Fire And Brimstone

Tough as nails!

It's a well-known fact that games were harder back in the day. Perhaps our generation was made of tougher stuff, and today's kids are wimps? That sounds right, and we have a game to prove it. Hey, before we begin, did you know that I've fully mapped this game? No? Well, click the "Game Maps" link to your right...

Fire and Brimstone was released in 1990 by Firebird and is one of the most visually stunning platformers I have seen. The adventure takes place in a fantasy world of Norse mythology, as the mighty Thor must battle the forces of Hel. She has escaped and spread her lust for evil over the Nordic lands with her minions, creating havoc! So, wait for it, it's up to us to clean up this hellish infestation and get home in time for tea.

Check out these gorgeous screenshots with the first immediate puzzle (that makes no sense, ironically)...

This game blows you away from the start with an oddly puzzling demon who always wakes up!

Look out for witches with their rapid spells. Who are also tough to kill!

We are the mighty Thor!

There are five worlds (including Hel) to beat - Alfheim, Anaheim, Nidavellir, Muspell, and Nilfheim. Each screen is a puzzle in itself that requires careful thought before you attempt to foolishly maraud through. Even the first screen can confuse, and its solution makes little sense - get used to this trickery!

Each level’s objective is to find key parts and complete them. Only after all fragments are discovered can you finish the levels (along with a boss to defeat, of course). Therefore, every screen should be thoroughly searched for hidden objects to avoid being punished for laziness and sent back to revisit previous screens!

Thor doesn't only carry an axe but two individual weapons, which he flips between, including bombs and fire. Some power-ups will help improve our abilities against the hordes of baddies who come in all shapes and sizes - each possesses a cunning yet humorous personality. Everyone is often really difficult to kill, from magic-throwing witches to goblins, old bats, and things hiding in trees. It's impossible not to love this game's awesome charisma - I especially love the funky ghosts and creepy witches who fly by on their broomsticks.

Let's view another ghostly and witchy screenshot from this tough platformer...

Watch out for all kinds of freaky monsters. Oh, look, it's the mother-in-law on her broom!

We're in the creepy woods, which are full of ghosts. And HIM too! Runnnnn!!!

Aesthetics

Fire and Brimstone offers an exceptional visual treat by Chris Sorrell. Astounding attention to detail, using an artistic flair that perfectly complements the medieval and hellish atmosphere. The characters look fantastic and are superbly animated with scenic settings that are always beautiful. Jaw-dropping 16-bit pixel art.

Warning: there’s no scrolling. For an Amiga user, this likely translates to their usual complaints about Atari ST ports. However, Fire and Brimstone wasn’t designed to scroll and is perfectly suited as a flick-screen platformer. In fact, I'm pretty sure scrolling wouldn't have had the same effect at all.

David Whittaker’s thumping sample tune serves as the title music, and while brilliant, I must admit I prefer his chiptunes. Don't get me wrong, it's excellent, but just my personal taste. The in-game sound effects are superb for all the usual effects, but clearly can’t match the majestic quality of the lush and detailed graphics.

It sure looks and sounds the business, alright, so let's see another couple of screenshots...

See that guy in red, I wonder what's his story?

Oh, each level has a secret room. Don't miss it otherwise, you'll be sent back!

The CryptO'pinion?

Fire and Brimstone is the most challenging platformer I’ve ever played, with its unforgiving mechanics. However, with patience, you’ll learn how each screen functions and make progress. Even then, it remains incredibly difficult, so I’d rate it as one of the most frustrating games. Hardly a glowing review, right?

Ignoring my painful progress (with a trainer), this game is incredibly entertaining and potentially rewarding for a determined player. I love how each screen offers its own mini-adventure, which naturally extends its lifespan due to its design. Despite its flaws demanding a trainer, I absolutely love it.

However, I fear only the foolish bravest should venture into this world of torment. Enjoy!

Download for floppy or hard drive.

Teserae

I love sausages!

Teserae was developed by The Albanian Sausage Corporation - the funniest name ever! It is a Tetris clone if you hadn't guessed, but this is different and pushes the Atari ST with fantastic aesthetics that no version of Tetris has ever seen. I'm talking about the whackiest & jazziest graphics with a cool wobbly logo, zooming backgrounds, a text scroller, and gorgeous music. Plus, everything runs at a smooooth 50fps. Flashy and slick.

Regardless, it wouldn't be worth its salt if the gameplay were rubbish. Fear not, because it not only looks incredible but plays just as well. Once you have got over the shock of what is a visual carnival, there is actually a challenging version of the classic game here. I'm not exactly a Tetris fan, but I adored Teserae a bunch!!

I recommend you wear sunglasses before you hit AtariMania for the download.

Lights, Camera, Action! (take 2)

Update: I've long since lost these videos. Has anyone got copies to share?

Following on from a previous posting, here are the remaining videos being played using a program called ST Video Player. Just like last time, these are running on a stock 8MHz Atari STe w/ a hard drive, of course.

Chariots Of Wrath

Whilst fighting for King and Country, an evil Baron kidnaps the beautiful Princess Arthena. So jump into your chariot and rescue her. Actually, this really means playing lots of different arcade-style games, which surely can't be a bad day at the local war zone, right?

Released in 1989 by Impressions, Chariots Of Wrath isn't just one particular game but instead is a half-dozen bundle of retro gaming oldies. If there was ever a mixed-goody bag of various games (thrown together), then this is it. Each range in style, from a Breakout clone to a pretty nice shoot 'em up, and each must be played in order before you can advance to the next.

Of course, each and every game will become progressively harder the further you venture. Initially, I didn't care for the "Operation Wolf" clone because it's far too easy and a little boring, but later on, I admit to liking this as it became a lot harder and thus more challenging. But would you play it compared to Op.Wolf?

The breakout game is awesome and comes with a number of power-ups to increase the excitement. I found it enjoyable, but I'm sure the Arkanoid fanboys won't be quaking in their boots! The platformer looks nice, but the controls feel wooden, and it has an incredibly frustrating and extremely unforgiving time limit. Asteroids also make an appearance and play very well with some nifty new touches that I really liked. Finally, I really enjoy the vertically scrolling shoot 'em up, which is both loud and exciting. Sadly, it suffers from amateur mechanics and a little slowdown, but it is still great fun, and I did enjoy it with its BOOM BOOM sound effects!

The graphics are good throughout, with smooth scrolling and lots of colours. So overall, my ears and eyes had little to complain about. However, in terms of playability, Chariots of Wrath almost has a homebrew feel, and with a little spit and polish. We could have had a unique release, as the potential is there with this jack of all trades. However, I fear it falls short, and there are better individual games out for the Atari ST.

• Play off a hard drive, which is best - thanks to 8BitChip!
• Need the floppy disks, then look no further than Atari Legend.
• Check out the superb video recording by CaptainD from Indie Game News.