STs cannot scroll
Alien World is a shoot 'em up by Gary Antcliffe (Blazing Thunder/Yogi's Great Escape) and was released in 1992 by Hi-Tec Premier Software. Ignoring the dreadful title tune, the game is a cross between the likes of Menace and R-Type, with a dollop of Venus Flytrap thrown in for good measure. Which is always gonna be ace!
The action is relentless and immediately hits you with a ton of pitfalls like red-hot streams of molten lava that shoot up from glowing pools. It isn't long before you feel a little Blood Money creeping in as the scrolling alternates between horizontal & vertical. I liked the parts that don't automatically scroll, allowing you to move at your own leisure. Gravity plays a part in affecting your movement, think Flappy Bird or SantaFly!
Graphically, Alien World is outstanding with ultra-smooth scrolling, best experienced using a real Atari ST. Everything is exquisite, rich colours, detailed sprites, and fluent movement. Sadly, audio is a different story with no in-game tune and weak sound effects. A few decent chiptunes would have been perfect!
Gameplay is what matters, and I’m impressed with this challenging shooter. While it has an immense learning curve, Blood Money fans will enjoy it. Like many 16-bit games of the era, it’s incredibly tough and requires a cheat. However, it’s a game that keeps you coming back for that satisfying "just one more go".
Alien World is great and will keep you entertained for hours. It’s so challenging, but I absolutely love it.
Right from the off, you'll need to get used to gravity, which is instantly annoying.
The aliens are badass and relentless. This makes Blood Money look so easy!!
The second level is superb with lots of power-ups and different baddies.
I love the Menace-like futuristic feel, and it proves the ST can scroll - when in the hands of talent.
What you thought this was only horizontally scrolling? It's now that things get insanely harder!!!
