Muscles and big boots
After The War was released back in 1989 by Dinamic Software and is (partly) a fantastic beat 'em up similar in style to Double Dragon 3. You are Jonathan Rogers, aka Jungle Rogers, and must assassinate Professor McJerin who is today's nutcase. Worryingly set in the near future during a post-apocalyptic Manhattan where you must kill all the bad dudes and escape to somewhere better than this hellhole! Sounds easy, right?
The game is split into two parts: the first is a scrolling beat 'em up. The second is a shoot 'em up platformer. Upon playing part one, the first thing that struck me was the graphics which are amazing! Huge sprites, great colour, and good scrolling. I adore the backgrounds and found the artwork to be apt for the grungy scenario. Sound effects are very cool and made up of low-quality grunts and thumps with silly cries when somebody is killed. It is worth mentioning the awesome title theme which I think is superb!
The game is split into two parts: the first is a scrolling beat 'em up. The second is a shoot 'em up platformer. Upon playing part one, the first thing that struck me was the graphics which are amazing! Huge sprites, great colour, and good scrolling. I adore the backgrounds and found the artwork to be apt for the grungy scenario. Sound effects are very cool and made up of low-quality grunts and thumps with silly cries when somebody is killed. It is worth mentioning the awesome title theme which I think is superb!
Check out this screenshot from the first part of the game...
It's time to kick ass and chew bubble gum... No, wait... Wrong game!
It's time to kick ass and chew bubble gum... No, wait... Wrong game!
Kick and punch everyone!
Controls are easy to master and offer: a punch, a flying kick, jumping, and a get-me-outta-here rollback. Strangely, the keyboard is needed to activate another type of kick and a nut-crushing low punch, especially useful for rabid dogs! Sadly, I found flipping between the two sets of controls an awkward killjoy.
Part two is only playable once the first is completed. Our musclebound hero is now equipped with a giant weapon as he heads off into the underground. Gamestyle is a platform shooter where we need to blast everything, even the pesky rats! The controls aren't great and the directional aiming is overly complicated. This stage is okay but I found myself stressing over the controls rather than having fun which isn't good. No, it's quite poor!
Part two is only playable once the first is completed. Our musclebound hero is now equipped with a giant weapon as he heads off into the underground. Gamestyle is a platform shooter where we need to blast everything, even the pesky rats! The controls aren't great and the directional aiming is overly complicated. This stage is okay but I found myself stressing over the controls rather than having fun which isn't good. No, it's quite poor!
I didn't like part two enough to include a screenshot so let's see the beat'em up...
I hit him that hard, he flew up into the air. Yeah, I'm so big and strong!! GRR!!!
I hit him that hard, he flew up into the air. Yeah, I'm so big and strong!! GRR!!!
The CryptO'pinion?
After The War is two games in one which may sound great but, it's not. The beat 'em part is superb with decent graphics, sounds and lots of violence - I enjoyed playing it a bunch!! But that's more than can be said about the second part which doesn't work as there is too much going on. It's not enjoyable if I'm honest.
Download this game, if only for the beat 'em up stages and you have yourself a winner. Tons of fun!!
* Update September 2017: 8BitChip has a new hard drive installable download!* Old Games Finder has all the floppy disk versions!* Who fancies a couple of cheats?-> Fancy the code to part two: 101069 (tested and works)-> Infinite energy in part one, press keys: ALT, 1, B (untested)-> Infinite energy in part two, press keys: ALT, 1, M (untested)
