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. This was one of my favourite ZX Spectrum and a truly outstanding release. Alas, the Atari ST game was never meant to be (unless I used an emulator lol), 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 8-bit classic! However, the historical storyline and adventure elements are completely gone in favour of four levels of brutal arcade-style killing. So grab your big boy pants because this is going to be tough!

Wanna see 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!

So, the game begins a little weird. We're a muscle-bound Schwarzenegger trapped inside an isometric POW camp, and we already have a machine gun! The objective is to find a way to escape - before attacking the enemy and destroying their entire base. The enemy will come after you constantly, but they're not the most intelligent and run around like headless chickens - a little annoyingly. Other soldiers will hide in trenches or operate gun turrets, and you should also look out for other 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 - aka the enemy!! 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 items 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, and there's a supply of wire cutters left inside the POW camp. Hmm, that's two interesting pointers you should remember. How helpful am I?

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, primarily thanks to the headless chickens running about. They blindly shoot everything with extreme efficiency. Who play-tested this game?

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

Download for floppy or hard disk.

Gauntlet III - The Final Quest

Oh, dear...

Sorry, I meant to say, here we have Gauntlet 3 developed by Software Creations for US Gold. Yet another sequel to the incredible arcade game we love. Only this time, somebody thought that the winning formula of speed and frantic action wasn't good enough for the 1990s. Here we go. Yup, somebody decided that a modernized version with a new isometric design was needed to replace the classic overhead view.

Please note that I tried to keep an open mind throughout. Rather than being a grumpy old man wondering why his favourite game had been drastically changed. It's not all bad surely? Of course not, but why change a winning formula? Nevermind, let's crack on with the review...

Yes, it looks different, but in a good way, actually. I liked how we begin the opening levels in a spooky forest; this stage looks the part. All the familiar Gauntlet elements are lurking in these woods: ghosts, generators, treasure, and food. The idea remains much the same as ever - we hack and slash through to a medieval church, killing everything in our wake. Not only that, but the levels appear huge; this is a big game.

Let's view a cheap & tacky screenshot that I took with my phone off my Atari ST...

The ruins of an old church deep in the woods. That tree looks scary, so let's get inside quick!

Let's kill monsters!

First things first, who do we want to be - Warrior, Wizard, Rockman, Lizard Man, Elf, and more. That's right, there are many more characters! One or two players can team up (definitely better with two), and the classic gameplay mechanics remain much the same. We're still throwing axes, arrows, magic, and more directly into the faces of ghosts, goblins, and other hideous creatures that emerge from their generators.

The levels are vast and divided into several smaller sections, which you can revisit whenever you like. Monsters constantly spawn, so blast the generators! Remember your usual strategy: collect treasure and eat food. Shooting a potion clears the screen of enemies, or you can collect them for later use. Escaping to the next realm is only possible after completing simple tasks like collecting keys and that sorta stuff.

Essentially, they wanted this to be Gauntlet but with an isometric perspective. Unfortunately, I doubt that’s feasible. The original’s timeless appeal stemmed from the ability to start blasting monsters instantly, whether solo or with others. The action was fast-paced, but this isn’t the case with Gauntlet 3. Not even close.

I've progressed into the weirdly designed church for this next screenshot...

Inside the church are many ghosts and awkward objects to try to walk around...

Fighting in slo-mo?

The gameplay is a lot slower, so gone is that instant enjoyment of mass killing we love. The thrill has been replaced with a more sedate exploration that happens to include killing. That's how it feels to me; the frenzied action has gone. That's made worse thanks to the level design and terrible control mechanics.

Even walking is an issue, as the levels are littered with objects that need to be walked around. That might not sound like a big deal, but it is. I was sick & tired of getting stuck on the scenery. This applies to your weapons, which are often blocked when trying to hit a target. Heck, even the ghosts suffer from this problem!

The controls are lethargic and verrrrrry sluggish, making walking incredibly tiring. Furthermore, the attack speed is far too slow. This means we can’t destroy generators unless we walk and fight through hordes of ghosts, losing energy in the process. A faster firing rate would have instantly fixed this problem.

Surely, it's not all bad? No, but let's view one final screenshot before my judgment...

Looks like we've just walked straight into an ambush. Shoot the generators, if you can!

The CryptO'pinion?

Gauntlet 3 was programmed by Bill Barna of Software Creations, and I wonder if his job was to rush through a nasty Amiga port. It certainly feels that way. This is very disappointing given the company’s history of producing classics like Bubble Bobble, Ghouls & Ghosts, and Bionic Commando. What went wrong?

Ignoring that it's supposed to be the third in the series, this is actually enjoyable in its own right. I liked exploring the various lands and killing everything in sight. While the controls are somewhat problematic, it’s still a decent game. However, it falls short as a "Gauntlet" game and only redeems itself in co-op with a friend.

Downloads for floppy disk and hard drive.

Update: A GLIMMER OF HOPE?

Update: I have contacted Peter Putnik (8BitChip) to ask about a hard drive version that supports faster Atari computers. Once again he worked his magic and I've been enjoying Gauntlet 3 on my 16MHz Atari STe and yes, I said the word with enjoy in it!!

Sure, it still isn't perfect but, if you have a faster computer, then this update will help to eliminate some problems, especially with the unresponsive controls. 

And that's big news!! Gauntlet III is playable, at last.

Escape From The Planet Of The Robot Monsters

B-movie gaming

Evil Reptilons are hell-bent on destroying us humans and taking hold of Planet X. They've enslaved much of the population, forcing them to build a robot army for an invasion. Jake and Duke are two heroes with a simple plan: destroy as many robots as possible, trash the computers, rescue cute girls, and save the day.

Robot Monsters is played in a fashion similar to other 3D isometric games you might have seen, going back to the days of Knight Lore. Imagine a pinch of Buck Rogers with a dollop of Gauntlet, and you get the idea. The goal is to rescue the humans, without forgetting those held in stasis pods! Along the way are traps designed for us, soft fleshy humans: sharp spikes, rotating chunks of metal, and electric floor panels.

All this is going on whilst Planet X constantly spawns enemy robots. Yes, the alien horde is relentless, so you'd better be quick on the trigger, otherwise you will be overrun. It's insane, but it works. And it works better than other games that employ the same mechanic because it's manageable and playable.

This game is like living a B-Movie, so let's see some screenshots from the intro...

Grab a raygun and fight

We're not going to sit back and take this invasion lightly. Armed with a powerful weapon that is great for quick kills. However, refrain from overuse; otherwise, it is less effective. Thankfully, it can be charged by collecting the green blobs that a dead robot might leave behind after dying. There are also bombs - hit the shift key and they detonate. That kills anything nasty within your vicinity - even the captives, so be careful.

There are bonus stages along a canal route after a few levels, and they feature many extra bonuses. These aren't essential to your overall progress. Also, I wasn't too eager about them because I wanted to get playing the main game. The big Reptilon boss will first seem an impossible opponent, but there is a cunning way to avoid it by using a few bombs and a little joystick waggling!! Just ask me if you need any help.

A cynic might say, that's all there is to this game: Run around, kill monsters, rescue girls. Well, yes and no. Yes, that's the gist, AND IT'S BRILLIANT!! But no, you're a knob for even thinking that. Look, just play it.

I know, I know, you want more screenshots from the intro. Well, you're in luck...

Next-Gen aesthetics!

Back in the day, I remember being blown away by the comical artwork, which still looks great. In-game, I adore the isometric 3D viewpoint, which is perfect, and the entire environment has superb attention to detail. The Alien Hoard is varied and excellent - my favourite being the biscuit-looking guys lol. They're not biscuits, of course, but they are cute! That's this game to a tee; it's different and loves to be different. It works perfectly.

The audio is a blast, with zappy effects complementing the gorgeous background music. I like how it integrates during gameplay. Sure, I wish we had an extra channel, but the music beats away while you hear relevant sound effects. It works and sounds amazing. I loved the music, so click the arrow and listen for yourself.

Go on, I said, click this arrow just below and enjoy the YM Bliss...

AtariCrypt · Escape from the Planet of the Robot Monsters

Don't run away. Come back, there are girls to be rescued and robots to kill!

The CryptO'pinion?

I have really enjoyed playing this great game again after all these years. This is one of those shooters stuffed to the brim with originality and frantic metallic mayhem. Running around killing everything is totally demented and done with a comical personality, using great characters. This is a superb isometric shooter.

It's as much fun to play today as it was in 1990. Such an iconic 16-bit shooter, and I love it to bits!!

- DOWNLOAD for hard disk and floppy -