9 Lives

Reach out for the power

Once again, it's time for some more Atari ST box art and, today we have 9 Lives. Like most Arc games, this box has a simple design but is also pretty comical with a laughing cat that reminds me of Tom And Jerry. I must admit, I laughed at the glowing reviews plastered by three popular magazines! This has to be a great purchase, right?

Sadly, they were wrong because 9 Lives is incredibly problematic - the gameplay borders on impossible! At first, I thought this might be because of the controls, which take some time to fully master. Once you have, I found them perfect: it's easy to navigate and jump through the platforms and those long leaps are guided by a meter for fine control.

So, no matter what others say, it's not the controls. Are you shocked? I am. Let's view a couple of screenshots...

What a massive and unique variety of characters this game has.

Just look at those funny faces! I'm sure these were designed by insane people!!

What's going on?

It's not the joystick controls but the game itself. These present several awkward flaws that irk me: the sprites are too big so each screen appears "zoomed in". This means the rooms feel cluttered, thus Bob cannot help but touch something nasty. Sure, I can knock them out with my woolly yo-yo but soon they're back up and ready to zap more of my lifeforce!

Also, the levels are incredibly unfair and require a psychic gamer to be previously aware of every off-screen trap. Argh, those darn spikes!! And - oddly, for a cat - Bob cannot fall very far without dying!! However, this produces a hilarious animation effect not too dissimilar to Wile E. Coyote from the Road Runner cartoons. And I loved that!

The idea is great but the design doesn't quite feel right. Sigh, I think it's time for more screenshots...

Another life was lost... Well, at least I'm going up and not DOWN!! Phew.

Oh dear, another life lost at the hands of the frustrating and over-crowded level design...

Aesthetics?

The cartoon graphics are created by Simon Butler and are superb. Sprites are drawn with amazing detail and feel more like an exhibition than a game! The animations throughout are brilliant - I love how Bob struts his stuff walking across my screen. And what about how he clings to a ledge, just before managing to pull himself up. Fantastic!!

Audio isn't left lagging behind thanks to the most gorgeous YM Chipmusic created by Martin Walker and Simon Butler. Throughout the music is nothing less than perfect. Zero complaints about the musak from me.

No more screenshots! This time we get to see what's inside the box...

Okay, there's not much in the box but the manual doubles as a poster!

The CryptO'pinion?

Personally, I think 9 Lives had the potential to be a great platformer but I doubt it was produced by anyone that enjoyed playing games. It certainly wasn't beta-tested before released lol. Sadly, I imagine most will play this once or twice before giving up - which is a shame? To think I bought this... but it's still a piece of ST history that I will cherish.

Take it for a spin and enjoy the aesthetics but, just make sure you enable the trainer option!!

Floppy disks at Old Games Finder & HDD version by 8BitChip.

Mystic Realm

Cute dungeon crawling!

Mystic Realm is an action/adventure that feels like an early 80s mash of Gauntlet with limited RPG elements. It may scream "1985" but it was actually released in 1990 by John Lince for STart Magazine. Impressively, it's programmed in GFA Basic, a powerful language that has produced many games over the years so I already have high hopes.

Okay, the story is about an evil vagrant who has kidnapped a Princess (or Prince if you prefer the only other gender). Man or woman, it doesn't matter, as both will plunder monster-infested dungeons for a valiant rescue. Expect to fight zombies, ghosts, bats, etc. Obviously, I chose to be the prince even though I think he looks like a gingerbread man!!

Please, ignore its 8-bit appearance and enjoy the first screenshot. Dull decor but exquisite characters...

Wait, don't run away!! Remember that golden rule? The gameplay matters - not the graphics.

Plunge the depths!

There are 14 massive levels to explore with the basic objective of finding keys to venture through and ultimately rescue our beloved. Simple stuff! Each level is made from a number of separate rooms and navigation is aided by directional arrows displayed at the top of the screen. These show us the sides of the screen that will lead us through the dungeon.

The levels are mapped and included on the floppy disk (scroll down to view 'em here). Each is designed to be challenging but, never to a point where you feel bewildered or bored. Expect the usual and battle against a range of monsters and solve puzzles that are slowly integrated into your adventure. For example, a wooden gate may block your path but that isn't a strong obstacle against a couple of hits. However, later puzzles require more thought than simple brute force.

Fun, but requires some thought later on so use your brain. Hey, it's time for another screenshot...

Hang on, am I a gingerbread man? lol maybe! But there are still many monsters to kill. Oh yeah!!

Tread carefully, adventurer

Various weapons can be collected and each translates into a specific number of knives (visually displayed) for our adventurer to throw like a ninja. Do note that no other weapons are actually used but collecting a high-ticket item - like an axe - will reward your inventory generously. The firing method will instantly feel familiar to Berzerk fans: just hold down the joystick button and tap the direction you wish to throw a knife. It's apt and works superbly well.

Health points are displayed top/left of the screen and detail our vitality from 0 (you're dead) to 999 (the maximum). It's hungry work being a heroic gingerbread man so chomp on whatever you find to keep yourself alive. If you are already near the max then it might be worth leaving food behind until later? Sadly, health isn't regenerated at the beginning of a brand new level which is a terrible shame. You will transform into a skeleton if you foolishly starve to death!!

Tips? Easy, be a savvy adventurer! Beware not to waste ammo because you never know how long it will be before you can top-up your arsenal. Remember to eat only when hungry. Finally, there are lots of locked doors - but use your keys wisely because not all doors need opening. Use your brain, Rambo!!

Oh dear, it looks like I've run out of energy and thus instantly became a skeleton. Love it!

Aesthetics

Don't be fooled by the humble, almost childish, graphics. I find Mystic Realm quite fascinating as it reminds me of the games I played as a kid in the early 80s. Sure, there are more colours and a higher resolution but the "feeling" remains genuine - without having any unnecessary bloatware that would ruin the authenticity. Also, the sprites are all nicely drawn and with comical details: like the wobble of a zombie walk! The ghosts are excellent and are my favourite.

Audio? Well, even the meagre sound effects transport me back to the 80s. Hearing a knife skim through the air on its way to hit a fiend flat-bang in the face is brilliant!! I'm not ashamed to admit this - I adore the 8-Bit atmosphere.

Mystic Realm teleports me back to my pre-ST days and I'm loving it. Let's see another screenshot...

Prince or Princess, here are the details for power, weapons, your enemies and everything else.

The CryptO'pinion?

Mystic Realm is one of those games that helps to prove jazzy graphics and sonic boom sound effects aren't required for a great gaming experience. And that is exactly what we have here and, even though I don't imagine many people reading this article would agree? Well, not until you take the plunge and play a couple of games for yourself.

Fans of the RPG/Dungeon Crawling genres will love Mystic Realm, I am positive of this. It's no thrills with fantastic adventure elements and I have thoroughly enjoyed the arduous task of rescuing another damsel in distress!

An enjoyable, dungeon-crawling romp with frivolous graphics. Humble yet I absolutely loved every second of it!!

- Download from AtariMania -

- THE MAPS -

( Don't be a dummy!!! Click on each thumbnail to see the larger level maps displayed )

( Don't be a dummy!!! Click on each thumbnail to see the larger level maps displayed )

( Don't be a dummy!!! Click on each thumbnail to see the larger level maps displayed )

( Don't be a dummy!!! Click on each thumbnail to see the larger level maps displayed )