Badlands Pete

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get out of Dodge!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gunfright!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Aesthetics

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hints & Tips

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

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

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

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

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

The CryptO'pinion?

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

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

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

Galdregon's Domain (part two)

I have returned from the land of Mezron

Finally, here we are with the second part of Galdregon's Domain and if you missed the first article - with the hand-drawn maps I found inside the box - then clickety-click to read all about it (the maps are quite superb!!). Anyhow, what an unexpected ride this has been over the Christmas holidays. But did it live up to my expectations for a deep RPG heavy in exploration, probing conversations, and lots of monster-mutilation? Well, umm, yes and no...

The good points are a sense of adventure throughout its beautifully crafted world of intrigue and strife. Independence to explore is paramount and that aspect goes hand in hand with the lack of a linear path. This freedom enhances the feeling of your experience and I loved it so much. This is a varied and rich experience for both discovery and the characters you will meet along the way - many of whom are only too happy to chat rather than actually help.

However, this impressive RPG came with more than a few disappointments. As in, it's not an RPG. There are elements, like gathering better armour, weapons, and helpful items but there are no character attributes, experience, or levelling. Forget the lore or learning from conversations. Also, fights aren't exactly sensational beyond mere mouse-clicking.

Okay, let's ignore Pandora's trickery and battle on because the king needs our help, remember...

What the king doesn't tell you is that his kingdom is a terrifying place full of psychos & monsters!

The Quest?

The land is in turmoil, the evil wizard Azazael has been resurrected and now searches for the five gems of Zator. If possessed, he will gain ultimate power over the entire kingdom. We don't want that! You have been chosen to battle against the minions of evil to recover all five gems and thus, save the lands of Mezron. Can you get them before Azazael?

There's much to do and it's gonna be tough! Can you destroy the evil Medusa whose merest gaze turns flesh to stone? Can you outwit the high priestess of Set who holds sway over a temple full of horrors? Dare you to venture into the dark catacombs of Castle Seenar and cross swords with the dead. Oooh, this is all sounding rather troublesome!

Fear, not brave warrior your fate awaits... (oh great...)

The kingdom is teeming with people but this is one of the few times you're alone in the dark!

You're thrown in at the deep end without any gradual progression. Beat these guys if you can!

This Viking warrior is someone you should seek out straight away. I call him Tom.

Play The Game

Galdregon's Domain is instantly playable and that's a strength I love. This is thanks to a concise user interface detailing health and providing easy ways to interact and do battle. It's a cinch to master thus, you are able to start travelling about the lands without much hassle. Mainly because the map design is great without being unnecessarily complex.

We begin with little more than a loincloth, a health potion, and a sword - surprisingly shortsighted but an effective start nonetheless. The only way to find new gear will be to win battles and search their rotting corpses for useful items. That's a lot harder than you might imagine as this game is rather tight when it comes to (quality) loot. Well, very tight actually.

In most rooms, there are many characters but few initially offer any useful information. Talk to whomever you come across and listen to their quaint but sometimes interesting chat. Most are a bore, especially within the castle so it can be a chore until later but, even then, it's hardly significant. Which is odd. As an initial priority, it's worthwhile finding the castle's exit as soon as possible to begin probing the outside world for other places, items, and people.

Enjoy reading! Let's check out the next run of screenshots...

I tried talking to the wolf. I just had to... And then I killed it. Yep, that's what I'm all about.

But talking can be fruitful and this nice chap had a stash of goodies he wanted to share!

One of the spells is a shield amongst the many others. Grab them all!!

Character

You play the same character for each game. The game always starts with the king who summoned you for the quest of saving his kingdom. There is no character configuration or any chance to alter skills or other attributes. Of course, this isn't what I originally expected but the simplicity of starting barebones means you can begin without delay.

His castle is bigger than you might imagine and most rooms have somebody lurking. Talk to them to see what pearls of wisdom they possess but you might be disappointed with earlier characters offering little beyond a greeting or compliment. However, the deeper you venture, the safety within the King's castle isn't guaranteed. /Hint

Once you exit the king's castle, the world is your oyster with great distances to explore in all directions. It's here that several distinct types of stages are accessible. Each can be attempted in any order and provides a different spin on the adventuring format. Within any part are dozens of people, creatures, and monsters just waiting to be found. Talk if you can, and make notes of their snippets of information because you may just need that later on and they are often very vague.

I think it's a good idea to see some of the folk you're likely to encounter...

These friendly four greet you at a tower entrance but won't allow you to leave!

Although strong and armed to the teeth, I got my ass handed to me by this fella!

Not everyone is out to kill you. Look, I found Robin Hood and his merry men!

Interaction

The characters are plentiful but a good chinwag isn't exactly an astounding experience. Conversations are limited by the 'talk' command which lacks options and produces only a short one-liner. Most of the talk is pointless but there are some characters who will subtly point you in the direction of the gems, people/clans or help provide tips.

This text zips across the screen in a similar fashion to Damocles but it feels rather unwarranted here. It's quite hard to read on my monitor compared to an older CRT... I guess that's more my fault than the game?

At times I didn't understand the context of a conversation. For example, entering the temple, I was greeted by a soldier who said "hello...". He didn't appear aggressive but, after a couple more Talk button clicks, he asked if I was going the right way - and then began attacking. I killed him but none of that made any sense! A polite aggressor.

Anyhow, it's often a good idea to stop for a yap with whoever pops onto the screen. Sometimes it's handy when information is freely given, however, most of the time it's rather fruitless. Yes, most of the time. Anyhow, I think 'talk' should have been heavily improved or replaced with more detailed location descriptions to read through.

Let's view some more screenshots, this time from gripping conversations...

I met this goblin after only a few minutes and he told me where a gem is. Dare I go?

This sounds like an invite I should refuse. Are they doggers? Yeah, I reckon they are!!

These guys were waiting for me outside a tavern and had absolutely nothing worthwhile to say!

Let's fight!

Battles are frequent in the lands of Mezron but that doesn't mean they're riveting. I failed to see any tactical element because the whole affair is little more than (quickly) choosing a weapon and then clicking on the mouse until your enemy drops. Sure, I can use any number of weapons but it's all rather predictable without depth or structure.

This is partly due to no detail being provided for your current weapon or the ghoul you may wish to engage in battle. This means I had no perspective or helpful details for all battles - because I knew nothing of my weaponry or how strong the enemy was. Also, most weapons break after a couple of battles and that leaves you fumbling through a sluggish user interface to source a replacement. All during a real-time battle and thus losing precious health!

I support the need to stand your ground but that doesn't mean you should fight every battle like a complete idiot. Consider hightailing it to safety using the 'run' command to quickly scurry off to a quieter place. If at the expense of possibly losing your bearings. Use with caution.

I'm not daft, for these screenshots, I am fighting three midgets like a big cowardly custard lol... 

Typical, and I thought I could sneak into the castle without being seen...

The three dwarfs were easy kills for me and my magical sword!

So now let's ransack their tiny corpses for valuables before scarpering off.

Inventory & Map

No RPG is worth its salt without a magical backpack to carry loot, spare weapons, and other useful items. Can you imagine how that would look in real life? Anyhow, Galdregon's Domain has a nice inventory screen which is basic but uses a concise design with ample slots to fill. It's also the screen used to protect our naked body with items of clothing.

Within the inventory screen are two tabs for backpack and location. The first is what you possess whilst the other represents what's in your current location. That's a good design and allows us to rummage through a corpse in the hope of finding lots of goodies. However, this is where I felt the Inventory showed its limitations - sure, basic functions are available to eat food for example but, there is no ability to select a weapon, potion, or scroll. This is done in-game.

Finally, pressing the right mouse button (for the second time) will display an overhead map of the entire kingdom. This is superb and helps navigate between each stage without getting lost when out in the sticks. Sadly, the game doesn't feature any auto-mapping within these individual stages - so grab that pen and paper (ala part one).

Right then, surely you're getting sick and tired of all this reading? Thought so. Screenshots are here...

Use your legs because not every place is shown on your map...

The map also doesn't display this walkway through the northeastern forest.

And the map also doesn't show fellow travellers walking about the land - so always explore!

The mission?

The game is based solely on the main objective of finding the five gems which is a problem. This means that there is nothing more to do other than fighting your way through the hoards during a walkabout to the places that have them. Okay, there are side-quests, but these aren't a necessity nor worthwhile. They're just there if you fancy extra leg work.

However, the quest for each gem is a crusade in itself. All will have you battling many, many different baddies before you eventually reach a 'boss'. To be honest, I would stay clear of this part - for as long as possible - whilst you instead look for clothing, weapons, potions, etc/etc. Take your time, be careful, and turn over every stone.

Look, just forget boss battles unless you're tooled up and that only comes after massive exploration.

Hey look, I've found a secret opening into the woodlands. Yes, so dense an opening is needed!

Let's be serious and play properly. I wonder if these two gentlemen have anything to offer?

Sometimes I enjoyed running around killing things but he's already dead!

Tips to get you started

• You aren't as tough as you think, start slow and don't be too cocky!
• Exploration and communication are always key factors so don't be too quick to rush off.
• Certain smaller buildings will help get you started with a sword, scrolls and potions.
• Don't get lost - use the map when roaming outside in the wild.
• Not everywhere is shown on the game's map...
• Why not seek refuge and friends in the Enchanted Woods?

Here are a few more

• Whenever a dungeon nasty appears, and you don't wanna fight, quickly walk on!
• Similary, why talk to a stranger when you can kill him and plunder his corpse?
• However, think twice before attacking a gang and watch that stamina.
• Forget about looking for gems until you're tooled up with weapons, items and clothing.

Ultimately...

• * * * Save-your-game-regularly!!

This kind soul will freely hand over something rather special that helps get you out of trouble.

Eat this, man thing? How rude! Who's he calling man thing?

I want that gem but this boss dude wouldn't hand it over. And he killed me very, very easily.

Graphics & Sounds

Like Dungeon Master, Galdregon's Domain employs a similar pseudo-3D first-person perspective and each move is performed using 90° turns. Worried about getting lost in a dungeon that looks the same at every turn? Fear not, because it's stunning with fantastic attention to detail for each and every different type of location. I also adore how each character has been drawn with such careful precision. Some of the best artwork I've seen outside of Xenomorph.

Thankfully, there is no in-game music to spoil the atmosphere of this 'RPG' as I would have switched it off if there were. Instead, we have lots of sampled sound effects ranging from the chinks of your sword to excessive grunts and frightening howls emitting from distant places. I longed for footsteps otherwise the audio is spot-on perfect.

In other words, Galdregon's Domain looks and sounds superb which means more screenshots to view...

The hill with an eye! I wonder where it leads? (Wait, are you armed to the teeth?)

You have to admire the gorgeous details of most monsters, especially when they're killing you!

However, sometimes there are too many to fight at once. Or displayed properly (I count 5)

The CryptO'pinion?

It's hard to know where to begin... Okay, when I picked up the box, I was fooled into thinking this was an RPG or Dungeon Master wannabe. It's not. It might look the part but it's nothing at all like I had initially hoped. It's an adventure game - there is no progression or experience to be gained because this is deceivingly masquerading as an RPG.

The main hallmarks of Galdregon's Domain are an excellent adventure deep in exploration with many places and people. Sadly, it's let down by a severe lack of items and pointless combat that feels random and segregated. Don't get me started about the horror of replacing a broken weapon during the heat of battle. Ultimately, it's awkward and feels completely unbalanced with too many enemies and too few pickups to keep you replenished.

I sense I have moaned a lot about Galdregon's Domain? Well, there are lots that bugged me and much that didn't make any sense. It's not Dungeon Master but, as an action/adventure, I liked exploring an open world with beautiful graphics and convincing sound effects. This is an excellent place to lose yourself and I enjoyed it a bunch. Recommended.

You'll see this screen a lot. Fear not brave adventurer and simply reload your saved game.
Hang on, you are using that save game option regularly, right?

Galdregon's Domain (part one)

Update The second part is now published which you can read all about here

Hello ST world, it's been a while!

Let me begin by thanking my ST buddies, from all over the world, who sent messages the last few months. And cheers to those who bought me a beer!! It's been rough but I'm glad to begin my journey back into the glorious lands of Atari ST. Actually, my computer is looking quite sad and in need of a good clean, the poor thing.

Okay, dragging me back - kicking and screaming for luscious ST pleasure - is something that I bought years ago. For months it's been on my ST shelf whispering subliminal messages like, "Psst, check me out!", "Hey you, come over here and play", "Stevie, I'm here and ready for action", "Boot me up, baby". Erm, anyhow you get the picture!

Galdregon's Domain is the temptress and first appears as something of a Dungeon Master, which is never a bad thing. It's the product of Pandora and coded by Steve Briggs, who I've not heard of so perhaps this was his one and only ST venture? The graphics are stunning. Gorgeous and scenic with beautifully-drawn monsters and characters by Robin Chapman, Martin Severn and Martin Godbeer. Mike Brown provided the samples for the sound effects - used for creeky doors to frightening screams emitting distant places. A lot of love went into the aesthetics of this adventure game.

Weirdly, the box art is rather - suspect - but I've covered this before and it's always worth a laugh at Pandora's take on Conan. Inside the box, are three disks, (why would I wanna use those when the Automation boys have a belting one-disk version!), a rather flimsy manual, and a few sheets of A4 paper.

Hang on, did I say A4 paper? Yep, to my fascination, the original owner has fully mapped the opening stage along with some of the forest areas. I absolutely love finding snippets of ST history like this!!! I wonder who he was? Did he stay up each night carefully crawling and drawing the dungeon with each and every step? Did he complete the game? Are you sitting there right now and thinking to yourself, "Hey, I did that". If so - please, get in touch using the comments below.

Okay, I bet that you're all dying to see these maps? All you need to do is scroll down a little...

This part is an overall view of the area. Let's go to that pub!!

Drilling deeper into specific areas now. I can scan these if anyone is interested?

So what's the plan?

I love getting enthralled in a new world where I can enjoy adventure, lore, and exploration. There's nothing better than discovering places, solving quests and fighting hideous monsters with a giant sword. Heck, I might even make a few friends in the local tavern? Who knows, this little-known game by Pandora might actually be something special?

So, I shall take a stab at conquering Galdregon's Doman. It appears what I'm longing for; a mix of RPG, adventure, and action. It should quench my cravings for a decent return to the Atari ST? Yes, I know I could have booted up Dungeon Master, Shadowlands, The Temple of Apshai Trilogy, The Curse of Rabenstein, etc... but I crave something new (to me).

Let's take a gander through a few screenshots taken from my first play. Check out these visuals...

Okay, here's the starting screen and the King is asking for our help.
His loyal subjects appear for a chinwag. I wonder what pearls of wisdom they possess?
The user interface is good to use for interaction and easy movements.
The only thing that's a little weird is the use of a scroller for chat and messages...

Anyhow, I went for a wander and came upon this little filly! I think she's hungry?

I've no time to eat so onwards I go and meet up with a guard. He seems nice!

I'm lost but it isn't long until two dolly birds help me out. I think they're twins!!

At last, the exit!! But the doorway is locked... how can I open it? Hmm...

Outside, I'm free to wander the lands. The weather is lovely and the king has a grand castle.

Oh great, the first place I found and it's haunted!! But wait, this ghost needs our help for a quest.

First impressions?

Galdregon's Domain looks very promising. Its world is incredibly diverse and takes place over a ginormous region. Plus the freedom to openly explore is daunting and compelling to an old adventurer like me.

So far, I've been attacked by soldiers, bitten by wolves, sent on a fruitless mission by a ghost, and chased out of a temple by a gang of cultists. Of course, I didn't last long, but it was only my first attempt(s). Perhaps I should look to clothe myself in armour and yield better weapons?

Yes, folks, exciting times are afoot and I will enjoy slaying monsters and pillaging their rotting corpses. I wonder what other monsters and dark secrets are waiting to be discovered? I'm sure this will be exciting. So, have you played it? What did you think? I'll be interested to hear your thoughts. Watch this space for the second part of this review coming "soon".

Merry Christmas everyone and all the best for 2022. STay Atari.