The Curse of Rabenstein

Only the brave may enter

Stefan Vogt, of Hibernated 1, has done it once again and released another brand new adventure game: The Curse of Rabenstein. This story has us travelling through the Black Forest on a cold night. Somehow, we managed to get ourselves lost, and the coachman looked very worried, so he stopped to rest the horses whilst trying to find his way with his map. Oh no, I'm getting Hollywood B-Movie vibes... Yep, we get out to stretch our legs and notice faint lights shining from a distant village (don't go!!) Oddly, that place isn't on our map - or any map! Hmm, very strange, but I wonder if there's somebody there who can help?

I've spent a few hours over the weekend exploring the village of Rabenstein, which has a captivating storyline and is easy to get into. Unlike Hibernated, this is a graphical text adventure with gorgeous artwork for each location. This adds another level to the creepy atmosphere, and I'm having a great weekend!

First, let's take a look at some early screenshots from my first attempts...

Has that coachman ever watched a movie? Look, I'll stay here, and YOU go to the village!

The village actually looks very nice, with a pub, a church, and stables. What more do you need?

Lovely, so let's go and explore a little more...

Erm, I don't think it's a good idea to wander around a cemetery at night - esp naked!! ;-)

Hay, Hay, we made it to the stables, which are just what we needed...

Explore the horror!

Heavily inspired by the Level 9 games, it uses a two-word parser that keeps things simple: look at, examine x, search here, etc. For example, "examine bed", "search hay", "get shovel", etc. Also, shortcuts can be used, so X will examine, and N will walk you North, and so on. Yep, all easy and obviously very intuitive.

There is something uniquely riveting about Rabenstein's spooky theme. In fact, I even had a pen and paper at the ready - but never used them, which is very odd for me!! Why? Well, the locations are few but crammed with information and details to help you out, so I feel novices will find Rabenstein a fantastic doorway into the genre. Stefan describes his game as more of a short novella, which I feel is not a bad thing.

An exciting adventure to get stuck into. Don't believe me? Then check out these screenshots...

It's great to see that humour isn't lost amongst the "horror" theme of Rabenstein!

I knew it was a terrible idea to go into a cemetery at night!! What was I thinking?

Like an old Hammer House of Horror!!

So far, my journey is going very well: I have figured out how to stable my horses, booked a room at the Inn and chatted to the villagers - they seem nice but spooked. I then heard a terrifying scream coming from the graveyard - so I ran back to my room at the Inn only to hide under the bed covers all night!

Things were very different the next morning: the village simply wasn't the same anymore - many years had passed, all the people had gone, and the forest had taken back the land. Also, a tree had crushed the church, but it wasn't long before I started digging up a grave and fondling a dead corpse - that's a new one. Hang on, I can see a Manor on the hill, so let's hope things get better after a good night's sleep.

I'm a bit scared, so should I dare give you a glimpse of the Silent Hill horror...

Hmm, that InnKeeper was too good to be true. All I wanted was a good night's sleep!

What?!! Everything changed when I woke up!

The CryptO'pinion?

I think this adventure will appeal to both noobs and hardcore adventurers alike. The atmosphere is brilliant, and I love how things change so swiftly - very Silent Hill-ish. Sure, the locations are few, but they are stuffed with clues that make you sit back and think. Sadly, I have quibbles: the interaction with the villagers felt limited, and I also wish the idea of an alternate village had been used more, because it was brilliantly done.

I'm enjoying this adventure more than I expected. It's like a Hammer House of Horror in both style and stereotypical content, plus the graphics are a bonus (I hope Stefan continues down this path in the future). A wonderful adventure, and I'm excited to see what freakish horrors await inside the Manor!!

If I don't return from the Manor, then I rate this excellent adventure a frightening 85%.

[My current progress] I finally made it into the Manor, and there's a trail of blood. Oh, great!!

The Curse of Rabenstein is free to download!
* However, there is an option to donate a few quid *

I opted to purchase the boxed version with the goodies!!
I'm just like a (big) kid at Christmas :-)

Download | Donate | Buy the boxed release

Gaming like it's 1990 with a box stuffed full of quality goodies!

STAX #90

Compact Disks

Everyone knows I love Menu Disks, and there's nothing better than going through a pile of floppy disks (inc. virtual disks). Even if it's just to listen to the tunes or read through a 30-odd-year-old scroller! It sounds rather sad to anyone under 50, ;-) but ignoring that, here is a belter by STAX. It's their 90th disk and features a nice intro followed by a couple of demos and games, which are all impressive for different reasons.

The remainder of their disks are available on Demozoo and Pouet.

- Aromatica -

This is a collection of old-school demo screens by The Swedish Meatballs and features scrollers with extra colours and chiptunes. It reminded me of the days before the Union Demo, which is no bad thing. There's nothing here to blow you away, but I enjoyed flicking through this collection. Definitely worth a look.

- Flight Over Sirius -

If you love dots, then you're gonna fall big time for this dentro by The Sirius Cybernetics Corporation. There are several cool effects here with a fantastic chiptune. Just wait until you see those end credits with that diagonal scroller!! I felt it could have sped up a little, loading each section, but I enjoyed this fantastic demo!

- Snacman -

Everyone loves running around a maze, popping pills, and the Atari ST/e already has many fantastic clones. Snacman was developed by Ralph Lovesy of Impact Software, the same team that gave us Team for the Atari STe! Multiple players are also supported using a combination of keyboard/joystick.

For one player, things are much what you'd expect with PacMan even sporting cool shades. Four ghosts haunt the maze: Eeney, Meeney, Miney, and Mo, and chomping a power star turns the tables on them. Fruits are available for extra points, and a freebie life is awarded when reaching 20,000. Also, you can grab a couple of isolated family members and huddle around the ST to play as Eenie and Meeney? This is a brilliant feature, being able to chase Snacman around the screen - watch the end of my video recording for a quick demonstration.

Visually, there's little to spruce up this oldtimer, but that's exactly what's happened using gorgeous colours. Music is by Greg Lovesy and best heard on the Atari STe with stereo tunes on the title and in-game.

Snacman is tons of fun, and implementing support for more players - as the ghosts - is fantastic. You and your kids will be playing Snacman for hours - especially those plucky Atari STe dudes who get to hear stereo music. Crank up the volume and enjoy what is nothing less than a superb PacMan. An easy 10/10.

- Masters Of Chaos -

I first thought we had another Dungeon Master clone on our hands, but it's actually a two-player shoot 'em up developed by Genuwax Games. Yes, one or two players are supported, either using the same computer or connected via MIDI. The screen is split using separate gameplay windows for each person, and it's now that your jaw drops to the floor, thanks to the use of overscan for a ginormous display!

As player one, we move and shoot with the WASD key combination and 1-4 to handle objects/buttons (a second player uses the numerical keypad). Exploring the halls feels instantly familiar with puzzles and hidden doorways. Our health, stamina, and mana are all shown as green bars. Blasting out fireballs is your best defence when coming face-to-face with any of the dungeon's nasties! The ripped graphics look superb, especially in overscan! However, there are no sound effects, which is disappointing and freaky.

This was a fascinating find, and not something I expected. As a shooter, it works well, but there are no sound effects, few monsters, and it's easy to get lost - unless you've got a pen and paper at hand. I could live with the silence, but it needed many more monsters. A uniquely presented game, and it's best in multiplayer.

Credits to Damon Chaplin for the added background music (The Last Trooper)

GIANTS

Atari ST gaming titans?

Giants was released in 1989 by US Gold and is "a mammoth compilation of world beaters", according to the box. Always believe the box, ahem, anyways... Inside a sturdy plastic case are several floppy disks for four big names, which only goes to prove how cool the 1980s were. The four games are:

• Out Run - I cannot believe this is by the same guy that gave us Enduro Racer!
• Gauntlet II - an Atari ST classic developed by Golden Axe legend Richard Costello.
• 1943 - developed by Probe... No, wait! Come back, this one is a good 'un!!
• Street Fighter - Tiertex gave us Strider so I'm hopeful for another gem. Ahem.

One of those is an arcade beauty on the Atari ST, but what about the other games? Let's see...

- OUTRUN -

Let's begin with... Oh, dear... Well, I'm not sure what to say about this because we have all moaned about it for years. Personally, I think the perspective didn't work on the home computer versions. I know we're in a Ferrari, but there ain't enough pixels at such a low position; it's the framerate that hurts the most. This is supposed to be a fast-paced driving rush, but it feels more like a slideshow.

Ignoring the dreadful framerate, the visuals aren't too bad: bright, colourful, and sunny. The music is fantastic, and that's thanks to Jason Brooke. However, it's that framerate that destroys everything this could have been. I wasn't expecting an arcade-perfect conversion, but the programmer needs to be shot.

Stay clear of this game. There are so many other - far better - racers available for the Atari ST.

Thankfully, there is light at the end of this horendous tunnel, thanks to Manic Miner legend Peter Jørgensen who is in the process of upgrading Out Run for the Atari STe. It uses the Blitter for better framerates along with new sprites, music and more. As a work-in-progress, is already a million times better than the official game...

The road ahead is blocked by four trucks. Yes, four trucks. And I'm almost outta time too!!

- GAUNTLET II -

Unlike the other two Gauntlet games, this one is oddly missing from our archives, so Giants has nicely plugged that gap. Come on, what a fantastic game this is, also something every Atari ST player knows and loves dearly. Whether you are playing solo or with friends, this is a brilliant conversion of the arcade game.

From the moment its cabinet appears - with that foot-tappingly cool music - we are in love. Choose a character from four heroes: a brute like Thor, the cunning Valkyrie, a powerful wizard, or a wise Elf. Each has its style, and all will find it tough to clear the crowded dungeons of evil monsters, ghosts, and other demons.

Use your weapon, kill everything - leave nothing alive. This includes those generators popping out all kinds of monsters from the depths of hell. Look for potions to help against the tougher beasts - like death or a massive hoard. But there is also treasure and food to keep yourself wealthy and healthy.

This game is Dandy, and one of the greatest Atari ST arcade games you will ever play!

One of the best Atari ST arcade conversions there is. Right? Of course, I'm right!!

- 1943 -

1943 follows on from (wait for it) 1942 and is another vertically-scrolling shooter. However, this conversion was initially tough, so I was saddened by how much I hated it. The gameplay feels too fast, so I spent ages ramming into the enemy - and their bullets. It's almost like I had a kamikaze gift for self-destruction.

I also miss the real estate of a portrait display, but that's hardly the ST's fault. Nor is reaching for the spacebar to use a bomb during the difficult moments. However, stick with it and don't be put off because this is a faithful and frantic conversion with tons of enemies and power-ups to collect. Also, I must say that I absolutely love the energy bar, which I thought was superb - and certainly helped prolong my games!

Graphically, it's far from perfect, but it's no ugly beast. The sprites are nice zooming around your screen, but the backgrounds are lame. However, that is compensated by parallax scrolling - fluffy clouds gliding down the screen like melting butter. The music was YM-composed by Jason Brooke and is brilliant.

Boot this one up for a good hour of frantic joystick-breaking action!

Oh no, the enemy is attacking from multiple directions? Argh, I'm bound to die pretty soon!!

- STREET FIGHTER -

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm no expert in this genre. I know very little until recently dipped my toes in the water a few years back with Double Dragon 3. I was shocked by how much I enjoyed it and found the whole experience rather mind-blowing. What had I been missing all these years? I know, I know...

Things aren't (ahem) as impressive here with Street Fighter. The gameplay is very slow, and the controls don't feel right. It's like I'm blindly bashing the button in the desperate hope of punching or kicking at the right moment. Also, the opponents never truly feel like they have much AI, but when they attack, they're possessed by Chuck Norris!! The balance is off, so I dare anyone to beat your first opponent - without cheating!

Graphically, it looks nice with neat backdrops and huge sprites (more on that another time!). However, the game is dog-slow, and the sprites have bad animation. I'm unsure why everything is so eye-burstingly jerky, as there's little going on. I'm not going to mention the music other than to say how much it grates. Ugh!!

Everything about this conversion feels like a wind-up. Have I been given a beta by accident? Surely this is a joke? Imagine paying the RRP for this. Play something else and don't waste your time!

Looks quite nice, I think. Though fighting in slo-mo is made even worse by ridiculous difficulty.

- THE CRYPTO'PINION -

It's obvious Gauntlet II was going to be the star of this collection - and it is. But I'm shocked at how much I enjoyed playing 1943, which is a seriously crazy shooter. Okay, I initially hated it, but after many agonising attempts, I finally got the hang of it. I still need a cheat for infinite lives, but I loved it.

That leaves two stinkers. OutRun is terrible with a headache-inducing framerate, making our Atari ST run slower than an Amstrad CPC. So I'm (more than) relieved we have Peter's Atari STe upgrade in the pipeline. Street Fighter is something else. I'm unsure what to say other than shockingly poor programming.

Overall, I would have been pleased with this compilation back in the day. It's obvious that I would have spent most of my time playing Gauntlet II and then booted up 1943 for a quickie - and probably not lasting long. The other floppies would have been reformatted and used for the latest Automation disks!!

GIANTS can be downloaded at AtariMania

Liberator

Let's play something weird

Here is something different, plus its box intrigued me with screenshots that appear to be a mix of Toobin' and Mystical. It's almost like those games had a baby - then dropped it, picked it up, wiped away the blood, and then dropped it again. You might laugh, but I really, really don't know what to make of this one.

Liberator is a vertical shooter that throws you into the cockpit of a Tactical Hover Gun Craft on a mission to rescue captured Federation comrades from aliens. Each stage has you blasting enemies and smashing open prison cells to free the captives, before diving through a warp gate to the next battle zone.

It might look tacky, but how often have we played a corker with bad graphics? Exactly. Let's play...

Navigate by alien wreckages, remembering to collect the ammo caches...

 ...while you kill the ugly aliens, of course!

It looks like a bad dream!

Having never heard of Liberator, I was clearly unprepared for what to expect, as shown in my video recording!! We start at the bottom of the level, and, as the screen scrolls, aliens emerge from the ground or approach us. While they’re easy to shoot due to their slow pace, they can attack in hordes, so stay alert!

Liberator was coded by Tim Moore, who gave us excellent games like Verminator and also the legendary Beyond the Ice Palace. Okay, everybody has to start somewhere, so I can only assume he learnt many lessons from programming this shoot 'em up? Ahem... :]

Reaching the end of level one is easy, and then it’s a matter of freeing a captive by shooting the bars of his cell. You’ll then be whisked away into psychedelic gateways leading to the next level. Disclaimer: As guys, we’re not exactly known for reading the instructions, so here is my advice: aim for the square that's flashing. It’s the only way to progress; otherwise, you’ll be stuck repeating the same level. Which is ridiculous!

Wanna see more screenshots? Well, tough, because here they are...

The aliens might be slow, but they're determined to play chase.

Surely, this is the silliest game you've ever seen?

Aesthetics

Visually, the Atari ST is being pushed to its absolute limits. No, not really, as it's pretty lame with poorly designed backgrounds and wandering aliens that you cannot help but laugh at. The scrolling is smooth, albeit with some occasional slowdown, which is odd because there isn't ever a whole lot going on.

The sound effects are quite poor but serve their purpose for shooting, picking up items, and so on. However, the music was created by Wally Beben, and it's shockingly bad. No, terrible!!! I don't get it. Wally is incredibly talented, with a raft of excellent tunes to his name, but what was he thinking here? Turn it off!

We've reached the end, shall we rescue the caged guy and carry on scrolling...

Free your man and then get ready for teleportation.

Make sure you choose the correct square!

The CryptO'pinion?

Liberator is fun for a couple of games. I came away thinking, "Hmm, not bad for 1987". Which is daft, because that era gave us Oids, Gold Runner, Plutos, and Ikari Warriors. All of which destroy Liberator!! Also, I noticed poor collision detection and landscape objects that blocked my movement and firing - Grr!!

Still, nothing is perfect (Liberator certainly proves that), but I must admit I quite enjoyed this shooter. I don't know why! Possibly because it's something I've never played before? But it's weirdly entertaining. Sure, it's not the corker I might have hoped for, but it is worth booting up just to experience something rather odd.

It's cheap, tacky, pointless, and downright rubbish. Go, kill some aliens. Enjoy!

Grab the funky Zuul floppy disk from Atari Legend.

Robin Hood!

Update: Latest article now online:
https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/2026/01/the-adventures-of-robin-hood.html

A dollop of English folklore?

Okay, I haven't posted any box art from my own collection in a while. So, I figured it should be a dodgy guy in tights, lurking in the woods, was the perfect way to end this bleak streak? Hang on, that didn't sound too good, did it! Anyhow, The Adventures of Robin Hood was released in 1991 by Millennium Software, and it's an RPG similar in appearance to certain 3D isometric God games you may have played.

The box is absolutely awesome and in good condition, with all contents too. It's quite something to think this has been kept for 30+ years and feels (almost) as good as it did back in the day. Wow, I'm really geeking out here - the wife loves that. Anyhow, what I like is that it boasts this statement: "the most original real-time adventure ever produced". Errol Flynn would approve, or is that a load of nonsense?

Wanna see the back of the box and what's inside? Carry on scrolling...

The back of the box is ruined by screenshots from an Ameoba. Otherwise, I like it! ;p

Here's the disk, fascinating, uh? Whose idea was it to stamp green onto a blue disk?

Who remembers the TV show Robin of Sherwood?

It begins with an intro depicting life in Nottingham Castle. However, it's not long before the nasty Sheriff appears and kicks Robin Hood out onto the street, where he suffers cold shoulders and verbal abuse. These peasants continue to go about their day (that aspect intrigues me), and there are many interesting folk.

The Sheriff is ruthless! The people need a hero who is willing to wear tights, find a band of Merry Men, and camp out in the woods. All perfectly normal, honest. Joking aside, I loved watching the intro so am eager to finally take up the challenge of this rather spiffy RPG, which has been sitting on my shelf for too many years!! :/

I hope the UI is intuitive with elegance in its design. Sometimes, games of this ilk can suffer from cumbersome controls or an over-complicated interface that is slow to operate. The last thing we need is something fiddly which hampers the experience, so I'm hoping for less Galdregon's Domain and more Shadowlands.

It's now time for some extremely interesting manual shots. Brace yourself...

The manual is great and concise, with helpful information. A good read indeed.

This folds out like a poster and contains bucketloads of tips and extra help!

The CryptO'pinion? (Not yet!)

Yes, I'm looking forward to exploring Nottinghamshire to see what fun adventures await within the legendary Sherwood Forest. The graphics look tiny, but it appears to work well with lavish colours and beautifully designed surroundings. Just look at the buildings! So I'm eager to see what else there is to discover.

Have you guys played this? I would love to know what you think in the comments below. Until then, I'm going to make time to kill forest baddies, capture the castle, and defeat the Sheriff before King Richard returns home for tea. That's right, he drinks tea. Anyhow, watch this space for a review later in the year!

Until then, enjoy some more screenshots... :-)

Once upon a time, in God's country, there was a peaceful place called Loxley.

The folk had it good with dancing, beer and music. Life doesn't get any better than this!

Hang on, a new Sheriff has arrived and he's not a particularly nice guy...

Robin gets kicked out of his spanky castle, and the townsfolk ain't exactly supportive!

Yep, bumping into anyone proves to be an eye-opener. Billy no mates!

Fascinatingly, the medieval world continues to spin... Life carries on!

What? Wait a minute! What is that?? A dragon?? RUN!!!!

Come on, Robin, put on those big boy pants and sort out this evil dude!!

Temple of Apshai Trilogy

Doesn't look like a dungeon

Temple of Apshai Trilogy was released in 1986 by Epyx, with the Atari ST conversion handled by Westwood (Command & Conquer!). The package features the original plus two expansion packs, "Upper Reaches Of Apshai" and "Curse Of Ra". Oddly, Hellfire Warrior is not included (does anyone know the story behind that?).

It's a turn-based RPG with few expected similarities to Rogue. Each of the three realms has four distinct difficulty levels, but unlike Rogue, each dungeon has been designed rather than randomly generated. Curiously, there is an almost nonexistent storyline beyond the point of killing and treasure hunting. Understandably, this might disappoint some adventurers, but I enjoyed the freedom to roam without a bothersome backstory.

Let's see a couple of screenshots. Just to get rid of those who only care about pretty visuals...

Yep, you're probably wondering about the graphics. Right?

Please don't do that. Graphics never make a game, and this proves that.

Monsters, weapons and freedom to roam?

First things first, we need to build ourselves a character by combining different attributes that affect strength, dexterity, intelligence, and so on (you can save and reload your characters). Either keep it real and roll a die, or fudge the numbers to get playing. Personally, I wouldn't restrict myself at all.

You can venture naked with only your pride as a weapon, but it's best to visit the Innkeeper to get equipped. He has everything you need, even if you must haggle for the best price - if you can be bothered? Armour, weaponry, arrows, and more. But all of these come with a financial and weight cost. Be very wise and savvy.

Let's have a deeper look at some screenshots that detail much of the RPG side...

  
The Innkeeper seems to have everything you need to get started. Well, for a price...

  
He's not a generous man. I tried to explain that I couldn't pay, so his heavies broke my kneecaps!

Role-play like it's 1986!

Temple of Apshai allows you to start at the beginning or (foolishly) jump in at the deep end on the later levels (these are tough!). When you begin, your world is viewed from a top-down perspective, with helpful information listed on the right for health, ammo, and more. And yes, it's running under GEM :)

Oddly, there isn't any real objective to the dungeons - other than exploring, killing the baddies, and collecting loot. Although Upper Reaches does attempt to give your adventure some purpose. Well, it tries.

For example...

Level one takes place behind the Innkeeper's Backyard, which needs tidying up. Yep, we're on cleaning duties, but at least he's warned us of a bandit in the area. Come on, this has to be the strangest task ever?

Level two, Merlis' Cottage, is quite odd. We're in Merlis' home looking for cash because he failed to cough up after we painted his fence!

Level three is Olias' Cellar, but nothing is mentioned in the manual, so I assume we're back to killing and looting without reason? Fine by me!

Level four is set within Benedic's once peaceful monastery, which has been turned into an unholy Romero movie thanks to an evil vampire!

  
Start slow. Why not fire an arrow at your first opponent, and don't forget to search...

Stay Awhile and Listen

Whatever realm you're in, each room has a design with a description detailing what you can see and hear. There's no need to pick up the ST game manual; just press [return] to read about your environment. Also, the rooms are numbered, so you can make a map of routes, traps, hidden doorways, etc.

Getting around the dungeons is done using a keyboard command system, quite similar(ish) to something like Ultima. Predefined keys are used to walk, turn, fight, talk, search, etc. You can use the mouse, but that's bad, so stick to the keyboard. This is perfect and a lot better than you might initially assume:

RETURN = Make sure you read each room's description!

0 = Use this to rest and recover from some of that nasty fatigue.
L/R = This is pretty obvious and makes turning around easy.
V = Swoosh, you've just made a complete 180°
1-9 Let's go for a little walk, under the moon... Erm, never mind!

A = Hit 'em hard when you're up close!!
T = Thrust a lunging attack which might leave you vulnerable?
P = Defend yourself with a countermove, you wimp!!
F/M = Take 'em out from a safe distance, sniper-style.

E = Budding adventurers will look under every stone.
O = Doors won't just open themselves, you know!
S = Don't rush through, search for those hidden thangs...
I = Inventory (there's a shock).
G = Grab any treasure you find.
D = Ugh, drop that heavy trash.

Q = Shushh, did you hear something?
! = Dr Dolittle, he talks to the animals!

H = Heal yourself before you croak it.
Y = Ohh, gimme some of that fancy Elixir healing.

  
I found a secret room inhabited by a swamp rat. I killed that and took the Magic Sword!!

Characters, with character!

Yep, characters make any adventure fun and interesting, so it comes as no surprise to find out that this Trilogy is stuffed with many exotic creatures and spooky delights. The first being a skeleton - a classic encounter. This guy is pretty tough, so I wouldn't let him get too close if I were you. Challenging from the start!

Brilliantly, we can listen for distant sounds and even talk to some of the nasties. I doubt you'll get much sense from many, but some creatures might respond. They could let you pass or reveal something of interest. Attempting a dialogue is something unexpected, mind-blowing, and pretty funny too.

Each of the realms has a myriad of ghoulish creatures and some unexpected ones. Battles are fought using a few weapons, but victory comes to those prepared. Press [A] to attack when up close, but you could use [T] to execute a ravaging thrust? This might plunge your sword into a beast's heart, but at what cost? Those carrying a bow can use arrows to kill their prey from afar. Just make sure you're facing them - don't be a fool!

You must admit that this is different and amusing. So, let's view more (clickable) screenshots...

  
There are some fantastic enemies within the dungeon. And ants and mosquitoes too...

  
Upper Reaches is so different, but can you find the bandit? Whereas Merlis' home has ... a cat!

  
The Antmen are incredibly tough blighters, but oddly, the Ghoul was an easy victim of mine!

  
Bears and Giant Bats, whatever next? You'll be telling me there are Vampire Bats around the corner!

Mind As You Go

Playing any part of this trilogy is an amazing experience, but it's an idea to experiment with your newly-created character, just to see how clothing and weaponry feel to your own preferences. Experience is gained as you progress deeper into the dungeon, and it's good practice to take it slow at first. Remember to search/examine/listen no matter where you currently are. Loads of secrets - you never know what might be nearby, be it a treasure chest, a trap or something lurking in the dark waiting to pounce. It's never a bad idea to read the room's written description. Some might say that it's essential!! (/end of hint!)

Always keep an eye on your fatigue, which can take a hit whether you're exploring or battling something freaky. Walking isn't free, and multiple movements can cause a bit of tiredness that adds to your fatigue (hitting [0] can be rewarding). As with purchasing a box of Band-Aids before heading out into the unknown.

Remember, we're not God, and any demanding battle might result in severe wounds, possibly leading to death. Not all is lost - roaming these dungeons are three helpers who may help. Bendic is a lost priest who can revive your broken body. All he asks in return is a financial donation. However, others aren't as kind, watch out for a dwarf or wizard who yields greater sacrifices - you might wanna keep your hands in your pockets?

During those desperate moments when all has gone wrong, this is the message I prefer!

Graphics & Sounds

Visually, this is pretty lame by ST standards yet faithful to the bare-bones originals. The backdrops are rather basic, but the sprites are detailed and can look good. I prefer the visuals in other RPGs, most of the time, but Apshai still has its own unique charms. Also, it's GEM-based, which I think is crude - yet it works well.

Audio features chiptunes on the title screen, but only spot effects during the game. However, I do love the clipping for when a monster appears - scary stuff! lol. If ever there was a game that proved fancy aesthetics aren't needed, this is it. In two words, authentically pleasing. I have nothing bad to say.

Hey, let's see another screenshot and this time one with a woman in it...

Please remember what I said, graphics never make the game. Play this RPG!!

The CryptO'pinion

Temple of Apshai Trilogy is brilliant. It's also possibly a forgotten (and much-underrated) game, and that's a shame because the original was a massive success. Dare I say that our Atari ST conversion captures the original's essence perfectly, whilst also making many more improvements I appreciated.

Whatever adventure you choose to play, each one is huge with loads of rooms to explore. Most of my time has been spent within the realms of the temple, which I'm still battling through as I write. The theme is compelling, captivating, and I adore the pre-designed layout. That, I did not expect.

If you want to relive an age of exploration, secret passages and monsters, then this old-timer is definitely for you. Ignore the graphics, don't use the mouse, read the descriptions, and remember to save regularly! A whole world awaits, so expect lots of late nights. One of the best olde-style RPGs that the Atari ST has.

Grab a copy of this brilliant RPG

for a hard drive or floppy.

An easy winner of the accolade of an AtariCrypt SMASH!!

Van Eijk Collection

Van er what?

I love finding Atari ST/e demos I've not seen, and here is one I thoroughly enjoyed. It's called Van Eijk Collection, developed in 1994 by Van Eijk. A time when most of us had powered off the ST to play Doom...

Anyhow, this is a collection of GFA Basic screens featuring dots, colour cycling, and a familiar tune you will adore. The presentation is a little sluggish, and a few screens are dated, but many are superb - like that morphing!! All text is in Polish, so don't expect to read anything. Well, unless you're Polish, of course!

This and other ST videos are on my YouTube Channel.

Downloads can be found on Demozoo + AtariMania.

Crank up the volume as it's STe only!! 🎧