Navy Moves

Mission U-5544

Dinamic released Navy Moves in 1989, and as you all are probably aware, I'm a big fan of theirs, so I'm eager to boot up Army Moves' sequel. As are McArra, an elite agent sent on a covert mission to destroy a rogue nuclear submarine before it can upset the global balance of power (ie, BOOM WARS). Like many Dinamic games, Navy Moves is split up into two parts. Part One is itself divided into three stages.

Beginning at sea, McArra races across mine-infested waters, and this opening section immediately feels a little like Army Moves. The aim is simple: ride the choppy sea and leap over the mines. However, in practice, it's brutally difficult as the mines are packed tightly together. (In fact, this setup weirdly reminded me of a scrolling nightmare version of a room from Jet Set Willy called West Wing Roof). Weird, right?

Anyhow, one mistimed jump sends you back to the start. IF you reach one of the checkpoints, the challenge worsens with enemies attacking from both sides of the screen. You'll never beat this part of the game, as it's absolutely impossible!! The second stage is underwater as McArra puts on his scuba gear and descends below the surface. From what I have seen online, this section is excellent and reminds me of Thunder Jaws. The third stage is a horizontal shooter, like Menace, and again, it appears genuinely impressive.

You guessed it, I only got to see the first stage of Part One! Sigh, let's see a screenshot from that...

The dreaded first stage of Part One. Why, Dinamic? Why???

Operation Cephalopod

Part Two takes place inside the submarine and can be selected from the main menu, provided you know the "secret code". McArra must fight his way through a network of connected rooms towards the reactor, where a bomb needs to be planted. Officers, marines, and flamethrower-wielding troops patrol the corridors, turning every section of the sub into hostile territory. Anyone in your way has to go, but it's the officers who matter, as searching their bodies reveals the security codes needed to venture further.

However, it's not simply a case of charging forward with guns blazing. Most fallen enemies can be searched, which means every encounter has some meaning - especially when your ammo is running low. Progress becomes a balance of advancing through the rooms, conserving ammunition, and making sure no useful body is left unchecked - the key element of this entire stage. Planting the bomb at the reactor is only half the mission, because you still have to retrace your steps and escape the submarine before it blows up.

Sneak around, kill baddies, and rob their bodies of loot. Very excellent!! It's screenshot time...

You know, I'm starting to think McArra was modelled on someone famous? Hmm...

CryptO'pinion

I have always had a soft spot for Dinamic, as they brought plenty of quirky titles to the Atari ST. You can feel their oddball charm all over this one, but that first stage almost feels as if the developers deliberately sabotaged their own work. I never got to see the second and third stages of Part One.

Dinamic was never known for taking it easy on us, but Navy Moves feels excessive even by their standards. Thankfully, Part Two is accessible via the main menu, but it's very challenging. Still, running through a submarine, gunning down guards, and racing towards the reactor is thoroughly enjoyable.

If I had bought this game in 1989, then I'd probably have been very annoyed at the opening stage, especially if I didn't know the code for Part Two. And that's not very good, is it? So, forget playing Part One unless you’re a gaming legend with superhuman joystick skills. That's certainly not me, so I'd recommend you download Navy Moves to play only Part Two. This is a great run-and-gunner that you will love to bits.

• Floppies can be downloaded from Atari Legend.
• D-Bug has a great version that's hard-drive installable.
• If you want access to Part Two, then check out my PDF magazine: ST Cheaters Unite.
• There are many more Dinamic games on the Crypt. Check 'em out!
• Risky Business has a superb playthrough video. He actually beats the first stage of Part One. So maybe it's just me? Anyhow, you've also gotta see the ending. Seriously, don't miss that scene :^)
• We need someone to hack Part One so we can play stages 2 and 3. Get in touch!!

The part of the game is so great, but why play properly? Just kill henchmen!

ST•News

The Archive Alive

I'll admit something that still saddens me - I was never a fan of ST News back in the day. I can’t quite explain why. Maybe I was too busy playing games to bother, or maybe it just didn't click with me at the time. Either way, I genuinely have no idea why I was so stupid then. Hang on, I still am. Never mind...

Running from 1986 through to 1996, ST News grew into one of the most respected diskmags. Spearheaded by Richard Karsmakers, with major contributions from Stefan Posthuma and many others, it blended articles, reviews, tips, programming insight, and scene coverage with music, graphics, and slick interfaces. What stands out today is the quality and range of its content. From casual, everyday topics to deep technical discussions, ST News captured the full spectrum of the Atari ST scene (usually with a scroller to read, too!)

Today, the ST News website provides a surreal archive of every issue. Whether you read them online or download them for real hardware or emulation, it's a fascinating journey through the most active period of our history. What started out as a modest text file evolved into one of the most iconic diskmags, and even today, it's a joy to explore. If you have never given ST News a proper look, now is the perfect opportunity.

Check it out sometime and relive the days when everything was better...

• Best on a real computer, but you can still read each issue on their excellent website!
• Check this out: the 42nd anniversary issue sounds like it's going to be rather special.
• Richard was interviewed in Undercover Magascene (a superb diskmag!!)
• Check out even more in Other STuff out there. :-)

Sheer Agony

Sheer Slog

Sheer Agony, released in 1996 by Logitron, is a graphical adventure (without a parser). Instead, you control everything with the mouse, clicking on a wide selection of command buttons for tasks like look, examine, lift, walk, and so on. What makes it stand out is that all the images are digitised photographs of real places, which gives it a unique, distinctive style, even if the game's execution can be a little weird.

So, with a name like Sheer Agony, you know this isn’t going to be a comedy. It’s a mystery adventure where you play as a journalist who's written an article about the eccentric Kruwehl family and their mansion, "Sheer Agony Manor". The whole family has been found dead from poisoning. Regrettably, you’ve been slowly poisoned by a slow-acting toxin and must investigate the manor to uncover its secrets before your death!

The game begins in a B-movie style outside the manor, and from here it’s all about exploration and observation. Clicking on objects reveals information or adds them to your inventory, where they can later be used to solve puzzles. You must think like a detective, with logic, persistence, and a sharp eye for detail. The puzzles are often tricky and not always logical, which can be frustrating. They revolve around solving the mystery of the deaths and uncovering the secrets of the mansion and the family's grim history.

The user interface is pretty unique, and I'm being cautiously generous there. The concept of mixing a clickable environment with a row of action buttons is unusual, but in practice, it works fairly well. Also, a map tracks your position, but it often feels oddly disconnected from what the main screen is showing. Moving from room to room also forces you to wait for your footsteps to finish, which quickly becomes tiresome and unnecessarily drawn out. I must admit, it is a superb method to move, rather than only being able to click the image.

Visually, the ST/STe release is a step down from the Falcon original. The images are clearly batch-converted to 16 colours, and while some rooms look atmospheric, others end up looking like poor photocopies. The STe’s extended palette does help, and occasionally the gloomy manor shots work well enough to give a haunted-house vibe. Sadly, the sound is practically non-existent, and while constant music might have been bad, the complete lack of creaks, groans, or even cheap jump scares leaves the game oddly silent and flat.

I suppose the problem with Sheer Agony is its oddball interface; the idea of action buttons alongside a clickable environment is peculiar. Additionally, the missing sounds and poor picture quality don't help. Yet there is still something strangely compelling about the mansion, with its creepy, gloomy atmosphere. Sadly, some puzzles are too obscure, so it might feel like a bit of a slog trying to solve them.

If you are after something "new", then I say DO IT. This is a deep, challenging, and tantalising adventure that is definitely worth playing. For all its quirks, I enjoyed it a bunch and rate it a spine-chilling 75%.

• Make sure you download from Logitron's website, which includes the passcodes.
• Click here for other similar adventure games that you might like.
• Sheer Agony uses the Blitter and Extended Palette, and gets added to the STe List!!

We arrive at the manor, which looks suspiciously just like my house...ahem...

Let's have a dig around the place and see what's what.

Fine dining? Let's take a seat and eat like Homer Simpson!

Headed into the kitchen, and there are lots of places to search.

I think we need to check out that bedroom asap!

Now we're getting somewhere; I love a house with its own cave system!!

Hmm, what's inside those bottles, I wonder?

I'm in the depths here, and I've found blood splatters on the wall... Gulp!!

The Kruwehl family has their own graveyard. Now that's pretty darn cool!!