Thursday, June 06, 2019

D-Day






Rule Britannia!!

A couple of years ago, I managed to buy myself a mint copy of D-Day by US Gold. This is a war game on four disks, so it's a pain to someone (like me) who's been spoiled by the luxury of an Ultrasatan. However, I couldn't find a hard disk version anywhere, so I did what any sane person would do - I asked Peter Putnik.

Later, during the World Cup (and after a couple of beers), I had myself the hard disk adaptation of this wonky war game. Launching it from my Satan is a dream compared to the floppies, and I'm really grateful for Peter's commitment to the ST scene. So, what did I think of US Gold's take on this historic moment?
Before we begin, June 6th 1944 is a moment in time that we are unable to comprehend but will never forget. This video recording and game review is just my humble way to say thank you to those who have served.
We need to see a screenshot, so let's kick it off with the topography of this historic area...



Overlord offers a crude yet incredible insight into the situation on the day. Quite frightening!




Operation Neptune

A map of Normandy during D-Day illustrates enemy positions and planned missions, enabling their execution. This is like a campaign mode for the entire Overlord Operation, and each event features by time as it unfolded. However, it's confusing to newcomers, and even the manual recommends you start by playing the individual missions first. I love their honesty, so I did exactly that and began each part in turn.

The idea of these mini-games is great. They are broken up into four categories: Tank, Bomb (the most sluggish planes ever!), Paratrooper, and Infantry soldiers. Splitting them up is brilliant and allows you to skip directly to your favourite. Also, no matter the game, there are always several missions to choose from.

Wanna hear more? Good! So let's take a look at each of the mini-games right now...



There is a wealth of information and statistical detail to check out in the main game.




Mission #1 - Tank

The first game is Tank, a WWII twist on the Battlezone format, and looks like another ST title, possibly because they share the same programmer, Pascal Jarry! There are lots of missions, and the first instructs us to destroy every bunker on the beach - a lot harder than it sounds! There are loads of missions, but it's quite buggy, and I suffered a few crashes. At one point, I even managed to get myself stuck in a tree!

Performance is poor and lacks engine noise (which is weird), but I have to admit that I had a bunch of fun driving the little tank. Make sure you hit the function keys for the different modes of operation, and also a cool outside perspective. Overall, it's worth playing a couple of missions, but sadly, it feels like a rushed add-on.

An average game that could have been far better, so I rate this 5.5/10.



The big boys are here, and we're taking no prisoners!



We're out roaming the countryside - looking for a fight.




Mission #2 - Bomb

This next game is truly eye-opening. How did it manage to slip past the US Gold Quality and Control debt? (lol). Again, there are lots of different missions, and I chose to fly at night to bomb a bridge. Well, that was theory, anyhow, but I literally had not even the slightest chance of hitting it. Not in a million years!

Controlling the plane is strange. There are basic instruments to help with your noble adventure, but it's all a bit rubbish. It's nothing like I would expect, so you're left feeling blind, which makes completing any mission nigh on impossible. Calling it a sluggish 3D engine is a massive understatement; I reckon an Oric 1 could perform better. It’s definitely the weakest game, so I won’t be playing it again.

I am really struggling not to be too cruel here, but I must rate Bomb at 2/10.



Wow, I really don't know how to describe this part of the game... So poor.




Mission #3 - Paratrooper

We parachute in, either solo or with troops, into a dangerous warzone. Firstly, getting them safely on the ground is crucial, but be mindful of the challenging wind conditions. Despite the ludicrously bad gameplay, guiding your men to safety is surprisingly rewarding. My daughter enjoyed it and thought it was good - bonus!

Unlike the Bomb game, this game is so bad that you need to play it. Weird, right?

I don't know why I enjoyed this game so much. I have no answer, and rate it at 6/10.



Weeee, one man gets tangled and falls to his death, but the others land safely!




Mission #4 - Infantry

I enjoy overhead action/strategy games, and this is styled similarly to the likes of Cannon Fodder or Rebellion. However, don’t be fooled; it’s more of a slower-paced tactical game where stealth is key to survival.

Many missions involve guiding stickmen through fields, avoiding enemy bunkers, tanks, and more. The gameplay is crude, and the enemy AI is like a robotic turret (ie, not very good, but deadly!). Each enemy unit has a specific position on the screen, and once spotted, they relentlessly bombard that area. It’s your job to sneakily find an alternative route and pick them off with your machine gun, grenades, or mortar.

The controls are surprisingly imprecise, and getting the soldiers to stand exactly where you need them is half the battle. It’s also annoying when they take the long route around an obstacle, often putting them in the line of fire and causing them to die. The graphics are quite Cannon Fodder-ish, but of a very crude type. I might be a terrible pixel artist, but I honestly think I could have done better. The sound effects are made from crunchy samples and add to the atmosphere, but the constant noise might give you a headache.

I should stop complaining because, despite its flaws, this game is incredible. It reminded me of what I'd call (a lite) Stonkers on the ZX Spectrum. Infantry is nothing more than finding a safe route through the map and picking off the enemy one by one. It’s very simple and not much more, but I genuinely enjoyed myself more than I can explain. I played the game for several hours. Yes, I know, I’m mad!

It's crude and ridiculously unrealistic, but I loved it!!! So I'm giving Infantry a 9/10.



We're on the beach in one mission, and raising everything to the ground on another!



The enemy won't move, but they're sure out in great numbers. Can you kill everyone and escape?




The CryptO'pinion?

If there was ever a mixed bag of goodies, then this is it. The Operation Overlord sections are rich in depth and provide a unique historical perspective for eager gamers. However, D-Day feels like it was hastily programmed, which is odd considering the credits. Technically, it fails to utilise the Atari ST hardware effectively and is riddled with sluggish, buggy code. Very surprising. While D-Day is somewhat tacky, I thoroughly enjoyed playing Infantry. Therefore, I recommend it just for that, especially on such a significant historical day.


Grab the floppies via Atari Legend
8BitChip has the new HDD version!




Looks pretty good, right? Well, this was recorded using my beefy Mega STe.
I'll say no more...

Sunday, June 02, 2019

Pop!






Menu Disks!

One thing I love is trolling the ST's massive archive of menu disks, and Golden Dawn #44 features quite a few unexpected crackers. The first is Pop! by Manuel Castrillo of Bit Culture, a 1993 shareware game. The instructions are quite difficult, but we're on Skuiskie Island and armed with a gas gun to kill lots of nasties!

Pop! is a platformer that feels kinda like a weird mix of Pang and Monster Business. Actually, it's rather odd if I'm honest, and certainly not what I expected to play. Right from the start, you're thrown in at the deep end, which means instant death. Why game developers think something like this is a good thing, I do not know.

Stick with it and, after many pointless deaths, you will get the hang of things. Use your gun to gas these critters to Hell - they take a few hits! Enjoy their cute expressions, but hurry up because they need to die before the time limit expires. The controls feel nice but are too slow, especially when trying to turn around in the frantic heat of battle. Interestingly, there is support for two players, which adds a whole new level.

So what about the graphics and sounds? Well, I couldn't ever be too judgmental about the aesthetics of any shareware game, but Hoog has already set that bar impossibly high. However, Pop! has nice graphics with some neat touches - like your death. The colours are a little off, so I think a better use of the palette should have been made, especially when monsters blend into the scenery, and your gun's bubbles are invisible against the background sky. Music is DMA and in stereo, but sadly, little audio is heard during gameplay...

This is a shockingly silly game, but addictive too. With a little more thought, I'm sure Pop! could have been better, but it's spoiled by sluggish controls and a terribly harsh time limit. Having said that, I obviously thought it was good enough to feature - either I'm going soft, or I had myself some fun on this rainy morning?

Go on, grab Golden Dawn's disk via Demozoo, and take a look at these screenshots...


Instantly eaten alive by something oddly cute. Must try harder...


Kudos to them for putting most commercial companies to shame by making use of the STe!

Friday, March 22, 2019

Time Slices by Defence Force





It's time to dig out your SM125

I often receive requests for game reviews or demos to record, and today, I was asked by STS to make a video of Time Slices by Defence Force for his awesome demoscene blog. Check that out!

This is a monochrome demo for the Atari STe released at STNICCC 2015. However, emulation (and my old Mac) plays a good part in destroying the quality, so I apologise. The lesson here is that real hardware is best. Thankfully, after a few minor adjustments, the sound improved and the darn thing stopped flickering long enough to give you an idea of how cool this demo is. Especially for something Commodore-themed!! ;-)

Time Slices by Defence Force
Credit: Dbug for all coding and design

Sunday, March 10, 2019

Sam Nasty






A nasty new game!

It's a pleasure to see a new game in development for our beloved Atari ST, but Sam Nasty is different. This puzzle-based platformer was created in the early 1990s using STOS by Jerome Mahieux. Oddly, he never released it, but found the floppy disk, so here we are in 2019, playing the game. How cool is that!!

Upon loading, we're greeted with a title screen for help and other options to disable the sound effects/music. The game itself is a static-screen platformer, and for each level, we find ourselves trapped inside a prison and must find a way to escape. This might sound familiar, but it's also got some rather unique features.

But first, let's check out a couple of screenshots with some rather cute & dodgy characters...



The copper is seeing stars like in a cartoon. I love that!!



Talk about antagonising the enemy by sticking out your tongue! lol ace!!!




The Great Escape!

As you might imagine, the earlier screens are quite humble to break you in gently. So escaping is easy while you learn the basics. But it's not long before Sam finds himself inside prisons that must put Alcatraz to shame. There are always a variety of cunning pitfalls to avoid, so look out for things like laser beams that will zap you into an early grave! Also, there are patrolling coppers, and some are even armed...

It's a good job our thug has the ability to punch. The screenshots prove how entertaining that is!!

Escaping is always going to be different for each of the levels. So look for anything that might help, like a switch, for example. Today, my gaming skills excelled, and I reached the fourth prison - not bad at all for a fella with terrible gaming skills (sometimes I wonder why I bother running a gaming website lol). Yep, a joyous occasion that sadly didn't last all that long, as you will see in my YouTube video recording.

Let's pause the reading and check out a couple more screenshots...



It's a tight fit there, so get down and crawl in silence.



Stars and tongues! That's this game to a tea and I love it!!




Aesthetics

The graphics are nothing like I expected, and I mean that in a good way. Tiny design, but with superb attention to detail for each of the prisons. However, it's the sprites that I love the most: the laughing policeman, Sam sticking out his tongue, and those punched faces with broken teeth. Fantastic pixel art and something that will make the most miserable gamer smile with joy. Throughout, you will be impressed by the humour.

The music is chip and nice, but Sam Nasty has the ability to disable that. So I did. Now, just listen to the sound effects and tell me you're not reminded of countless ZX Spectrum platformers!! Anyhow, I enjoyed the music, but I absolutely loved the amazing sound effects. Seriously, just get this game and listen for yourself!!

This is something else! I love how it looks and sounds, so let's see some more screenshots...



Okay, things are getting tough now, and that copper has a gun!



The death scene is great and a little Rick Dangerous too... Can you see me?




The CryptO'pinion?

I'm impressed by the demo and, never in a million years, would I have imagined breaking out of prison could have been fun. Sure, there are a few bugs (that Jerome is in the process of fixing). Plus a few niggles that I'd like tweaked - like overly sensitive joystick controls and the desperate need for more lives. (WIP)

Sam Nasty is a fantastic concept, and I'm gobsmacked he didn't release this back in the day. I'm sure it would have gone down a storm! So make sure you download the demo, have a play, and consider sending him your feedback and support. A thoroughly enjoyable and addictive game, and thoroughly worth buying!!

2 euros for the full game - support Jerome & the ST scene!

Friday, February 08, 2019

Missile Command


[ my video recording shows both colour and monochrome games ]




Let's take a big step back in time

Straight out of the golden age of Atari's gaming archives is Missile Command, a phenomenal shooter I played a lot, but more so on my old Speccy thanks to Ocean's Armageddon, a fantastic conversion.

This Cold War-era crosshair shooter is about protecting the cities of Zardon from a ballistic missile attack. Aliens from Krytol noticed how prosperous Zardon is, so they are free-rolling in and taking everything. You are Zardon's only hope; grab hold of the mouse and use your arsenal to defend us from annihilation!

Doesn't matter whether you run in colour or mono, so check out these screenshots...







Angry aliens, again?

This has always been a cool game, and the ST received a faithful conversion that feels as good as I remember. There is support for 1/2 players, which can be configured to enable/disable other features, like the enemy's multiple warheads and smart bombs. Initial attack waves start slowly at a sedate pace (skippable), but the war soon gets crazy when the Krytolians use faster missiles and smart bombs. Trying to detonate them is tricky, especially during the heat of battle when you don't wanna run out of ammo!

Unlike other home conversions, the ST makes convenient use of its tank mouse for perfect and precise control. Both mouse buttons are used to fire a limited supply of ammo - the left button fires from the left base and, well, I'm sure you've guessed what the right button does? The controls are simple and genius.

Okay, it's time to view some apocalyptic screenshots of doom...








8-Bit graphics and they rock!!

Ok, visually, don't expect to be blown away. The graphics are typically crude for an early arcade game - most of the screen is a blank canvas waiting to be covered by missile trails. However, that's the charm of early retro games when gameplay mattered most. You know, I do admire those blocky cities (which I'm supposed to save from an explosive death), but I also love the wacky colours and font. Yep, it's silly... but so am I.

The effects are fine, but I am a little disappointed Atari didn't roll their sleeves up and go that extra mile! We have heard far better from the YM chip, and the game is hardly pushing the Atari ST, so why not use samples? Hmm, it's a little bland in the audio dept and definitely needed something with a little pizzazz.

Yes, the audio needed to use samples, but that won't stop the next roll of screenshots...







The CryptO'pinion?

Missile Command is such a simple game and also one of the best from that early era. Fans of the original should appreciate what an authentic arcade conversion is, and one that certainly brought back lots of great memories for me. This is fast, frantic and bucket loads of fun, so that's a thrilling win in my book.

A timeless classic, and I'm proud to rate this a nuke skin-blistering 92%.


Missile Command easily earns the accolade of an AtariCrypt SMASH!!


Grab a floppy or hard disk version.
Defend Zardon from its inevitable annihilation!




I hope you last longer than I did in my video recording? Not hard, is it... lol

Monday, February 04, 2019

TOS Legends






Turrican?!!

It's funny the things you find when surfing on the waves of the interweb. Today, I somehow ended up finding TOS Legends by Sébastien Claret. From the moment I booted it up, I was gobsmacked because it's absolutely fantastic and something every Atari ST guy will surely adore. Forgive me jerky recording, as it plays smoothly on my old Mac. The downloads for Mac/PC are best, or you can play inside a web browser.

Check out these screenshots below, then grab the download from Sébastien's website.



This is what happens when Turrican invades Rick's world!



But that damn boulder still chases lol



Hang on, everything changed! Where have I seen her before? Hmm...

Friday, February 01, 2019

The postman has been!!





Hibernated 1 - This Place is Death

I've taken delivery of the latest Atari ST game release, Hibernated 1 by Stefan Vogt. I feel like I've waited years for this to pop through my letterbox, but here it is! I'm ecstatic to report a fantastic product that's beautifully made to a high standard. I'm unsure whether to remove its plastic seal... (lol)...

Of course, I've already unwrapped it!! For those who may not know, Hibernated was reviewed back in August (click that link!!), and I included an animation to demonstrate the game's awesome sense of humour during my exploration. You shall find all links and a download/purchase available using that link.

Wanna see the box and what goodies are inside? Of course, you do...



Taken right before ripping off the plastic!



Check out these lovely goodies!! :D

Monday, December 24, 2018

Merry Christmas




We're almost at the end of the year, so here is a Christmassy slideshow I found whilst digging through the AtariMania archives. It's from a disk magazine by Effect and is stuffed full of text and features the most annoying rendition of "The 12 Days of Christmas" I've heard, but at least it supports the STe audio!!

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their help and ST commitment over the past year. I've met some great people and seen things which I thought would never happen after the ST "died" in the mid-90s. There are so many awesome games and demos recently released, but my personal favourite is, of course, Manic Miner, which is a fantastic remake of Matthew Smith's ZX Spectrum classic from 1983!!

Also, I'd like to thank Tom/Karim for all their sharing across various social media. Peter for adapting these merry ST games (and my requests for more!!). AtariMania has always been my go-to place. Atari Legend for being ace and getting me addicted to Ultima V. And, of course, every one of you guys visiting my website :-)

All the beST and Merry Christmas †

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Time Soldier






Let's kill people!

Time Soldier was released in 1989 by Electrocoin and is based on the vertically shoot 'em up, not too dissimilar to something like Ikari WarriorsI've not played the arcade game, but there is a slight name change - that means we're running solo. This would be understandable, but we are given only one life, which should make the quest rather difficult - unless it's rewarding during play with bonuses/etc? Hmm, we'll soon see!

The story goes that Gylend has captured a few of our friends who are held captive in different time periods. Guess whose job it is to rescue them? Of course, it's up to us to rescue them all! Gotta say, I like the idea of the time zones. Before beginning, we're given the name and location of our captured warrior - but the teleporter can send us anywhere. Which is odd and means you gotta plough through to the correct portal.

Initial impressions are a little worrying. Let's take a peep at some screenshots...



I love the colour schemes throughout, which nicely represent the original game.



Lots of action and even more death and destruction. I love it!




Shoot. Kill. Kill even more!

Each time period has a change of graphics, but basically follows the same format as you might expect. These areas are stuffed with enemies, which is most satisfying. Those slain in battle leave goodies that should be collected for a power boost. Health can also be replenished, because every contact drains you dry.

A boss is featured at the end of level and most are rather easy to kill. However, my power-ups sometimes ran out during the lead-up to this fight, which then makes it nigh on impossible to win!

There's nothing mind-blowing about Time Soldier; the gameplay is a cross between something like Wanted or Commando. I wasn't sure about the scrolling, which often left me vulnerable to baddies off-screen. I was never going to like the one-life aspect, which is often rubbish unless we get the option to continue on.

Now't is perfect, so that won't stop me from pushing out more screenshots...



Even Rambo wouldn't be able to survive this onslaught!



Those higher up have an advantage. But I'm still going to kill them.




Aesthetics

I like the graphics in Time Soldier; from start to end, it's colourful and detailed. The backgrounds are great, but we also have some of the silliest sprites. Not so much their appearance, but how they attack in waves, which means the screen is often cluttered with bullets and explosions! It's maddening and chaotic.

Heck, the game is making use of overscan without any negative impact on the scrolling, which remains smooth! So I am very impressed with the technical efforts that went into making this shooter.

The music is well-balanced against the sound effects and suits the gameplay well. Zero complaints.

Hey, one final run of screenshots...



The purple works a treat, providing another environment that is unique and fun.



This looks scary and tough. Well, more tough than scary, but hey, what more can be said about it?




The CryptO'pinion?

This game was fun to play! However, I wasn't too keen on the scrolling method, which can often fail to keep up. Also, having one life is restricting, so forces you down the road of a trainer. Don't get me wrong, it's quite an authentic conversion in many respects, but this insane design makes it very difficult. Cheat time!

Having said that, Time Soldier is an entertaining shooter. The levels are always interesting and brimming with lots of meaningless gameplay. This is pure gun love and will provide a few hours of fantastic action. For all its flaws, I enjoyed this peculiar shooter. Just be prepared to play with a trainer for extra lives!

Time Cops can be downloaded for floppy/hard disk.

Saturday, December 15, 2018

Reach For The Skies






Why am I thinking of S Club 7?

This is a flight sim by Rowan/Virgin released in 1993 and attempts a recreation of the Battle of Britain era between the Royal Air Force and the Luftwaffe. That was a crucial part of the war and is split into four mammoth sections. If you're up to it, you can be a brave pilot or the controller for an entire squadron.

Obviously, the first thing I did was skip the manual and read nothing more than the keycard. This humble sheet of paper displays an array of keys used to successfully pilot the planes. Also, there is a practice mode, which is great for newcomers who can bypass the complex take-off procedure and pretend to be a stuntman like Colt Seavers, whizzing across those lovely 16-bit skies. Well, ahem, I did :)

Those who prefer to take things seriously can learn the cockpit and keep the keycard sheet at hand. As you get accustomed to flying the skies, you note some external views: I enjoyed these, and you can watch me messing about on my YouTube channel (shown below). There are other features - video recording!

This is a demanding flight sim with some neat features that are brilliant for novices and pros. I love the authentic cockpits, and the external views are stunning, but learning to hunt down and destroy the enemy will take much practice. But that's definitely a good thing, right? Reach For The Skies is one of the best flight sims, something I will enjoy time and time again. Tally-ho and chocks away, old bean!!

Be the best pilot and download the hard drive version (floppies on Atari Legend).


Now, this is what I call awesome pixel artwork. Look at the details. Love it!!


The German on the right looks like Colonel Von Strohm, I thought.



Awesome pixel art throughout, and I love the moustache and pipe. Very British lol


Is anything here catching your eye, hero?


Love the dated information that presents the mission ahead perfectly.


Those plucky Germans with their technology, commitment, and wishful thinking!


The camera views are superb and I loved messing about with this feature. A lot!!


The graphics are incredible. It's like you're really there, well, for this 90s gamer anyway...


Oh no, pull up!! Pull up!! Why do I always die...?


Please note: the video recording is based on my Mega STe (16MHz).
Also, I have tried to show the game's basic elements for both the German and the British sides.

I didn't show the standard 8MHz computer, as there are already lots of videos on YouTube, so I wanted to be different and put the extra grunt of this computer to use!!

It is worth noting that the standard Atari ST performs very well (no change there then).

Friday, December 14, 2018

Ballerburg [mobile version]


[This video shows the wonderful Atari ST game, because I don't know how to record directly off my phone!]



An ST classic goes mobile

Let me start by saying that I never play "mobile" games as I don't see the point of using a tiny screen and virtual controls! However, I was waiting for my wife in the car - totally bored stupid (it didn't take very long). Then I remembered Eckhard Kruse's Ballerburg had been remade by a company called DonkeyCat. To say I'm blown away is an understatement because this classic mono game looks and feels very authentic.

The gameplay is just the same, with wind, angle, and speed to decipher. Choose your kingdom and blast cannons over the mountains. I admit, I prefer the Atari ST original, but this mobile game is jolly good fun. Waste no more time, get on your chosen App Store and download this mobile artillery action (both iOS and Android).

Considering this isn't on an Atari ST, I had buckets of fun with this game. Highly recommended.


ST DOWNLOAD & SCREENSHOTS -




Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny






Father Christmas has come early!

Atari Legend is playing Santa with a fantastic run-up to Christmas by releasing something special every day throughout December. It wasn't until the 7th when they released an HDD-patched download of Ultima 5 that I became intrigued by their offer. Wow, that doesn't sound right, 1-6 where ace. Doh!

The land of Britannia has lost its king, Lord British, and is now ruled by a tyrant called Blackthorn. 
As the Avatar, your mission is to return to Britannia. You must uncover Lord British’s fate, rally allies, restore the true meaning of virtues and overthrow Blackthorn’s regime to restore balance to the kingdom.

Yeah, it sounds corny, with the good vs evil problem. But this game looks very interesting, and I love the look of the overhead visuals. I’m curious about the character I should create to explore this strange world.

Okay, guys, it's screenshot time! Let's take a look...



Looks like I'm in a pretty cosy place and very glam too.



Okay, let's get out and explore the lush countryside.



Oh no, a two-headed Ettin has found me when walking over the hills...



I'm too weak and need better weapons - I should have run away!




First Impressions

Creating a character is an unusual affair, and something I didn't expect, but this process eventually got Stevie configured and into the thick of it. Boy, are there a large number of keys to learn for each and every additional action, which basically means your interaction within the world at large. In fact, the world is huge, and the battles are challenging, so exploring Britannia is going to be fun (or agony?). I can take it!!

I am genuinely enjoying my first walks through the grasslands and forests, until I found a small bridge with a Troll. Luckily, I made it across without him noticing me, but I then ran into red demons who decided that they wanted a piece. You know, those pieces that I need to stay alive... Yep, my first battle didn't go down well if I'm honest - DEAD! But wait, I've been resurrected for another bash! Let's hope I can do better.

This is one seriously immersive RPG. I'm talking months of my life, gone...


Vicious snakes decide to spit venom at our plucky adventurers.



Now I feel Ultima V is finally starting to show its true colours.



What a game, and I must say that I adore the graphical style and detail. Amazing!


Hey, look, I've just found a map! Time for a drink before leaving...




Have my plans changed?

Yes, they certainly have. I’ve decided to spend Christmas in the world of Ultima V, complete with whiskey, turkey butties, and mince pies! I’m really looking forward to learning more about the game and have enjoyed a few interesting attempts (ahem failures). I love the style of Ultima V; the graphics are fantastic, and the adventure is incredibly captivating. I’m afraid I haven’t fully mastered the combat system yet, but I’ll get there.

I’m excited to take this game seriously and see how my next adventure unfolds. Watch this space, folks. Now, if you're totally a noob to Ultima V, then I'd love to hear of your progress. Enjoy the Christmas gift!

Thanks to Atari Legend for the daily treats.
STay Atari. Or die!