The demoscene is here!
Thalion games always oozed a superior visual and audio style that few others could match. However, I don't think I ever played Ghost Battle, which is very odd as I'm a fan of platformers and Thalion. So, let's play!
We are a muscle-bound hero who needs to rescue his kidnapped girlfriend, who was whisked away by a giant hand. That's right, a giant hand!! At least you get to travel to some of the most beautiful places trying to find her, and along the way, you should kill everything in your wake! However, I fear the controls and gameplay mechanics are awkward and affect your movement, which feels stiff, so it will take some getting used to.
The initial weapon’s poor firing rate makes it unsuitable for quick kills, as it falls short of the required pace. So, no matter how many times you try to rapidly hit that fire button, most monsters will manage to survive just long enough to zap your precious energy. It's frustrating and spoils what might have been.
This is like Ghouls And Ghosts with similar levels and a few puzzles. The action is predictable but very hard and will surely torment the most discerning gamers. Did Thalion employ beta testers? It's very difficult...
Okay, what's up with those freaky eyes!! That's drugs for ya, kids!
What a cute intro... Well, until a giant hand appears and whisks away your dolly bird!
- Graphics & Sounds -
The graphics are astounding, with stunning artwork by Henk Nieborg. The scrolling is silky-smooth, and it's best viewed on the Atari STe. It reminds me of a mix of Ghouls And Ghosts, Risky Woods, Stormlord, and maybe even a tickle of Shadow Of The Beast? It's hard to imagine a prettier platformer, but this is!
Like the visuals, the audio is outstanding and matches the pixels for quality in equal measure. I think you'll guess who's behind the music, and it's nothing less than fabulous! He proves that chip music will last forever.
The opening level is stunning and scrolls beautifully. Now, master those controls!!
There are lots of enemies, and they look gorgeous. Watch out for that chainsaw guy!
- The CryptO'pinion -
Ghost Battle could so easily have been a crackerjack platformer, as it's got so much going for it and is aesthetically one of the best 16-bit games on the planet. However, it suffers from its own stupid design flaws thanks to some of the most awkward control mechanics I've ever seen. Argh, so frustrating because its potential is immense, but you'll see very little unless you spend years mastering the cruel learning curve.
Ghost Battle looks and sounds incredible, but it's going to need lots of time; otherwise, don't bother. However, once you've mastered that and progressed beyond the confusing open levels, there's a good game here - nothing beats seeing a zombie on a pogo stick! Sadly, the unbalanced gameplay and controls let it down.
Sadly, there are better games to play on the Atari ST, although I doubt they'll look or sound as good!
