Warlock the Avenger

Druid

Warlock the Avenger is the third and final chapter in the Druid trilogy. What trilogy, I hear you ask? Well, the first two games were on 8-bit machines, so you may have missed them before upgrading to the Atari ST. I certainly don’t recall either, although I do have fond memories of Electric Dreams’ Dandy (ZX Spectrum).

Warlock the Avenger is a top-down maze game, similar to Gauntlet. You explore labyrinths, blasting monsters with your wand, loot treasure chests, and desperately search for the exit while enemies respawn with irritating enthusiasm. Additionally, Millennium has included the original game, which is an incredible freebie!

Here, we play a druid spellcaster dude tasked with saving the land of Belorn from yet another surge of demonic chaos (I guess we didn't win in the other games?). Anyhow, an evil lord named Acamantor has clawed his way back from oblivion to enslave everyone. Our mission is to reawaken ancient elemental magic by navigating monster-infested mazes filled with passages, magical power-ups, and plenty of treasure.

Sounds pretty cool, right? Yeah, so let's see a screenshot...

The status bar shows what we have. Keep an eye on it, especially spells and keys.

Let's play!

The opening level plonks you into a woodland surrounded by roaming hordes. Some enemies go down easily, while others soak up multiple hits, encouraging you to switch wand types - some spells are more effective against specific foes. That is something you learn early on, with unobvious help from using the F6 key.

A status bar along the top of the screen shows your energy, keys, power-ups, and spells. Keep your eyes on this, especially the available firepower and keys. Sadly, you only get one life, and contact with an enemy drains your energy. Thankfully, there are special floor tiles that replenish it, but they’re pretty scarce.

Treasure chests are scattered throughout and are absolutely central to survival. Inside, you’ll find spells, keys, screen-clearing special powers, and occasionally a friendly Golem ally. But there's a catch: while a chest may contain several items, you can’t just grab everything and run. Only one thing may be taken, and once you've chosen, that’s it - the chest is gone forever. A poor choice can doom your entire run!

This decision-making is the real heart of Warlock: do you take more firepower, or stock up with keys, but risk running out of "ammo"? Early on, it feels forgiving, but later levels flood you with locked doors. No matter how many keys you think you’ve collected, it never seems to be enough. Arghh, so irritating.

Warlock transported me straight back to my 8-bit gaming days as it’s deceptively simple: explore, kill, loot and repeat. However, the real challenge lies in resource management, particularly looting treasure chests. While spells are often your primary weapon against beasts, keys are arguably the most crucial items.

Several levels in, I found myself completely stuck. The exit lay behind a locked door. I couldn't find any hidden passageways, and I had no keys left. Plus, every chest had already been looted. My only option was to backtrack to a previous level, in the blind hope of finding a chest I may have missed. Sigh.

So close, but no cigar? Well, maybe, but let's see another screenshot...

The ghouls are constantly spawning and are up for a chase. Relentless they are!

Big Tips

This is a maddening game, so do you fancy a few juicy tips? Of course, you do...

• Never open a chest unless the immediate area is clear of monsters.
• Different spells work better on certain enemies. So, switch if something took 2/3 shots to die!
• Hidden passageways are literally invisible, so stay close to a wall to find one.
• No matter how many goodies are inside a chest, only one item can be taken.
• Chests can only be opened once.
• Firepower is important, of course, but the keys are essential.
• Try to hug the walls, as there might be a hidden passage nearby.
• Forget the spells unless you have an abundance of keys!
• Control the wizard in the opening screen to access the original game.
• Did I mention how important keys and hidden passages are?

I already have loads of spells, so I chose the key from this treasure chest...

Ah, the chest screen with many goodies, but you're only allowed to pick one!

Aesthetics

Players who started their computing life on the Atari ST may find it looks dated. Those of us who upgraded from 8-bit machines will likely feel right at home. It has the look of a ZX Spectrum game without colour clash. The scrolling is always smooth, and the sprites generally look cool - especially on the later levels.

Talking of 8-bit, the original original game never made it to the Atari ST, but it's included, which is a fantastic addition. It plays the same, but I might be brave here by saying that it's better. The game looks great with gorgeous backgrounds and sprites. Yep, I might actually prefer this!!

The audio is less impressive, with a decent piece of chip music on the title screen. But in-game, you’re left with sound effects - most of which consist of your wand firing endlessly at respawning monsters.

Let's break up the reading with (you guessed it) another screenshot...

See that daft symbol on the floor? Walk over and stand on it for a while.

CryptO'pinion

I have mixed feelings about Warlock the Avenger. On one hand, it captures the joy of old-school maze games beautifully: rushed exploration, constant combat, and panicked scrambles for the exit. Plus, we get the original game, which wasn’t released on the ST – a fantastic bonus that I wish more games offered.

However, it tries too hard to be different with multiple spells, unnecessary power-ups and a largely unwanted Golem. This muddies what should have been a simple arcade-style game. The single life and brutal energy meter also force you to cheat, which is frustrating. The worst part is having to press F1 to open doors - and only when you’re perfectly aligned with the doorway. Try doing that when monsters are spawning around you!

I’ve enjoyed Warlock, and the inclusion of the original game is a brilliant move by Millennium. Both games play well, though the one-life restriction is a bit of a downer for me. For that reason alone, it falls short. A seriously tough game that forces you to cheat, which isn't good, right? I still enjoyed Warlock, though.

• Dream Weavers #22 is the disk I used, which I downloaded from Atari Legend.
• Atarimania have a download (my greetings to Marko!!)
• Warlock can be installed onto your hard drive thanks to D-Bug and 8BitChip.
• If you enjoyed this, we have a "overhead" shooters group with loads more!

Shoot the snakes and see what treasures lie ahead.

This is as far as I got. I think that I was about 7/8 levels in, but I ran out of keys, and there were no hidden walls or chests. Must admit, I was more than a bit gutted by that. I need a cheat with 99 keys lol

These next four screenshots are from the original game...

The objective appears the same: run/fight/kill/panic/die!

Oh no, skeletons make their way towards me - Thriller style!!

This old game might be better than its sequel. What, really? Yup, I think so.

Puffy’s Saga

Cheesy Gauntlet

What do you get if you mix Gauntlet with Pac-Man? If you guessed Puffy’s Saga, well done - you’ve clearly read the title! Released in 1989 by UBI Soft and developed by Claude Sablatou, this adventure sees Puffy and Puffyn trapped in a 20-level dungeon on an alien world. Naturally, it’s packed with monsters lurking around every corner, ready to attack or (hopefully) be avoided. The goal is simple - collect all the power dots and escape.

Each level is designed much like Gauntlet, with a similar look and feel. There are plenty of traps to avoid (if you can), and the monsters are a bizarre bunch - jellyfish, living puddles of water, and relentless eyeballs that will chase when you get too close - and they can’t be killed! The joystick controls are responsive, especially for Puffyn, who moves with a bit more agility (Puffy is stronger with better weapon fire).

You can play as either character, but this isn’t a multiplayer fest like you might first assume, but rather solo. However, there’s a small co-op element in the form of character switching, though this relies on a collectable item called a Magic Gom. Picking one up lets you swap characters, gain better firepower, move faster, and so on. If you’re lucky enough to find more, you can even skip a level or slow down the monsters.

Playing Puffy’s Saga is a fun, familiar experience because it feels like Gauntlet. However, it is more like a chaotic game of chase in a maze (I like how that sounds). There are tons of monsters eager to hunt you down, and every touch drains your energy. That is displayed on the status panel and gradually depletes over time. So you will need to constantly hunt for food to keep going, which detracts from the fun of exploration.

Ultimately, Puffy and Puffyn are essentially playing Pac-Man - grabbing dots, dodging enemies, and rushing to the next level in a bewildering panic. The challenge is with the monsters' sheer number (and strength) because there are way too many to cope with. As a result, your energy drains far too quickly, which was my biggest gripe - it's not balanced and feels restrictive. Because of this, I never made it past a handful of levels.

Okay, let's take a small break and check out a couple of screenshots...

Being chased, losing valuable energy... at least I have a near-pointless map!

Looking remarkably like Gauntlet for the second level, I thought.

Monsters, Power-Ups, and Other Stuff!

The main menu is essentially a help sheet, so take a good look before you start blindly. It showcases the monsters - some, like eyeballs, are invincible and best avoided (if you can), while others can be defeated or lured away. You’ll also spot a list of power-ups, though I only managed to find extra speed and firepower!

Interestingly, the function keys unlock a variety of “hidden” features:

• F1 will pause the game.
• F2 flips between 50/60Hz.
• F3/F4 will slow/increase the speed of the game.
• F5 utilises that empty part of the screen with a map (requires two Magic Goms).
• F6 provides a training mode that whisks you to level 7.

These power-ups require one magic gom to work:

• The HELP key will switch between the two characters.
• F key will give you bad breath as temporary firepower.
• S key provides a speed bonus.
• Pressing H adds 100 points to your health.

These two functions require two magic goms:

• The UNDO key zips you off to the next level.
• And the M key slows the monsters down.

Hang on, what's a Magic Gom? It’s a blue ball - grab them whenever you can. That said, keep an eye out for food as well, as it restores health. It only adds 100 points, which isn’t much, but hey, it’s better than nothing!

Right, I'm hitting the F1 key to pause the chat for a couple of screenshots...

Pods, keys, beef, and magic are what you need. Stay clear of the "monsters"!

On this level, I was struggling with my health and needed food. Use the map!

Aesthetics

The visuals are a bit odd and left me with mixed feelings. On the one hand, the design might be a bit familiar (cough - cough - totally ripped idea), but everything still looks great. I really liked the use of colour, and the cartoon-like designs of the sprites and items are superb. The scrolling is fairly smooth, though it can slow down a little when a bunch of enemies are chasing after you. The real bummer is that older STs (without a Blitter Chip) suffer from awful push-scrolling, which is horrendous for a "must-scroll" game like this.

Surprisingly, this game supports the Blitter! Yep, the Mega ST and all Atari STe computers will produce real scrolling instead of that push muck!! In all honesty, I was shocked by this discovery as it fees like a hidden backdoor attempt of supporting the Atari STe? Almost a secret!

Perhaps this is the first game to support the Atari STe? Although it appears to have been released before the computer itself. Or rather the first game to support the Mega ST as that had a Blitter from 1987. But it would require TOS 1.04 because the game isn't compatible with TOS 1.02.

My head is about to explode!! Anyhow, kudos to Claude for going that extra mile!!

The audio is delightful, with samples for every action - eat something, and you hear “YUM!”. When low on energy, you’re warned about death. It’s all cute and in a French style we love. However, and I hate to say this, but after a while, it can get a bit grating. I would’ve loved the option for YM effects instead. That said, I’ve got to tip my virtual hat to Claude for going the extra mile with so many silly sound samples.

Could this be one of the first Blitter games? Let's see some screenshots while we ponder over that...

As with Gauntlet, keys unlock the barriers blocking our path.

I just started the level, and immediately I'm surrounded by those damn jellyfish!

The CryptO'pinion

Puffy’s Saga was always going to be seen as a Gauntlet knockoff, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t have been a decent game. Unfortunately, it falls short due to its cumbersome design. You're always in a panic, worrying about dying due to the lack of health and food pick-ups. The hordes of monsters become nearly impossible to defeat when they all swarm. Factor in the complexity of the power-ups, Magic Goms, and the absence of a default map, and it all becomes too much to handle, making it more frustrating than enjoyable.

Wow, this isn't looking good, is it? Despite my whinging, the core gameplay isn’t bad - running through Gauntlet levels and killing monsters is fun. I liked the speed of Puffyn and the power of Puffy; this spices things up nicely. Plus, like many French games, the aesthetics are lovely - stunning visuals and silly samples.

Puffy's Saga needed more energy and greater rewards from food pickups. Not to mention better use of items/power-ups and dumping that bad idea of Magic Goms!! All this would’ve eased the difficulty, making it balanced and more enjoyable. As it is, I struggled to get too far without running out of energy!

I reckon I need to rate this based on the hardware. On older STs without a Blitter, the push-scrolling is painful, so I’d have to give it a rather brutal 35%. But on something like the Mega ST or Atari STe, it runs much smoother and plays way better. The proper scrolling makes it a lot more enjoyable - so I'd say it deserves a surprisingly decent 60%. At the end of the day, though, Blitter or not, just play Gauntlet II instead.

• Atari Legend has a floppy disk by The Midland Boyz.
• 8BitChip has an installable hard drive game that supports the Blitter.
• It's not often I record videos these days, but check out the ST scrolling...

Into The Eagle's Nest

'Allo 'Allo!

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

As soon as the game begins, the battle is on against an onslaught of soldiers who eagerly patrol the dingy corridors. Sneaking into the enemy's lair was the easy part; now we've gotta blast through, guns blazing, to rescue our fellow Allied soldiers before General Von Klinkerhoffen orders their execution (geddit?).

The overhead perspective works a treat, especially for the first screenshot...

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: the health packs help repair hits you've endured. An ammo stash will replenish your Nazi-killing abilities. Of course, elevator keys need no explanation, but don't be quick to use these because you should fully explore the current level (more than you might realise).

Don't forget to disable the messages telling you what item has been collected... so annoying!!

Sometimes it pays shoot less and think more. For example: use door keys wisely. These unlock parts of the map out of limits, but some doors were bought from Ikea and need a little gun love to bust open!! Not all the enemy wander the corridors looking for trouble; some soldiers have had too much beer and fallen flat-out cold drunk. An easy target or 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 a careful tactical approach.

Enough reading as it's time for another screenshot, so brace yourself...

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

Aesthetics

The graphics are superbly 8-bit. Everything is clunky and big, and the backdrops are gorgeous, representing the castle perfectly. However, it's the objects and enemy sprites that steal the show, from the soldiers and discarded items of food, gold, etc/etc. However, best of all, those guys slumped out drunk!

As for the audio, the title screen music is flunky, but good. 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.

I hope you're enjoying this, Mr ST Nutter? If not, why are you still here? Oh, for the screenshot...

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

The CryptO'pinion?

This is a classic game that’s easy to rate because it’s an excellent thinker-shooter with loads of covert action. Pure enjoyment, that's challenging, and utterly engrossing for the most determined players.

Stop reading this review and play the game. Yes, right now.

Grab this cracker on a floppy or hard drive.

Rambo III

80s action heroes box art

Rambo III, released by Ocean Software, is an overhead shooter similar to others like Into the Eagle’s Nest. I’m thrilled to finally own this game, which boasts impressive Hollywood artwork and a great back cover, too. So I decided to take a picture of both and double up on our love for movie legend Sly Stallone.

Sly Stallone plays our musclebound action hero, about to infiltrate a Soviet base holding Colonel Trautman captive. Our mission spans three levels: the first involves rescuing Trautman, followed by our escape. The final level is a shooting gallery reminiscent of Operation Wolf. Before you ask, the first part is the best.

Let's see a couple of screenshots, starting with the outstanding title screen...

I can't help but admire this superb screen. Yes, it is superb!!

Okay, we're in. Grab your knife because it's time to kick ass!!

Run. Shoot. Kill everything!

The gameplay on the first two levels is somewhat reminiscent of Gauntlet, but it’s not the same. Ironically, running around like Johnny Rambo will get you killed! Instead, carefully explore the complex, searching for the safest route. You’ll also need items like health, ammo, and infrared goggles to detect the invisible booby traps. Watch your health displayed using a meter that older games will find nicely (ahem) familiar.

Since each room is entered "blindfolded", always be cautious (ie, not shown until entered). Otherwise, the Russians will gang up and beat Sly. Yup, enemies occupy most rooms, but feel more like automated drones than the Soviet elite. They robotically patrol back and forth, unaware of your presence until you suddenly appear in their line of sight. Watch their movements and habits. If you get seen, an alarm sounds, and nearby soldiers come. Don’t be deterred by these tough soldiers who are creatures of habit.

This isn’t a run-of-the-mill Gauntlet rip-off; careful tactics are essential. Play more like the real US Army Special Forces than Hollywood claptrap. My only complaints are trying to memorise the massive map, which can easily lead to getting lost. I also think that there should be more collectables to help. But I'm entering into the territory of, "Steve's a bad gamer"! And yes, I doubt I’ll ever reach the third stage without a cheat!

I hear you cry for more screenshots! It’s nice getting feedback... Here you go…

Tread carefully because most rooms are heavily guarded with many tunnelled-vision soldiers!

These guys will patrol back and forth, so be slow and make sure you don't set off the alarms.

But is it any good?

I understand why Rambo III didn’t win over most reviewers back in the day. It’s Marmite - you’ll either love it or hate it. Despite its flaws, I think it’s fantastic. While it resembles Gauntlet, it’s totally different and more akin to our version of The Great Escape. Stealth is key, so prepare to spend hours sneaking (and mapping). Rambo III is challenging and tactical first and foremost, with arcade action as a secondary element.

Understand the type of game you're playing, and you’ll love it - I certainly do.

Tear your shirt off and grab Rambo 3 from Atari Legend.
Wanna see the maps? Right here: Speccy Maps/Hall Of Light.

The back of the box is absolutely awesome. Gotta love Sly!!

Alien Blast

A quick news flash!!

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

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

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 is an Alien Breed shooter. So, if you've ever played that or others like Alien Syndrome, Gauntlet or Storm, then you'll know exactly what to expect from this overhead shoot 'em up. It's the same old story: heading for Earth is a distant spaceship filled to the brim with a vicious alien horde hungry for our blood. It's time to tool up, sneak on board, and begin mercilessly killing anything that looks like it bites. Oh, and they all bite, so beware!

The spaceship is split into 11 levels, with each requiring a mission to be completed. The first starts off simple (kill everything!!), with later missions more complex. If you fail, then you are immediately sent straight back to the beginning. This is a bit of a bummer, especially when coming into deadly contact with alien blood.

This ship is huge, yet with a clear definition in design, so you won't lose your bearings! There are locked doorways, but almost every corridor has some kind of door that can be opened, one way or another. Key cards are a good idea, and can usually be found hidden inside the blue cabinets - along with other bonuses like a 1UP and ammo. Use these cards wisely because not every door needs to be immediately opened.

We need to stop reading and view a couple of scary Alien screenshots...

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

I love those splatter effects - they are quite messy but in a good way!

They mostly come out at night, mostly

Joystick controls are responsive, so it's fun exploring the ship, even if I 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 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 (how I wish that was possible in the Jag's AvP). Each of your weapons has varying levels of effectiveness, and the flamethrower is awesome, so try searching the orange cabinets for it. However, I'm not too happy with the laser, which needs to be recharged too frequently for my liking. It could have lasted a bit longer!

So, we have great joystick controls and lots of aliens to kill. This game is fantastic and something you need to download and play. However, there are also a couple of other versions you might wanna try...

• Alien Thing has two "sequels" which you might wanna check out? There is an Exper Edition which was designed to be more challenging. However, I found many of the changes actually made the gameplay ridiculously difficult, thus frustrating. 
• There is also a Director's Cut that never got released. Thankfully, there is a demo and this game looked incredibly promising!! It features a change of visual perspective, new enemies/missions, and lots of DMA sound effects.

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

No, open your eyes wide to enjoy the sci-fi graphics, as everything is well-designed, and I liked the contrast of vivid colours against the spaceship's metallic structure. Plus, the near-luminous green aliens really do stand out, even if they walk like squashed spiders! Sadly, the scrolling isn't too great and should have been smoother - it's disappointing that the Atari STe's hardware scrolling wasn't used to full effect. WHYYYY??

The audio is fantastic with effects for just about every action (the older STfm does as well as it can, but this game is best run on the Atari STe). Many of them are ripped. I like the Star Trek doors opening, but a few are crude. That doesn't mean they're not superb, because they are genuinely entertaining. The weirdest of all is when an alien dies, which is almost as strange as our own pitiful death cry.

Alien Thing looks and sounds great, so that can only mean one thing! Yes, it's screenshot time...

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?

Okay, we're done with the Alien quotes - did you get them all? This is a belting game, but nothing is perfect, and I have a few things to whine about. For example, 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 for a shot - regardless of the weapon. Whoa, let's end the moaning, please!

Alien Thing is a decent take on the Alien theme. To think this came from a small company late in the ST's life is marvellous. It's superb, with a nifty balance of arcade-style action, exploration, and strategic thinking. The missions are challenging and enjoyable, but I never felt overwhelmed by the maze-like design.

Yup, I absolutely love Alien Thing. It's a blast, and you will love it too, so stop your grinnin' and drop your linen - this is a seriously addictive shooter!! (I just had to get one last quote in there, didn't I?)

Several different downloads are available, and some are bad. So I've bundled together the best versions, which you can freely download from my Dropbox.

For those struggling, there is a genius password system!
Press the "/?" key on the menu to use these codes:
PARTY,  WORK,  LARD,  WHEEE,  HELLO,
HARD,  GOSH,  NIGHT,  PEN,  RULER

Death Chase - The Remix

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

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

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

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

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

Each room holds so many possibilities for a whole new level of violence!!

Guns and loud violence?

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

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

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

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

Death Chase has bucket loads of fun. Either solo or with a friend.

Enemies?

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

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

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

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

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

Controls, Gfx, Audio

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

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

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

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

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

This is why we play Atari!!

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

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

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

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Stop everything & download now!
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These sample screenshots show what the two-player games look like.

Gratifying violence for two players is legendary!

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

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