, go and kick his monster ass!

NESthetics!

Visually, I doubt Hiro will blow your socks off but it's clean and well-designed with a great 8-bit Nintendo style I thought. Underneath its unassuming graphics is a rather functional design with great details and the characters are excellent with nice details that I loved. Also, the game self-maps in a similar fashion to Ranarama or even Rogue.

Switchblade has killer audio with brilliant chiptune bleeps from none other than Ben Daglish. Or you could decide to hear sampled sound effects? I love both and couldn't decide which I preferred in the end (a good predicament to be in?)

Yes, there's a Ricky D. vibe plus a dollop of Saboteur and NES thrown in for good measure.

The level guardians are either daft or just plain awkward to hit - I wish they would keep still!!

The CryptO'pinion?

Switchblade is awesome. It's got a great adventure element that blends well with the action. Plus the lack of a linear structure is perfect for an explorer like me who is eager to see what's around the next corner. Thus it actually keeps you enthralled throughout. This is one of the few games I've completed and I will definitely come back to it again (and again).

As with Rick Dangerous, this is most certainly one of the best platformers available for the Atari ST.

Fancy picking up the gauntlet to help Hiro find the scattered fragments?

It will involve deep exploration, fighting lots of silly monsters and several freaky boss dudes?

Grab the floppy or hard disk installable games right away and enjoy this incredible game.

Tip: you might find these maps useful to properly enjoy this beautiful platformer.

Impossamole

Monty Mole made it onto the Atari ST!!

I loved Monty Mole on my ZX Spectrum so I had high expectations of Impossamole. However, I was soon shocked to see a number of critical changes had been made and not always for the better. Why do they do that?

There are five huge levels to explore and you can begin on any of the first four, the fifth is locked until these are completed. Each is very different with its own unique environment, bad guys and cruel traps. Weirdly, this is now a scrolling platformer rather than the original flick-screen as seen in most games from that era.

However, the most shocking of all is that Monty can now fight back using karate kicks and weapons. It's a nice idea if the kicks had much effect and the weapons were plentiful and fun to use. Guess what, neither works and having Monty suddenly turn into a Mole version of Chuck Norris doesn't fit in with the original theme.

At least there's no Arthur Scargill

My first game began as an exciting stroll through memory lane with many familiar sights through a similar mining environment. However, my fun ended thanks to the basic mechanics which failed miserably. Things might appear nice but each level is impossibly tricky with enemies that appear to know your every move - before you've made it.

Also, Monty only has one life and it's not long until a couple of monsters have zapped your energy bar and "Game Over" comes all too soon. Sure, Monty can try to fight back with his kicks but those legs are way too short to be useful. The weapons are a neat idea but they're too few and far between. Nice ideas, badly executed.

My thoughts? As I said earlier, fighting back not only doesn't work here but it goes against the grain of what makes a Monty Mole game. The weapons are rubbish and his kicks are too short - well - moles only have little legs! This whole concept feels like an idea bolted onto the game last minute. It does not work.

Impossible Mole!

It doesn't matter which level I chose to play, the name Impossamole lives up to the expectations of being literally impossible. Every level will need to be pre-played to learn all the unfair and irritating traps that make no sense. Not to mention the enemies which are often impossible to kill and can appear from nowhere too.

That might actually sound 'fair' for a platformer but it doesn't work; the weaponry isn't good enough and the overall difficulty is constantly off the scale. Terrible, and incessantly far too tough. Whoever beta tested this game and then thought to themselves, "yes, it's ready" needs to be shot. Okay, I'm 30 years late - but shoot him anyways!

Can you tell I am absolutely gutted that I'm whinging about a game I was really excited about?

Graphics and Sounds?

Visually, this is a beautiful game with each level looking absolutely incredible. The attention to detail is stunning with highly detailed levels and gorgeous sprites plus everything moves along smoother than a hot knife in soft butter. To say it's impressive is an understatement because it's absolutely brilliant in every respect. I have zero complaints.

The scrolling... Well done @Andy Green!! Nailed it. No lame Amiga port here, folks.

The title music is a rendition of the Rob Hubbard classic and is chiptune magic. This is something I can leave playing in the background all night long. Sadly, the same cannot be said for the sound effects which are sparse.

The CryptO'pinion?

I really don't know what to make of Impossamole. Technically, it's well-programmed with great visuals and fantastic joystick controls. It appears to have it all. However, it's simply far too difficult thus infuriating and without any enjoyment. Fancy releasing a game that's no fun? That's literally the opposite Core needed to do...

Impossamole could easily have been another Rick Dangerous but, alas, it's the weakest Monty game in the entire series for any computer. I'm tempted to add Impossamole to my list!! Arrrgh, I hated this game. But I hated hating it more!!

If you're curious, then floppy disks can be found here with a hard disk version by D-Bug.

Astro Marine Corps

Creepy ass monsters are coming to get you!

Sometimes a game doesn't need a longwinded storyline, cunning puzzles or life-sucking RPG elements. Sometimes all you want is a huge mother of a weapon (with unlimited ammo of course) and lots of baddies in need of urgent annihilation. Be happy because Dinamic's AMC fits the bill with lots of gratifyingly brutal violence!

This multi-level scrolling shoot 'em up involves nothing more than walking grim alien landscapes to hammer down the fire button and kill everything in sight. Upgradeable weapons use a directional-firing technique and our marine can also crouch and leap high into the air with wiggly legs. We are also equipped with powerful bombs, which are needed when the main gun isn't effective... Hmm, perhaps you should drop a few into the crater?

The aliens are an obscene bunch of misfits ranging from man-eating plants to mechanoids that even Robocop would run away from. Don't get too close to the unassuming caterpillars, these will suddenly grow in size - and teeth!! I think AMC has some of the best enemies ever and the monstrously huge Guardian proves it.

Technically, AMC could have been better. I got a whiff of a rushed port: the scrolling could have been more energetic, and the landscapes look unfinished, but the joystick controls are excellent. However, it is awkward reaching for the keyboard to throw a bomb - especially when mechanoids are chasing. Sigh, with a bit of spit and polish...

Overall, AMC is crude and predictable but it's also thoroughly entertaining with great baddies, crunchy sound effects and tons of action. I loved being an Astro Marine because it's fantastic killing alien scumbags. Superb!!


Waste no more time and install AMG onto your hard drive or grab the floppies.

Stonish has a couple of great Menu disks: Dodgysoft #81 and Flame Of Finland #25.

Even the plant life is out to get you in this crazy game so watch out where you walk!!

Awe look everyone it's a strange little worm... No... Wait... ARGHHH it's growing!!

This thingamabob is absolutely superb. Look at the detail in his eyes and teeth. Love it!!

AMG has some huge monsters but the bosses are even bigger. This beast is ginormous!!

Frankenstein

Fronkensteen!

I wonder how many got that? Anyhow, let's kick off the new year with awesome box art from my collection. I bought Frankenstein for only a couple of quid and instantly fell in love with the comical artwork that reminds me of (you guessed it) Young Frankenstein. Plus I don't own anything else by Zeppelin so it's a sweet addition to my collection.

< Update: I have fully mapped this game. Check it out!! >

This platformer was released in 1992 and is, of course, horror-themed and feels like it's taken ideas from a selection of games, like Warlock and Horror Zombies. We're a slave to the bad-tempered doctor who needs several chilling items that should help him regenerate life into a dead corpse. A good twist on the expected storyline I'm sure you'll agree?

The cover is obviously excellent, let's now take a look at the back of the back and the box contents...

Nice style around the back too, I thought.

Here's the floppy disk. Exciting stuff, right?

And finally, the manual. It's more of a pamphlet that opens out. Not bad I guess for a budget game...

Egor - Half man... Half creature... All idiot!

Yes, we are Egor. A fella who, not only has a hump the size of Texas but is also the doctor's unappreciated lackey. He suffers his demand to find several gruesome items and to complete this he needs several oddities ranging from a pillow to a hanged man's body which is left abandoned in the woods. Absolutely brilliant stuff and very B-movie too - love it!!

This is a game all about following orders. Your orders come from the doctor who needs different parts for his ... experiment. You're nothing more than a number, so follow his orders and seek out everything he needs. Easy, right?

The play area is huge and you begin in the mad doctor's castle but we are free to explore wherever we choose. That includes the dungeons or going outside into a spooky forest and into the local village with its creepy morgue. There are many creatures along the way like spiders, skulls, wolfmen, ghosts, rats and even animated body parts.

Here is a little animation I made a while back that should give an idea of how the game plays...

Climb trees, dodge bats, spiders, zombies and more. A fantastic night out!

Things that go bump in the night

Egor isn't exactly the bravest guy and hates creepy things, so there is a fright-o-meter that displays his current state of mind. This ranges from "okay" to "panic" and will degrade each time he touches something nasty. Once he's a blithering wreck, Egor will drop whatever he's carrying to rush back to the Doctor. He loses a life by getting a 5-ton weight dropped on him whilst suffering verbal abuse. And then he gets punched in the face!

Yes, it's a harsh life being the servant of the insane Doctor Frankenstein. However, it's rumoured that a young serving wench is the one kind soul who may help to reduce his anxiety issues... hmm saying nothing...

No platformer is worth its salt unless the control mechanics are smooth, precise and responsive. It always saddens me when a potentially great platformer has been ruined by controls that don't feel quite right - just look at Chuckie Egg II right here on AtariCrypt as a cruel example of how to spoil an 8-Bit classic! Thankfully, Egor's walking speed is just right and he also jumps with such effortless ease. Spot-on perfect joystick controls, I say.

Just look at that iron maiden and the broken arm hanging in the chains. Superb!

Big tips

This is a simple game at heart, it really is just a case of finding items scattered about many rooms. So, why not have a dry run and explore the entire map first, rather than jumping straight in? I would also recommend making notes of all item locations too. So, as you stumble upon something that can be carried, make a note of the location.

For those with even more spare time on their hands, I would recommend the above BUT also go a step further. Because of a nasty time limit (I hate timers!!) why not collect as many items as possible that are located only in the most distant places? Bring them over to the doctor's castle and leave as many as you can here. This will save a lot of time.

However, all this depends on you having lots of spare time. If not, maybe play something else? ;)

Fancy a cheat? Hmm, it will ruin the game but if you're sick and tired of getting scared then enter this code as an high-score “J4Z”. Now start a new game and you will never get scared again! (sadly, the timer remains unaffected)

Watch yourself out there, you're no hero so keep an eye on the fright-o-meter.

Aesthetics

Graphically, this is a mixed bag for me. Don't get me wrong, each screen has an extraordinary cartoon-like style, especially in the 'Spooky Forest' with scary trees, ghosts, bats, and funny zombie-like men. I am constantly amazed by the attention to detail and throughout we have excellent animations for all. Hey, I love that pitchfork guy!

The game uses a push-scrolling technique which is a little too slow and I feel flick-screen would have been a much better option. It's the only quibble I have because push feels unnecessarily too sluggish.

Sound effects are good but limited to collecting items, bumping into monsters and strange lightning weather. This lightning will get more frequent as you progress through the game collecting items. Towards the end, it's really sinister!

Well, here is my hi-score for a game using no cheats. No sir. Honest... (Can you beat it?)

The CryptO'pinion?

This is a cracking platformer with progressively challenging gameplay as you go on the hunt each time. I adore its spooky theme and each screen is incredibly detailed without ever becoming impossibly hard to conquer. I can spend hours exploring its huge map which constantly reminds me of my 8-Bit days playing games like Chiller, Chuckie Egg 2, etc.

A positively simple platformer that doesn't technically push the Atari ST nor needed to. The gameplay is on top form and great fun which is what matters. Give it the time it deserves as this is one of the best platformers and I love it!!

If this gives you the hump then grab it on floppy or hard disk!

Platform Capers

My ST turned into a 2600!

Platform Capers was released in 1992 by Kay Downes for Budgie UK and has obvious 8-Bit roots which is something I'm instantly attracted to. Aesthetically, I feel it's a cross between Clod Hopper, Jumping Jack and Donkey Kong with adorable authentic graphics and sound effects. These transport me back to the early 80s when I was a kid sitting in my cold room in front of an old portable tv waiting for my Speccy to finish loading from tape.

The objective is simple, collect the keys on each of the levels before exiting through the doorway. However, there is a myriad of frustratingly cunning enemies we need to avoid. Touch one and a life is lost and we go tumbling down the screen like a fat plumber. It's brilliant and classically old school gameplay. However, it's very hard...

I believe there are 7 levels but I dare anyone to complete this game without resorting to a cheat!! At best, I have reach level 4. However, I more often than not, will struggle to complete level 3, if I'm honest. On bad days, I can struggle to beat level 2 and usually end up throwing the joystick down in temper!

Superbly programmed but the design is far too difficult. I love & hate Platform Capers in equal measure.

Horror Zombies From The Crypt

Bring out your dead!

I've always been fascinated with Astral's haunted house platformer from all the way back in 1990. It's full of charm with a comical edge and no haunting would be the same without lots of frightful creatures! We have everything from witches, zombies, werewolves, vampires, ghosts and even the odd weird statue that sticks out its tongue at you.

Each level has a particular task which is described to us during a mini-intro at the start. The objective is to hunt down and collect all the skulls and lay their souls to rest. However, this is one tricky platformer through, it's a maze of creepy screens that often contain infuriating traps to catch you out. This is no arcade-style platformer, more of a Fire And Brimstone so keep your composure and wear your patient head, Worzel. And by that, I mean it starts easy but ends up 'challenging'!

I have always adored a 'horror' theme since playing Chiller, so let's check out the first scary screenshot...

The artwork is beautifully creepy and I love the attention to detail - look at those eyes!!

Enter the haunted house!

The first level introduces us nicely to the game's freaky, yet comical personality with some puzzle-solving along with a variety of classic baddies: zombies, headless ghosts and a Morticia Addams lookalike. Initially, the puzzles are quite easy and shouldn't tax the grey matter too much: move a table to reach an item, find keys to unlock doors, and wear cute booties to creep past something scary. Things hot up on the next level with tougher monsters and trickier-level designs.

Level passes Wolfman, Hammer, Lugosi, Nosferatu & Garlic.

Every character is different and, I must admit to taking a liking to the wolfmen - but I hate the old hunchbacked witches who will drop rocks with surprising accuracy! Every level has a password so there is never a need to restart from the beginning each time which is an excellent idea and one I wish more games would have supported (I'm talking to you Navy Seals!). Hint: try and remember to search for hidden rooms or secret objects that may need a different type of key.

This game is tough and is no pushover so expect lots of comical deaths. Like this one here...

Oh no, a skeleton with a bow!!! Gets me every time...

Aesthetics

The visual style is perfectly apt for the 1950s cinematic theme with smooth scrolling, spooky artwork and freaky characters. Everything you see is superbly animated - just wait until you die and see yourself shudder before violently suffering a Scanners-like headache. No matter the actual cause of death! I must say that I am impressed with the palette, each level is its own mini-movie and looks tremendous. The horror aspect is typically cheesy and I love it.

The audio is nothing short of incredible with a chippy rendition of Montagues and Capulets which couldn't have been a more perfect choice (I'm sure I'll be humming that all day long). The sound effects are high-quality samples with the wolf howls being my favourite. However, I'm disappointed there is nothing for my head-exploding deaths? That's weird!

Sound and vision are almost perfect in every respect! So let's look at an evil witch with her pet wolf...

I hate it when the old witch drops objects on my head!

The CryptO'pinion?

This is one of those games that will eat away your spare hours as it requires practice and a lot of patience. This game can be so cruel at times. In fact, it's often infuriating on the later levels, just try Family Chapel if you don't believe me. Oh, and Horror Zombies From The [Atari]Crypt is the perfect title for such a cheesy platformer. See what I did there?

Okay, I wish it was a little easier on many screens but I'll never be bored of killing wolfmen and zombies. Although I admit to running away like a scared child from those piercing glares a vampire can give! This is a fun platformer with lots of puzzles, action and a cruel design that's always going to win. Like with Fire & Brimstone, it's tough but it's superb!!

The HDD download can be found on D-Bug

Floppies can be sourced via Old Games Finder