Voodoo Nightmare

It's a jungle out there!

Palace Software released Voodoo Nightmare in 1990 and is an isometric action/puzzler not dissimilar to the older Ultimate games I used to play as a kid on my ZX Spectrum. We are Boots Barker, a guy with a silly name and little good fortune - he went on an African holiday with his wife and best friend. Hang on, both his wife and best friend? Yep, I'm getting a bad vibe and wondering what naughty things she's been getting up to!

Anyhow, during the holiday, they all went up for a ride in a hot-air balloon. Suddenly, but not surprisingly, he gets pushed over the side and falls into the deep jungle wilderness! Thankfully, he survived that horrendous fall but was left unconscious in the mud. It got worse when he awoke to find that a medicine man had crammed a mask on his face! Try as he might, the damn thing wouldn't come off.

Our task is very simple get the mask off our ugly mug. To do that, we must find eight pins that we can stick into a voodoo doll of that African witch doctor. These are hard to find and only earned by materialistically-satisfying five temple gods (who each have a pin to provide). The rest are collected by completing jungle tasks, like helping an injured native, feeding a monkey, and finding a lion cub's mother.

These images I've taken from the manual brilliantly depict the outlandish narrative...

What an insane expression!!

This artwork is outstanding. Love it.

Dazed, assaulted and mocked. A great start to anyone's day!!

Now's my chance to be Sabreman?

The jungle is a beautiful place with a lush green landscape and an assortment of dangerous animals. Its wilderness is designed like a turf maze; getting around takes practice because you can easily make a wrong turn and feel lost. Wild animals roam but only come out during the daytime - which is odd but rather handy as you will discover. The jungle is also home to native residents, shops, and (wait for it) casinos!

Okay, my first impressions weren't favourable and I didn't care for Voodoo Nightmare at all. After playing a game or two, I left it for several weeks because I didn't appreciate the concept of blindly wandering around a restrictive maze. I think a lot of this was also down to the control system and positioning my joystick at an awkward angle - something I never did in Knight Lore or Fairlight! Yep, this game didn't gel with me whatsoever. 

Thankfully, I returned to the game after I accidentally stumbled upon some screenshots that I had previously taken. These piqued my interest and I gave it a second chance - I even surprised myself by reading the manual. Yep, I did that just don't tell anyone. Anyhow, I decided to give it another go, just in case I happened to prejudge it too harshly and incorrectly. Sheesh, it turned out I had!

In light of that revelation, I think I better roll on with a selection of funky screenshots...

Come on, this is the most gorgeous jungle with stunning colours. Love it!!

Watch out for holes in the bridges. Sloppy workmanship, I say...

Yikes, look at that angry fella!! What's his problem?

Out of Africa

The basis of the story is to collect 8 pins from each temple and some jungle tasks. Then we can end our masked torment by beating the living daylights out of that witch doctor! Sounds easy but it's a lot harder than you may think: each temple is home to a greedy god who must be showered in gems before giving up his pin.

The first is the Spider Temple, a maze of rooms containing gems. It's daunting with some inaccessible areas and locked doors. So this is where the puzzle elements come in - either killing a nasty beast, moving objects, or using teleporters. You are alerted for nearby gems in the status menu to make sure you don't miss anything. Once we have collected enough, the spider god can be visited who will cough up the first of our pins.

She also rewards us with the power to break webs so we can discover more, like the jungle tasks. The first, that I found, was a lion cub who needed to be returned to its mother. This is just a case of heading back through the jungle to find Mom. But that's easier said than done thanks to the jungle being a maze of angry animals.

The jungle is a formidable force of nature and home to many animals and natives who use poisonous blowpipes for varied effects - one of which is temporary blindness. The animals only roam during the day and can drain your energy unless you're quick to stamp on them - they sometimes drop a plate of food. Very handy!

It's not complex but the tasks are huge. Wanna see more screenshots of stunning 16-bit artistry...

Unlike most cities, it's safer to go out at night when the nasties are sleeping.

Here I've returned the baby lion to its mother. She looks so... happy!

Hang on, what have we here? Shall I say hello to this peculiar gang of natives?

Shopping and nightlife

The jungle isn't like we saw watching Tarzan. This place has shops stuffed with helpful items like weapons and maps. These places are only open during the daytime and are manned by Romero. He's a nice chap and several of his Supply Huts dotted around different parts of the jungle. Shop around to find specific items.

Wanna know what you purchased? Hit the spacebar to reveal the inventory and use the joystick to choose an item. I would advise purchasing a weapon which makes it easier to kill those nasty animals roaming the jungle. However, this does mean you can no longer jump, which makes no sense, but it's easy to alternate.

During the night, casinos open their doors to anyone wishing to try their luck. That's right, we can gamble away our warez by taking a chance - Vegas style! It's called a Treasure Tree and is open at night but it may prove fruitful for those willing to risk it. Or you might just get yourself in big trouble... How is your luck?

It always pays to explore everywhere; you never know what you may stumble upon...

Jungle stores are plentiful with supplies but it pays to shop around.

Inside is Romero... dunno how they thought that name was original!

Casinos are only open at night and it's great if you have loot burning a hole in your pocket?

Jane's big tips

• It may help you a bunch if the joystick is held at an angle. But get familiar first before you jump into the gameplay. It may be awkward but it's not impossible! Ugh, trust me...
• Starting in the spider temple is an overbearing experience. Take your time and make use of the teleporters whilst also making a mental note of those that appear to lead to a dead end.
• Watch the status bar for a flashing red gem alert.
• Getting sick of the rabid animals constantly sapping your energy? So you didn't bother to master the controls? Nor have you shopped for better weaponry? Well, you can pause the game - when the sun comes up. Now, unpause when the moon is out. A weird cheat!
• The jungle quests are confusing only because the jungle is a challenging labyrinth. Why not memorise it? Plus there are maps to purchase (only if you have an abundance of funds!)
• Jungle tasks? The lion cub is so easy, head back north and grab a weapon.
• Stuck in the spider temple? Try pushing some central objects.
• Blades are great but also mean that you don't need to jump on the animals anymore.
• Did you know some of the jungle's brush can be slashed?
• Holes in bridges - use your inventory to put your boots back on.

The spider temple is actually very easy once you realise the rooms follow a structured layout.

Look out for a flashing red gem in the status bar. Very helpful for hidden objects.

Finally, I made it and reaped my rewards. Onwards to the next temple?

Tarzan aesthetics!

I absolutely love the visuals, all thanks to the talents of Lyndon Brooke and Lorne Campbell (Operation Harrier and Barbarian II). This design is something that Ultimate could only dream of back in their colour-clash ZX Spectrum days. Thankfully, they didn't make the mistake of going overboard to produce something garish. No, each temple looks incredible with fine attention to detail and the jungle is lush in technicolour.

As for the audio, Dave Whittaker created both the effects and background music. The effects are nice but it's the music I enjoyed the most. Okay, it's not his finest work but it certainly functions as a subtle background melody. It's timid so doesn't overpower the sound effects and this shy approach works perfectly.

Check out these screenshots from the Snake Temple. Stunning visuals with a menacing design...

The snake temple is one of cruel design and silly puzzles. How will you escape this trap?

Watch that status bar and collect all gems like the one here, it's easy to miss.

A brilliant design. Hopping across the void is superb - just be careful!!

The CryptO'pinion?

I may not have liked Voodoo Nightmare at first but I'm glad I returned to it. This is now growing to be one of my favourite ST games and feels somewhat like a "modern" Sabre Wulf with its jungle and crazy critters.

My only quibbles are the constant onslaught of angry animals and the time it took to feel comfortable with the controls. Of course, the jungle would be dull without animals crazily running around and it's fun learning to kill them using the fast and fluent joystick controls. You may start playing by cautiously walking through the animal-infested jungle but it's not long until you're running and killing like a Tasmanian Devil.

Voodoo Nightmare is a thrill and will entertain you for hours. An incredible game and highly recommended!!

> The floppies can be found on Atari Legend and you can also run it directly off your hard drive.

Fire & Brimstone -mapped

Fancy a holiday in Nilfheim?

Are you ready for more ST game maps? I hope so... and this time it's a Nordic platformer that is so tough I genuinely cannot imagine anyone playing it without cheating. That's right, it's the dreaded Fire And Brimstone by Vectordean/Firebird which you may remember was featured on AtariCrypt many moons ago? Wow, how time flies...

Anyhow, it's been fun trolling through the entire game but, there's no way I'd have beaten the first level without infinite lives. Absolutely no way! Regardless, I love this platformer. But what were they thinking with such unfair difficulty, like the stupid bosses or those ledges that set alight without any warning? Ugh, those killed me too many times to count!

Perhaps we were tougher back then? I've obviously gone soft but not enough to wimp away from weeks of mapping. Scroll down and check out the thumbnail of my "hard work". The hi-res images can be downloaded by clicking here. 👈🏻

* I wanna send a shout-out to Chris Sorrell for his striking pixel art. Mind-boggling quality!!
* There are lots of downloads but I preferred playing D-Bug's excellent crack.

* ST Format featured a basic walkthrough of the earlier levels in issues 11-13.

* Greetings to Maarten from Atari Legend for his incredible fuji support.

* What? You missed our review... sheesh why do I bother? :p Go on, click this link!
* Hey, there are more Game Maps on my website, just look to the right for that link...

This has been another fantastic Atari ST platformer that I have thoroughly enjoyed mapping. Interestingly, I did find a couple of "bugs" along the way. Level 5 is impossible without carrying a blue potion. However, you had to know about that before leaving level 4 as there isn't one to collect. Very odd, so I'm glad that I kept my older game saves to return to!

Anyhow, it might have taken several agonising weeks and lots of tears (lol) but I hope you like this collection of ST maps? Yes/No? Let me know in the comments below... but whatever you think, do one thing - STay Atari.

No, don't bother clicking this picture - just download the hi-res image from the above link!

And after all my hard work the end screen isn't exactly worth waiting for! Can you beat my score??

Deluxe Nostram

Into the Wonderful

This takes me back and I remember playing the original Nostram thanks to a magazine cover disk. It was a good platformer but some screens were too fiddly as I recall so I didn't get very far. Well, it was a freebie so I shouldn't complain too much! Deluxe Nostram is the sequel and kinda the same game albeit more polished and with better controls.

Released in 1993 by Powerfist, it was programmed in STOS by Daniel Walton with graphics by Ian Wilkinson. The game map is ginormous with an incredible amount of rooms to pillage and that potential, as an adventurer, is something I value. The documentation has a line that I thought was brilliant: "THE GREATEST ADVENTURE YOU WILL EVER EXPERIENCE". Well, that's surely a bold statement and one that only made me excited for great things. (Yeah, I'm easily pleased)

Wait, this sounds too good to be true? Who knows, maybe, but let's crack on and check out two screenshots...

Oi, you with the helmet head, this is the starting screen where your adventure begins.

Ah, a doorway and it looks wide open too. Don't be fooled, a key is still oddly required...

Don't fall asleep

Today's muscular hero is an adventurer in a castle tower of considerable rooms and bizarre monsters. Our objective is to collect five crystals scattered throughout the castle in order to escape and regain the Wings Of Flight. During the journey, there are obstacles, trinkets to collect and locked doors granting access to mysteriously hidden places.

Any platformer demands effortless, instinctive controls that are responsive and precise. Deluxe Nostram nails this especially as the jump mechanic was improved for the latest release so our warrior is very agile. However, numerous screens are void of monsters or dangerous obstacles which means little reason to exercise these controls.

So that makes this a rather strange game as I expected content similar to any generic platformer. Nope, Deluxe Nostram presents more of an exploration adventure with a few puzzles along the way. But it's mostly just us wandering about looking for keys and crystals if I'm brutally honest. Weird right? Are you still interested?

Nevertheless, it's this explorational element that appeals to me as it's possible to visit most of the screens without resorting to a cheat - because there's little to endanger you. It's silly, but I admit to enjoying going through the entire game rather than worrying about defeating impossibly tough screens. Although, I doubt many reading this will feel the same way?

What, you're still here? That's good! Okay, let's take a look at more purple and orange screenshots...

A weird purple monster walking against the purple background. Hmm...

One of the more bizarre enemies you will come across. I'd say kill it before thinking of moving on...

Aesthetics

Graphically, this is <cough> very familiar thanks to a look and design all too godlike, albeit less sophisticated. I do appreciate the overall display because it's clean and concise so works well. However, there isn't enough variation so everything begins to look very samey and a little boring after a while. I was also weary of seeing the same colour scheme!

The audio is less than favourable because there is no music and the effects are limited to hitting monsters or collecting stuff. Basically, it's silent and that's a massive shame as a chiptune would have been most welcome.

Fancy a gander at even more gaudy purple and orange screenshots? No? Well, I'm in charge, so tough luck...

One of the stupidest screens as it's impossible to pass the two blades without losing energy!

See that crystal over there? You need that but how will you get it? Make a map!

The CryptO'pinion?

Deluxe Nostram isn't the best platformer I've played but, it's far from the worst. The castle is huge and well-designed but sadly, there are too many rooms with little to do. Ie, no moving platforms, slides, acid pools or even roaming monsters! As a platformer, it fails to engage the player and I fear that fact might dishearten a lot of potential players.

To be honest, that factor was actually a nice change, as it enabled me to travel through the castle and that's probably why I enjoyed mapping it? Deluxe Nostram is for those who enjoy exploration so I doubt it will appeal to any generic platformer fan. This is a weird one, I will definitely be interested to know what you guys think in the comments below.

The floppy can be downloaded but PP has adapted a better version that you can grab by clicking here.

The Maps!

Here are the thumbnails for each of the four levels. As you can see, they are all complete but I wasn't able to exit and finish the game as the door (top/left of map 3) loops back (in error) to map 4. And that is the same as the door on the second floor, so I can only assume it's a bug seeing both doors lead to the same place. Yes, I am gutted by this!!

On map 1, the door on the first level takes you to the dungeon level (which is map 2).

On map 1, the door on the fifth level takes you to map 3 (bottom/left door there).

On map 1, the door on the third level is used as an entrance only.

On map 3, the door on the first level takes you to the entrance door mentioned above.

On map 3, the door on the second level takes you to map 4.

On map 3, the door on the fourth level also takes you to map 4 (perhaps a bug?)

Don't hang around, come and get the hi-res maps downloaded!

[Map 1] This is where we begin our adventure...

[Map 2] The Dungeon, a tiny level that (erm) looks nothing like a dungeon!

[Map 3] Possibly the best level of them all, albeit still with few monsters to contend with!

[Map 4] Presents another place to explore. See what I did there? You would if you had played it... ;)

Uninvited ...not a walkthrough!

Helping Hands

---

There are many walkthroughs all over the internet but, blindly following one makes playing any game rather pointless. Used as a reference they're helpful to get you passed those sticky bits that have you stumped. I know all about that feeling all too well for this bloodthirsty adventure! Anyhow, did you read our review of Uninvited? Go on, check it out :)

Uninvited is tough and it's an understatement to say that some obscure puzzles are impossible to figure out because they make no sense whatsoever! Also, there are many areas used exclusively as a red herring - lots of dead ends with even more dreaded deaths (remember that giant spider under the church?). So, I figured I'd try to map what I can and provide some helpful tips that might help you out. Or you could just google for a walkthrough if you're a wimp?

Generous Big Tips

---

* After escaping the car, look around before entering the scary mansion.

* Once inside, you'll notice an unlit fire and comfy chairs. Rest a while.

* Inside the library room, there is an interesting book to read.

* Anything readable is often helpful for information, words to speak and numerical combinations.

* The hallway on the first floor has access to bottles for critters and phantoms.

* Hey, there's a spirit in the hallway on the ground floor, that's handy!

* Any books left lying about need to be examined and read.

* Flowers can be a sign of respect, especially when placed at the graveside.

* I always carry a box of matches with me because you never know...

* Aren't knives great for cutting stuff up? Vandals use them to slash things like chairs.

* Did you find a box in the Master's bedroom? If you're stuck, highlight all the shaded text with your mouse: "pick up the box from inside the locked cabinet. This needs to be burnt in the fire"

* Gems make great keys for (erm) aptly shapely keyholes.

* The greenhouse is another enigma. Highlight this text if you're stuck: "use the watering can on the empty plant pot which is on the table on the left. Pick up the plant pot afterwards"

* Those dogs aren't that bad, they just need to hear a friendly voice. Reading is always helpful, right?

* If you don't go to church then you should - but the chapel is so vague and if you need help then highlight this text: "light the candlesticks and pick up the Cross. Don't forget to speak to the head..."

* The maze is its own entity of annoyance. Explore if you must but this is the part of the game where I "cheated" to find my way through. I know, I know but at least I'm honest! So, if you're fed up wandering around the maze like a fool, then highlight this text for directions: "north, west, west, north, north, west, west, north, north, east, east, north, north, east, east".

* It's here that you stumble upon a zombie! This is an easy kill but only if you were listening and paying attention right from the start? After the car explodes, you needed something. Can you go back? Ha!

* The maze still isn't over with and after killing the zombie, these are the directions to continue on: "East, east, south, south and you better have brought those flowers!". Hint? "only birds go inside a bird cage"

* Now we can leave the maze. Can you remember the way out? Okay, here you go: "north, north, west, west, west, west, south, south, west, west, south, south, east, east, south, south, east, east, south, south".

* Ice caves need melting. If you need help, highlight this text: "that brass pentagram which you thought was pointless is actually the way to melt ice. I know, I know... what a rubbish puzzle".

* Remember that little red demon that flies by every so often? Highlight time: "he loves cookies and can be found in the Recreational room on the ground floor".

* Dead body? Police might assume the worst so why not try dumping it?

* Drowning in the bathroom? Look up and keep trying.

* One final tip for the last task? John 14:6 ... Yep, you need a †

I hope my obscure hints help you out in some of those stickier moments? But please don't ruin this game by mindlessly following a walkthrough. Trust me, this adventure has its annoyances but is worth playing properly. Well, except for the maze which is a stupid part of the entire quest. So yeah, cheat all you can inside that horrendous location!

Okay, I'm being harsh and paranoid because it's actually doable -but- only if you map it. This will take several attempts because of three things: 1) deadly creatures lurking in the maze. 2) dead ends. 3) Well, I won't spoil that one!! So, the best thing to do is draw a map and keep saving and replaying it. This way you can keep nudging forward your progress with each movement made. Yeah, it will take a while so wouldn't it be nice if someone had already mapped it?

The Map!

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Yeah, I've managed to map all of the different rooms, paths and locations (that was fun!). However, there are some that I've not yet managed to suss out. For example, the locked door near the Observatory and I don't know how to kill the giant spiders (not possible). Update: the map is now complete so download it and take a look for yourself.

I've spent several weeks making this map so let me know what you think in the comments below O_o

Yes, this is merely a partial thumbnail. The download link is juuuuuust above so grab it now!

Puzzling Puzzles?

---

As I said in my review (go on, you know you wanna click that link), there are many puzzles but some are plain stupid. Success is always about being a good adventurer and leaving no stone unturned so, if you rush, without making notes, then you're gonna make mistakes. Slow down, grab that pen and paper and you will do just fine (he says).

Before we see the absurd puzzles, let's take a look at some of the better ones you will come upon...

Why would I need a paralyzed spider? Well, isn't everyone scared of spiders? Everyone!

This is a game of experimenting so look everywhere and why not see if... something... works...

Yeah, you sussed it out! But now a peculiar haunting dude shows up. Scare him away!

Interesting information is everywhere so leave no stone unturned. Or chair.

What would you say to a gypsy? Well, I know but let's be nice! (hint, read everything)

Impossible Puzzles

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See how painless yet productive those puzzles are thanks to a little common sense? Plus it always pays to read documents and books as that gathered information will help later on. However, there are a few puzzles that are very vague so stump even the most hardened adventurer. Heck, I don't think Spock could suss out some of these killers.

Melting ice, the church, and the greenhouse sections made little sense and you already know how I feel about the maze. There are some infuriating dead ends that are a pain in the bum especially when you're worried about the "impending darkness" creeping ever so near. These aren't difficult puzzles more like impossible, which is illogical to me.

Sigh, it's almost like the game requires we sneak a peep at a walkthrough. Never mind, let's take a look...

Stone faces talk, really? Candles scare away ghosts - in the daylight - that was weird!

One wrong move in the maze and, you've guessed it. Death! Did you save the game?

Another dead end that results in your gruesome death. So glad I save regularly!!

I cannot stress just how impossibly irritating this puzzle was. Cool ghost drawing though!

Perhaps the most annoying death of all - I had no chance without referencing a walkthrough :(

Funny Faces!

---

Let's end on a high with some silly pixel art. Uninvited is stuffed with great artwork but several screens are downright ridiculous, like the bathroom with its ugly miniature dolls hanging on the wall. Also, there are a few dodgy-looking monsters that certainly don't suit the "horror" theme (David Marsh what were you thinking?). Quite odd compared to the other drawings which are fantastic by comparison. Oh, and where is my brother on the final screenshot?

Anyhow, thanks for stopping by, and I hope you enjoy this last batch of silly screenshots...

Attack of the killer tomatoes? Oh, and this was another ridiculous puzzle!!

Green fingers make this monster happy. Apparently...

One final demon to contend with but only if you steal from the chapel! Whaaaat?

The weather brightens and everyone is happy. Another day saved. Be happy.

lol yeah, that's me alright. And no, I don't have a printer!

What, do you want more?

---

Well, how about access to a hidden room? It's called the Art Gallery and is of no use whatsoever to your progress but is fun to visit. There is zero chance of stumbling upon it by accident due to the obscure way it's unlocked. Only by sheer luck, I spotted it on The Cutting Room Floor (Mac version, but I was pleasantly surprised it worked with the Atari ST).

What I liked about this secret is that it's actually twofold: not only can you unlock and access the room but you can also alter the girl in the painting. Give a guy half the chance and it was bound to happen. Yep, I'm talking boobs!

Seriously, thanks for stopping by, and remember to comment or share this article with the ST world...

As secrets go, this was nice to uncover but... it's meaningless to your adventure.

Bring along the correct brush and hey presto, boobs!!!

Uninvited

Thy Flesh Consumed

I enjoy adventures, but MacVentures are something I have yet to experience. I believe there are four and this caught my eye because of its horror theme. Seeing as I had a bucket load of fun with Ooze and Curse Of Rabenstein, I booted this up to see what it was all about. Initially, it appeared very good albeit with many agonising deaths! But, fun nonetheless.

Hold your horses, what's a MacVenture? That's the name given to the engine powering the point-and-click Mac adventure by Icom Simulations. This is just one game from a series of adventures, all of which have been ported to the Atari ST Shadowgate, Déjà Vu, and Déjà Vu II - Lost in Las Vegas. We call them AtariVentures, which is much better!

The story starts with my brother and me experiencing firsthand what a nasty car crash looks like. I wake to find he's missing and the car is about to explode! This is the first puzzle - figuring out a way to open the car's door and scarper before it's too late. Afterwards, you find yourself outside a creepy old house and there is a sinister storm approaching. Thunder is booming and we have our brother to find. Dare we risk entering the scary-looking house to search for him?

Okey-dokey, let's take a peek at the road traffic accident where nobody rushed to our assistance...

Update: I've posted a new article for Uninvited. It's (not) a walkthrough! :)

Of course, we were gonna crash because somebody put the steering wheel on the wrong side...

Oh oh, looks like the crash happened right outside an intimidating haunted house. Let's go inside!

User Interface

The Uninvited uses GEM albeit with a few minor changes to its look and feel. Windows are resizable and used to display command options, what we're carrying, descriptions, and also the current room as we view it. All commands are limited to eight options but these are direct and precise - examine, open, close, speak, operate, go, hit, and consume.

For example, to inspect an object you would click it and then choose the examine button. Dead easy. The game employs this simple method of instruction throughout, but more "complex" actions like walking through a closed door require multiple commands: ie first opening it before attempting to walk through a closed door. Duh, obvious right?

Items you find can easily be carried in your inventory by drag & drop plus their contents can be sorted in order. The other window is for Exits - all of the possible ways to leave the current location. Being GEM'ish means we easily begin playing thanks to a functional and intuitive design but that efficiency comes at a price, ie I'm glad my ST has a Blitter!

Additionally, you can double-click on most things for a default option. Like the closed doors: double-click once to open it and again to walk through. The same goes for the Exits window, double-clicking in that is nifty.

The more observant may have noticed the "Self" button? Well, that's rarely used if I'm honest, but it may involve something that you need to do - such as drink a potion. Additionally, this is also another way in which the game shows its good sense of humour, try using the axe on yourself (save first). I love this freedom and the potential to be daft!!

Wanting to escape the oncoming storm, we head into the mansion for shelter. Oh, and two more screenshots...

The first room is a little weird, especially with that giant pentagram on the floor!

This is the room just off to the right (see previous image). Not much to see... Ahem, right?

Let's play!

As with any adventure, the Uninvited is all about exploration, study, investigation, and lots of trial and error. Well, with Uninvited, the trial and error parts are paramount with the earlier stages presenting a steep learning curve. This game takes no prisoners. Yes, I'm talking about you Scarlet O'Hara, and that vicious temper of yours!

She is the lady lurking on the ground floor hallway and, no matter what you do, she will turn around and eat your face! Over and over I died. Too many times to count! The only way to safely pass her is via the stairwell to the first floor - but you need to come back downstairs at some point. Perhaps there is something up there we can use against her?

More or less everything that you see can be picked up and examined (it's now that I'm starting to realise there are a gazillion possible objects to inspect). Take a look upstairs; have a poke about and inspect each room for anything that might kill this Scarlet monster. It really is an obvious puzzle that you have probably overlooked several times.

Killing Scarlet is a big deal and opens up the game completely. I feel quite victorious and it's now the adventure really does begin as there is much work to do with many, many more rooms to plunder for anything that might help me find my brother. Oh, there are walkthroughs on the net which I won't be linking to as they'll only spoil the fun (although the maze section contradicts me entirely). Just play the game and enjoy everything that's on offer for the avid explorer.

Here are two more screenshots of the hallways that (embarrassingly) took me eons to suss out...

Scarlet seems to be guarding each of the four doors. So why don't we sneak upstairs?

It's much safer upstairs and you can freely explore each room... for an item to combat Scarlet!

I love big tips!

* Go slow and don't rush as you will only miss what is obvious.

* Learn the user interface properly, it's dead easy but can be finicky.

* Just escaped the impending death of a car wreck? Snoop before entering the house...

* Inspect absolutely everything, even the smallest thing can get you out of trouble.

* Read the object descriptions carefully, subtle hints are usually given.

* Don't be a vandal, not until the time is right later...

* 90% of the items are useless so remember their locations rather than carrying everything.

* Make a map. I know, I know, but this is the time for pen and paper!!

* Install to hard drive - the experience is miles better with audio on cue.

* This next one is obvious but never more so for a game like this - save regularly!

Every so often, a little critter whisks across the screen! He's a little cookie he is!

A spider freely walks by, and then a winged eyeball appears. What is going on?!!

Aesthetics

The artwork is really good with each room well detailed to represent each scene nicely. Okay, it's not exactly The Pawn but I admire what they were trying to do and I thought it worked very well much of the time. The horror aspect is feeble, to say the least, but Scarlet is a babe and Romero would love to cast her I'm sure of it. The guy with the severed head is brilliantly drawn but what's even better is the glimpse we're given. That timing works really well for maximum effect.

As you progress, you'll realise just how many different monsters there are. Not to mention the different ways to die! Some of these monsters are really cool, I especially liked the zombies in the maze. However, some are rather lame - like the one that looks like a giant tomato. Yeah, the results are mixed but generally favourable with a comical twist.

I know some will disagree, but GEM works well for our version of AtariVenture. I think it's made great use of the windows, especially with the ease of issuing commands and the use of Exits and Inventory. But this also means it's slower than other similar games but a Blitter helps, as did my 16Mhz Mega STe.

As for audio, there is no music which is fine as that would have ruined the atmosphere, plus the sound effects are perfectly apt. Thankfully, these are made using crunchy samples and include everything from creaking doors to horrific screams. Amazing sound effects and, if I was playing this back in 1987, it would have blown my socks off!!

Death comes thick and fast throughout your entire adventure. I hate Scarlet so much!

Stuff that, I'm heading back downstairs! (probably the scariest moment in this 'horror' game)

The CryptO'pinion?

I found the Uninvited to be a challenging and intense adventure and one that I thoroughly enjoyed, especially considering this is my first frolic into the world of MacVentures, erm I mean, AtariVentures. Like any of its ilk, you have to take your time and study all aspects of each and every location. That's the only way you're going to get anywhere.

However, it's not perfect with certain puzzles not making any sense whatsoever and therefore impossible to figure out without sneaking a glance at a walkthrough. Not only that, but I've never known any adventure with so many red herrings - either the many pointless items or dead ends (that often lead to your brutal demise!). That might sound fair in some respects but it's not when you're secretly restricted to a finite number of actions within the game at large.

Having said that, please believe me that I have thoroughly enjoyed playing Uninvited. Whilst certain parts of it made little sense, the Uninvited offers a richly rewarding experience and, if you fancy a different kind of adventure, then this is definitely it. Demanding, interesting, infuriating, and blummin' good fun for anyone looking for a challenge.

You can download the floppies but Uninvited is a dream when running off a hard drive / UltraSatan!

I love Uninvited. So I looked on eBay and there it was, going cheap as chips too. Excellent!!