I hate questions like, what's your favourite game? An impossible question to answer because it doesn't take into consideration the genre or even my mood at that moment. Plus, my answer changes daily! However, people still ask me, which is understandable but also quite infuriating. Or am I in a grumpy mood?!!
Possibly!! Yet I'm actually wondering what my favourite Atari ST game is. We have a ginormous library, so how can I answer? Here goes: I'm ignoring ratings. I'm ignoring genre. I'm ignoring my mood. I'm ignoring everything to make this the most pointless article ever. Wait, it's wrong to pick Dungeon Master, right?
NO!! I cannot choose that because it's the game everyone automatically plumps for. Rightly so, but...
Anyhow, what about Defender of the Crown? What about Stardust? What about Rogue? Then there is Prince Of Persia, Gauntlet II, Joust, Magic Boy, Borodino, Zero-5, Stunt Car Racer, Speedball, Populous, Golden Axe, Time Bandit, The Secret Of Monkey Island, Death Chase, The Pawn, Rick Dangerous, Hostages, Kult, Resolution 101, Stormlord, Midwinter, Hunter, Legends Of Valour, Carrier Command, Mr Do! Run Run, Captain Blood, North & South, Starglider, Oids, Escape from the Planet of the Robot Monsters, Turrican, and Out Run.
The list goes on and on and on... (I was joking about Out Run!)
So, with my back against the wall and a loaded gun held against my empty head, the dreaded question is asked. It demands an answer. I'm starting to sweat. What game might come out trumps? Well, after great thought (honest) I've made my decision - knowing full well this is a pointless venture that makes no sense.
Nobody will read this rubbish website, so I'm perfectly safe from ridicule.
I've done it and picked the best Atari ST game.
Do you wanna know what it is? Really, are you that bored? Right, scroll on...
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The CryptO'pinion?
I have picked Domark's Shadowlands as the best Atari ST game. Not only was it ahead of its time, but it was created, designed and produced to near perfection. It offers the player a fascinating, atmospheric, and captivating world to explore. What, you disagree with me? There's a shocker!! Am I that wrong?
I don't care, but click the above link to read my review. Hang on, can I change my mind? ;^)
Yes, this was silly and a pointless waste of our time. Regardless, if you had a gun held to your head and forced to make that dreaded decision, what Atari ST game would you choose? It can be absolutely anything except Dungeon Master. I'm eager to hear your thoughts, so let me know in the comments below.
Every so often, I come upon something so ridiculous it's weirdly enjoyable. Well, I've found an absurd kids' game called Worm. Oddly enough, the big kid within me still found it very amusing. Worm was developed by Craig Graham of Data Uncertain Software and is a public domain release. The title screen says it was released in 1991, but the game files are time-stamped 1989 on my floppy disk, so who knows. Maybe a default?
The story is that we're a worm called Ooey Gooey, who is on a mission to save the world from an unnatural disaster. Yep, we have been invaded once again by monsters that threaten our existence. These creatures have taken the worms' eggs, so it's our job to rescue them (hey, do worms actually lay eggs?).
I've just googled it, and worms do indeed lay eggs!! On that note, we need to see some screenshots...
The title screen oozes a professional presentation easily on par with the Bitmaps ;)
There is a designer to create your own levels. Look what I've started making. Hmm..!
Let's play
There are 25 wacky levels, and using the joystick, Ooey can crawl along the ground, ledges, and other objects looking for eggs. This isn't exactly mind-blowing, is it? There are some located in high areas, and worms cannot fly, so how can we grab 'em? Well, it's a good job Ooey has a hidden gadget - a helicopter pack! This is actually pretty cool, and he uses it to reach the dizzy heights no worm was ever designed to see.
Don't be too quick to rush off and collect the eggs because there are other items for points and helicopter fuel. Also, there are power-ups like extra lives, invulnerability, and ice, which can freeze enemies. Once all the eggs are collected, we are whisked into the next room to repeat the task on a tougher level.
Interestingly, the main menu has a scroller but it's incredibly lame!! However, it does mention about a possible cheat code "Craig Loves Andrea". Perhaps it's for the high score table or maybe a key combo? I didn't have any luck but YMMV. Let me know in the comments.
And that's about all there is to this bizarre game. It's dead simple and enjoyable in a terrible way...
Leave the title screen alone, and you get to view the instructions.
The evil eyeball looks drunk!
The CryptO'pinion?
To be honest, there's not a whole lot to this game, and its design feels very amateur with crude aesthetics. I admire what Craig tried to achieve, but the sprites are too big, and there is a bunch of truly dreadful collision detection. Sadly, this spoiled what might have been silly and childish, but fun.
Regardless of my whining, it's still enjoyable and worth downloading, especially if you have kids, who you want to punish for spending all your money and ruining your life. Whaaaaaaat did you just say?!! Weirdly, I actually found the concept humorous and enough to warrant writing about it. You should play this game.
You can find Worm over at Exxos' excellent Floppyshop archive (GAM-3341)
The ST is fast approaching its 40th birthday, yet this old computer still manages to surprise me with something new. Recently, I rescued a floppy disk by Seventeen Bit Software called "Disk Magazine". It's labelled Membership 5000, which seems a little dubious, being a high number. Although I do wonder if that was the original owner's ID?
It appears 17BIT supported the ST for only about a year until late '89. They supplied commercial games for both the ST/Amiga platforms at a discount, along with tons of public domain software. Membership was required (free!), and that got you a regular disk magazine; I found number #6. (cheers to Atarimania's Marko for all his help)
The disk boots to the GEM desktop with a hilarious wallpaper - are these the guys behind 17BIT? The contents are varied from utilities to a couple of Spectrum 512 images, and also a megademo by XXX International. But the main reason was to advertise everything in their PD catalogue using a program by Andy Styles to browse through their stock.
I'm eager to find disks 1-5, along with anything else they produced. Sadly, I suspect the worst, but I have hope that their other disks aren't lost in the void! If you know more or happen to have their disks lying about, then get in touch. For now, at least no. 6 is safe because I've made a copy that you can download for either your Atari ST or emulator.
Wait! Before you go, check out these exciting photos and screenshots...
"That Bit Better Than The Rest", I really like their slogan!
This is where all the magic happens. Well...
QMOUSE is cool, and I wonder how SPEEDDISK might perform?
One of the readme files. Gripped with excitement now, aren't ya?
XXX International Demo by XXX International (must have taken ages to choose the demo's title)
One of the Spectrum 512 images.
Their program lets you browse everything they had in stock.
You all know of my love for the Atari ST/e computers? However, I stray to other machines, but don't panic, I'm not talking about the Ameoba! No, a powerful 32-bit computer, Atari should have had more success with - and released sooner. Yep, the Falcon, which already has its own section here on my website.
Go on, be unique, and check that out!
The Abbey of the Dead, or more precisely, L'Abbaye Des Morts, was originally, by Locomalito & converted to the Falcon by Jo Even Skarstein (Joska). Earlier this year, Cote Gamers released the boxed version!
As you all know, I do not own a Falcon, so I'm stuck in the virtual wastelands of emulation thanks to the (fabulous) program Hatari. Sadly, this great emulator doesn't appear to support 60Hz, so the game suffers from irritating slowdown and volume problems with the sound effects. Have you seen the cost of a Falcon? Yeah, I can live with this performance hit until my pending lottery win comes through!
I think we need to see a couple of sexy Atari Falcon screenshots. Who's with me? Come on...
We begin with the Crusaders chasing us through the forest.
A couple of dangerous leaps in the windy woods, and we make it to safety within the church!
So what's this game about?
It's a historical tale from the 13th century and somewhat disappointing thanks to humans being typically stupid. The Cathars, who preached Christian beliefs, were expelled from the Languedoc region of France by the Catholic Church. Sigh, I guess these people missed the point of what Jesus was teaching? Well, they treated the Cathars as heretics and banished them! If you're interested in more information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albigensian_Crusade
A plucky monk managed to escape and, as he scarpered through the woods, he stumbled upon old church ruins. His name is Jean Raymond, but he wasn't the luckiest guy because what he didn't reckon on was the evil lurking underneath the ruins. What are the chances of that? Anyhow, to exorcise this evil, he needs to find 12 crucifixes that have been scattered about, but it won't be easy, thanks to an infestation of monsters!!
Okay, it's a good idea to read signs and look for helpful items. Just like in these screenshots...
Activate that checkpoint Cross and read the script which hints at a hidden passage...
The only pointless script is here, but look, behold our first Cross to collect!!
Gameplay
The Abbey Of The Dead is a 2D platformer with rooms to explore as we hunt for the Crosses. Each screen is separate, offering its own piece of the adventure with different monsters, objects, and tricky jumps to test our dexterity. We begin with three lives, but this can be topped up by collecting hearts.
Along with the 12 Crosses, other items prove helpful. Firstly, scrolls often provide cryptic clues - the first hints at a secret passage that needs discovery to begin our adventure. There are also checkpoints about the church, which are automatically used after losing a life. These are essential, as you can imagine.
The joystick controls are dead simple - left/right to walk and fire to jump. What I like is the ability to alter direction during a leap. Also, pulling downwards activates a crouch, which will be handy on some of the trickier screens!! The keyboard can be used (which I preferred), and a Jagpad if you have one spare?
I'd advise playing several games - just to explore as many rooms as you can. With each attempt, you should find yourself going deeper into the church (which isn't big), so make notes of Cross location and anything else that might be helpful - hearts, teleporters and easier routes.
I would also look out for something that might appear out of place. This is how I stumbled upon a secret passage in my video recording!
Let's take a gander at more screenshots whilst the Crusaders bang on that wooden door...
Here, you might say we're Out On A Limb. I loved how the leaves blew with the change of music.
This is a fantastic room, but I was running out of lives in order to find a cool screenshot!
Aesthetics
Some might look at this platformer and assume it's technically a humble, static-screen game. Something that the ST/STe can handle? You're missing the point, you snob. The graphics are gorgeous, and I think Joska/Mun has done a brilliant job using a style that looks uniquely different to what I initially expected.
It begins with an intro describing the historical tale with text scrolling over the image. What I loved was how it doesn't overlap the logo - a simple yet excellent effect. The game has a console feel with smooth sprites and palettes. The level of detail is superb, and I appreciated how each room has an individual feel.
I won't spoil the surprise of the Game Over screen. It's dark. But it's superb!!
If you're hoping the audio is just as impressive, you're in for a treat. The music is distinctive, with a selection of fantastic chiptunes by Skuggemannen. I admit, I didn't expect to hear "ST tunes", but they work well (I'm relieved not to hear tracker music). Interestingly, playback isn't blindly continuous and can change depending on your location. This first happens in "Prayer Of Hope" and is an effect that adds depth and tension.
Things aren't so impressive for the sound effects, which are barely audible thanks to the problems of emulation. For example, I can hardly hear the Crusaders banging on the door, and the church bell sounds miles away. Okay, this is hardly the end of the world, but I envy Falcon owners more and more with each breath!
It looks and sounds the business, so let's celebrate with even more screenshots...
Otto from Berzerk is here, I think. He chases, so use the platforms wisely to dodge him.
I might have struggled to reach this fantastic room without the aid of a nifty teleporter.
The CryptO'pinion?
Please note, my review is based purely on what I experienced with Hatari. With that in mind, I've had a fistful of fun, albeit with some annoying slowdown and disappointing sound effects. Thankfully, it's still very playable, and nothing can ruin my enjoyment of this excellent platformer, which is challenging and very entertaining.
With each play, I get a little farther, whilst noting interesting item details or things that appear odd. It's this exploration and gradual progression that took me back to my ZX Spectrum days, roaming the factory of Chuckie Egg 2 and the mansion of JSW. Yes, this game has that old-school feel, and I'm in heaven!!
L'Abbaye Des Morts is an excellent platformer, and I'm chuffed I ordered it with Cote Gamers. I'm stuck using an emulator, but even with the problem that itpresents, I enjoy it. I love its retro charm, along with the fact that it drags me back for more. I only wish there were a cut-down version available for the Atari ST/e.
I must admit, a part of me is tempted to make a map, but that will be challenging!!
Tough? Yeah, Hatari makes some scenes harder than they actually are.
Credits and other stuff
It's obvious a lot of love, sweat, and tears(!) went into this platformer. All thanks to these guys:
