Gauntlet III - The Final Quest

Oh, dear...

Sorry, I meant to say, here we have Gauntlet 3 developed by Software Creations for US Gold. Yet another sequel to the incredible arcade game we love. Only this time, somebody thought that the winning formula of speed and frantic action wasn't good enough for the 1990s. Here we go. Yup, somebody decided that a modernized version with a new isometric design was needed to replace the classic overhead view.

Please note that I tried to keep an open mind throughout. Rather than being a grumpy old man wondering why his favourite game had been drastically changed. It's not all bad surely? Of course not, but why change a winning formula? Nevermind, let's crack on with the review...

Yes, it looks different, but in a good way, actually. I liked how we begin the opening levels in a spooky forest; this stage looks the part. All the familiar Gauntlet elements are lurking in these woods: ghosts, generators, treasure, and food. The idea remains much the same as ever - we hack and slash through to a medieval church, killing everything in our wake. Not only that, but the levels appear huge; this is a big game.

Let's view a cheap & tacky screenshot that I took with my phone off my Atari ST...

The ruins of an old church deep in the woods. That tree looks scary, so let's get inside quick!

Let's kill monsters!

First things first, who do we want to be - Warrior, Wizard, Rockman, Lizard Man, Elf, and more. That's right, there are many more characters! One or two players can team up (definitely better with two), and the classic gameplay mechanics remain much the same. We're still throwing axes, arrows, magic, and more directly into the faces of ghosts, goblins, and other hideous creatures that emerge from their generators.

The levels are vast and divided into several smaller sections, which you can revisit whenever you like. Monsters constantly spawn, so blast the generators! Remember your usual strategy: collect treasure and eat food. Shooting a potion clears the screen of enemies, or you can collect them for later use. Escaping to the next realm is only possible after completing simple tasks like collecting keys and that sorta stuff.

Essentially, they wanted this to be Gauntlet but with an isometric perspective. Unfortunately, I doubt that’s feasible. The original’s timeless appeal stemmed from the ability to start blasting monsters instantly, whether solo or with others. The action was fast-paced, but this isn’t the case with Gauntlet 3. Not even close.

I've progressed into the weirdly designed church for this next screenshot...

Inside the church are many ghosts and awkward objects to try to walk around...

Fighting in slo-mo?

The gameplay is a lot slower, so gone is that instant enjoyment of mass killing we love. The thrill has been replaced with a more sedate exploration that happens to include killing. That's how it feels to me; the frenzied action has gone. That's made worse thanks to the level design and terrible control mechanics.

Even walking is an issue, as the levels are littered with objects that need to be walked around. That might not sound like a big deal, but it is. I was sick & tired of getting stuck on the scenery. This applies to your weapons, which are often blocked when trying to hit a target. Heck, even the ghosts suffer from this problem!

The controls are lethargic and verrrrrry sluggish, making walking incredibly tiring. Furthermore, the attack speed is far too slow. This means we can’t destroy generators unless we walk and fight through hordes of ghosts, losing energy in the process. A faster firing rate would have instantly fixed this problem.

Surely, it's not all bad? No, but let's view one final screenshot before my judgment...

Looks like we've just walked straight into an ambush. Shoot the generators, if you can!

The CryptO'pinion?

Gauntlet 3 was programmed by Bill Barna of Software Creations, and I wonder if his job was to rush through a nasty Amiga port. It certainly feels that way. This is very disappointing given the company’s history of producing classics like Bubble Bobble, Ghouls & Ghosts, and Bionic Commando. What went wrong?

Ignoring that it's supposed to be the third in the series, this is actually enjoyable in its own right. I liked exploring the various lands and killing everything in sight. While the controls are somewhat problematic, it’s still a decent game. However, it falls short as a "Gauntlet" game and only redeems itself in co-op with a friend.

Downloads for floppy disk and hard drive.

Update: A GLIMMER OF HOPE?

Update: I have contacted Peter Putnik (8BitChip) to ask about a hard drive version that supports faster Atari computers. Once again he worked his magic and I've been enjoying Gauntlet 3 on my 16MHz Atari STe and yes, I said the word with enjoy in it!!

Sure, it still isn't perfect but, if you have a faster computer, then this update will help to eliminate some problems, especially with the unresponsive controls. 

And that's big news!! Gauntlet III is playable, at last.

Puffy’s Saga

Cheesy Gauntlet

What do you get if you mix Gauntlet with Pac-Man? If you guessed Puffy’s Saga, well done - you’ve clearly read the title! Released in 1989 by UBI Soft and developed by Claude Sablatou, this adventure sees Puffy and Puffyn trapped in a 20-level dungeon on an alien world. Naturally, it’s packed with monsters lurking around every corner, ready to attack or (hopefully) be avoided. The goal is simple - collect all the power dots and escape.

Each level is designed much like Gauntlet, with a similar look and feel. There are plenty of traps to avoid (if you can), and the monsters are a bizarre bunch - jellyfish, living puddles of water, and relentless eyeballs that will chase when you get too close - and they can’t be killed! The joystick controls are responsive, especially for Puffyn, who moves with a bit more agility (Puffy is stronger with better weapon fire).

You can play as either character, but this isn’t a multiplayer fest like you might first assume, but rather solo. However, there’s a small co-op element in the form of character switching, though this relies on a collectable item called a Magic Gom. Picking one up lets you swap characters, gain better firepower, move faster, and so on. If you’re lucky enough to find more, you can even skip a level or slow down the monsters.

Playing Puffy’s Saga is a fun, familiar experience because it feels like Gauntlet. However, it is more like a chaotic game of chase in a maze (I like how that sounds). There are tons of monsters eager to hunt you down, and every touch drains your energy. That is displayed on the status panel and gradually depletes over time. So you will need to constantly hunt for food to keep going, which detracts from the fun of exploration.

Ultimately, Puffy and Puffyn are essentially playing Pac-Man - grabbing dots, dodging enemies, and rushing to the next level in a bewildering panic. The challenge is with the monsters' sheer number (and strength) because there are way too many to cope with. As a result, your energy drains far too quickly, which was my biggest gripe - it's not balanced and feels restrictive. Because of this, I never made it past a handful of levels.

Okay, let's take a small break and check out a couple of screenshots...

Being chased, losing valuable energy... at least I have a near-pointless map!

Looking remarkably like Gauntlet for the second level, I thought.

Monsters, Power-Ups, and Other Stuff!

The main menu is essentially a help sheet, so take a good look before you start blindly. It showcases the monsters - some, like eyeballs, are invincible and best avoided (if you can), while others can be defeated or lured away. You’ll also spot a list of power-ups, though I only managed to find extra speed and firepower!

Interestingly, the function keys unlock a variety of “hidden” features:

• F1 will pause the game.
• F2 flips between 50/60Hz.
• F3/F4 will slow/increase the speed of the game.
• F5 utilises that empty part of the screen with a map (requires two Magic Goms).
• F6 provides a training mode that whisks you to level 7.

These power-ups require one magic gom to work:

• The HELP key will switch between the two characters.
• F key will give you bad breath as temporary firepower.
• S key provides a speed bonus.
• Pressing H adds 100 points to your health.

These two functions require two magic goms:

• The UNDO key zips you off to the next level.
• And the M key slows the monsters down.

Hang on, what's a Magic Gom? It’s a blue ball - grab them whenever you can. That said, keep an eye out for food as well, as it restores health. It only adds 100 points, which isn’t much, but hey, it’s better than nothing!

Right, I'm hitting the F1 key to pause the chat for a couple of screenshots...

Pods, keys, beef, and magic are what you need. Stay clear of the "monsters"!

On this level, I was struggling with my health and needed food. Use the map!

Aesthetics

The visuals are a bit odd and left me with mixed feelings. On the one hand, the design might be a bit familiar (cough - cough - totally ripped idea), but everything still looks great. I really liked the use of colour, and the cartoon-like designs of the sprites and items are superb. The scrolling is fairly smooth, though it can slow down a little when a bunch of enemies are chasing after you. The real bummer is that older STs (without a Blitter Chip) suffer from awful push-scrolling, which is horrendous for a "must-scroll" game like this.

Surprisingly, this game supports the Blitter! Yep, the Mega ST and all Atari STe computers will produce real scrolling instead of that push muck!! In all honesty, I was shocked by this discovery as it fees like a hidden backdoor attempt of supporting the Atari STe? Almost a secret!

Perhaps this is the first game to support the Atari STe? Although it appears to have been released before the computer itself. Or rather the first game to support the Mega ST as that had a Blitter from 1987. But it would require TOS 1.04 because the game isn't compatible with TOS 1.02.

My head is about to explode!! Anyhow, kudos to Claude for going that extra mile!!

The audio is delightful, with samples for every action - eat something, and you hear “YUM!”. When low on energy, you’re warned about death. It’s all cute and in a French style we love. However, and I hate to say this, but after a while, it can get a bit grating. I would’ve loved the option for YM effects instead. That said, I’ve got to tip my virtual hat to Claude for going the extra mile with so many silly sound samples.

Could this be one of the first Blitter games? Let's see some screenshots while we ponder over that...

As with Gauntlet, keys unlock the barriers blocking our path.

I just started the level, and immediately I'm surrounded by those damn jellyfish!

The CryptO'pinion

Puffy’s Saga was always going to be seen as a Gauntlet knockoff, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t have been a decent game. Unfortunately, it falls short due to its cumbersome design. You're always in a panic, worrying about dying due to the lack of health and food pick-ups. The hordes of monsters become nearly impossible to defeat when they all swarm. Factor in the complexity of the power-ups, Magic Goms, and the absence of a default map, and it all becomes too much to handle, making it more frustrating than enjoyable.

Wow, this isn't looking good, is it? Despite my whinging, the core gameplay isn’t bad - running through Gauntlet levels and killing monsters is fun. I liked the speed of Puffyn and the power of Puffy; this spices things up nicely. Plus, like many French games, the aesthetics are lovely - stunning visuals and silly samples.

Puffy's Saga needed more energy and greater rewards from food pickups. Not to mention better use of items/power-ups and dumping that bad idea of Magic Goms!! All this would’ve eased the difficulty, making it balanced and more enjoyable. As it is, I struggled to get too far without running out of energy!

I reckon I need to rate this based on the hardware. On older STs without a Blitter, the push-scrolling is painful, so I’d have to give it a rather brutal 35%. But on something like the Mega ST or Atari STe, it runs much smoother and plays way better. The proper scrolling makes it a lot more enjoyable - so I'd say it deserves a surprisingly decent 60%. At the end of the day, though, Blitter or not, just play Gauntlet II instead.

• Atari Legend has the best floppy disk by The Midland Boyz.
• 8BitChip has an installable hard drive game that now supports the Blitter.
• It's not often I record videos these days, but check out the ST scrolling...

Gauntlet

Dandy!

Gauntlet is an arcade masterpiece with a design that is simple yet genius. It's a combination of a dungeon crawler with an extreme kill-em-all, and this results in an unstoppable solo/multiplayer experience. Yep, 1-4 people can hack & slash through tons of hellish underground levels! Absolutely gaming heaven.

We can play as one of four groovy characters: a Warrior, Elf, Wizard, and Valkyrie. Each has its own characteristics for strength and battling the nasties. I'm always the Warrior because he's bound to be the Samson of the group, and thankfully, there is no Delilah. Each character needs to be fed, so don't do anything daft like shooting food, as that affects your health lol. Come on, you know how to play this classic!

Let's slap a pause on the reading for an animated GIF of Gauntlet...

A timeless arcade classic. Simple as that, really.

Four heroes against millions of monsters?

The monsters are some of the most varied I have seen, which adds so much to the dungeon feel. We have ghosts, demons, grunts, lobbers (I hate those!), and more. They have their own evil attributes and are born from something called a Generator - so destroy those first to cease the onslaught of hatred against you.

The object is simple - kill the monsters and escape. We're trapped in a 100-level creepy dungeon, and everything lurking here wants to eat you. So it's up to you (and any potential co-op players) to kill everything and find the exit in order to escape the hellish catacombs. Keys are littered everywhere to access restricted areas, and you shall also note the booty which is conveniently left for you, and collect it for extra points.

Finally, Death is here. Yep, literally Death himself, and he is almost impossible to kill, so try to avoid him if possible. This brings me nicely to the magical potions you can discover scattered about most levels. By collecting these, your chance of survival is greatly improved and will certainly help during an encounter with Death. Hint: do not assume he is a single individual making a single appearance, so be wise with your potions.

Before we get to the aesthetics, let's see a beautiful image from the game...

Whether demons or ghosts are attacking, this game is always freakishly GREAT fun!!!

Aesthetics?

Graphically, this has authentically crafted levels that look excellent. The monster sprites are just as good and must count as one of the best-looking arcade conversions for the Atari ST. However, there's a price to pay for all that glam, and it comes at the cost of framerate. This will drop when there are dozens of monsters on-screen at once. Of course, faster computers like my 16MHz Mega STe (and emulators) have no such issues.

I love the audio, from the moment we hear the Da-Da-Da-Daaa begin playing. I'm hooked. This is superb and of good quality, which is enhanced further with in-game sampled effects. Oh, I absolutely love Gauntlet!!

Right then, one final screenshot, otherwise I'll only spoil you...

Argh, they're attacking from all corners of the dungeon!! Heeeeeelp!!

The CryptO'pinion?

There are two conclusions to draw here. If you're using an upgraded ST or have something fancy like a Mega STe, TT, etc/etc then you're gonna love this beautiful game. However, there is slowdown (on the original Atari ST), and it will get sluggish when the screen is heavily overcrowded. Thankfully, I've just heard that Peter has updated Gauntlet to support the Blitter, which is great news for the Atari STe (that includes the Mega ST)

Whether you play solo or not, this is an awesome shooter. Gauntlet is one of the best arcade games, and the Atari ST has another winning conversion under its belt. It's pure retro gaming gold, and I love it!!

Stop whatever you're doing and download this wonderful game from Klaz' Hideaway (both hard drive & floppy versions). Klaz has implemented support for faster Atari computers and my own Mega STe (16MHz) delivered a far better framerate! This transforms the game completely - it's now mind-bogglingly ACE!!

Update: Peter Putnik has made a version that supports the Blitter chip.
Download it from his website.

Rana Rama

We. Are. A. Frog. Really?

Most action games have you playing as something cool, like a wizard, a warrior or perhaps even a Hollywood hero with a deadly automated weapon that never runs out of ammo. Well, not so with Ranarama. You're a novice magician called Mervyn who has accidentally turned himself into a frog? That's right, you're a frog!

Wizards have invaded and brought a horde of monsters who killed everyone, although luckily, they ignored this unassuming frog. So it's time for you to leggit and deal a hefty dose of revenge on them! Played through an overhead view, you crawl through a dungeon, battling the minion slaves of the powerful wizards.

Wanna see who you are up against? Check out these minions of evil...

   

Make the time to check out your foe and find out who you're battling against.


   
Not only that, but a chance to view the gorgeous artwork!!

An amphibian gauntlet?

First impressions are of an action-packed Gauntlet clone; although it looks aesthetically similar, it's different. Beginning in the upper area of this 8-level dungeon, you must kill the baddies and defeat the wizards. Interestingly, only the places explored are visible, and the baddies themselves are only seen when you’re in the same room. This makes entering new rooms-  an anxious moment - who knows what surprises lurk!

Monsters come in various scary shapes and sizes, starting with the humble Dwarf (I love those) and leading up to the mighty Gargoyles. All can be killed with increasing efforts, and wizards need to be defeated in a Countdown-style sub-game that has you rearranging letters to form the word "Ranarama". It's not easy, and later wizards are very tricky, but once won, he dies and leaves behind his rune goodies.

Magic plays its part in Ranarama, and Mervyn has four categories at his disposal: offensive, defensive, effect and other powers. All movement and monster hits will reduce energy; fear not, because you can cast a spell or collect the energy cells, which are frequently available. Finally, use the floor-based glyphs to activate special features like a map, status, and casting powerful spells. Quite confusing at first, but don't give up!

Check out this screenshot. Looks a little like Gauntlet, but... it's... not...

As you can see, the rooms are displayed only when they have been explored.

Aesthetics

The graphics are superb with fine attention to detail, and great use of colour, plus the sprites are beautiful. Also, I love how each screen isn't instantly viewable in full - not until you've actually explored that region. This is a great idea and makes the journey far more interesting because you have no idea what's around the corner.

The in-game Sound effects are extremely good, using a style that shows just what the ST's Yamaha chip is capable of. All chip music is by Dave J. Rogers, of Exolon and Zynaps fame, so absolutely superb stuff. Basically, the audio is wonderful and certainly proves that chipmusic will live on forever. Gorgeous sounds.

Ranarama was one of the first Atari ST games with speech (that I owned).
Thus I adore the fuzzy girl speaking. It's historically humourous but also very epic!!

I love the red eyes of Mr Froggy, and each character has fascinating attention to detail.

The CryptO'pinion?

If you expected a run-of-the-mill Gauntlet clone, then you will be happy, as Ranarama is different. It offers a long-term mix of arcade action with hints of role-playing whilst venturing through the cunning levels. It's difficult but very rewarding, so expect many late nights - if you're brave enough to accept the challenge?

An utterly engrossing Atari ST game, once again by legends Hewson. Absolutely fantastic, in every respect.

The best download from 8BitChip (hard drive)

Old Games Finder should suffice for floppy dudes!

Time Bandit

HiSToric gaming!

Microdeal released Time Bandit in 1985, ranking as one of the first Atari ST games. Programmed by Bill Dunlevy, long before any developers knew how to push our 16-bit computer. However, my first impressions weren't good, as I felt this was a cheap Gauntlet ripoff. I continued to play until my sanity returned.

Ignore my foolish first impressions because I fear there might be a funky game lurking behind those old 8bit visuals. Fwiw, Time Bandit was released for the TRS-80 a couple of years before Gauntlet.

Time Bandit is an isometric arcade adventure where we play as a roguish thief hopping through different eras of time in search of valuable artefacts. We begin in The Timegates, a place that permits access to the many strange worlds. Each one is a compact, monster-infested, trap-filled place where the objective is simple: grab the loot, avoid or outwit the enemies, and make it to the exit alive. Simple stuff, right?

These different words help make this game weird, as they range from ancient Egypt to a bomb-making factory and other surprises - like Pac-Man land. They have their own style and objectives with gameplay reminiscent of Gauntlet. This is quite unique, blending genres: primarily, it's an action-adventure, but it incorporates puzzle-solving elements and even short text-adventure segments depending on the world we are exploring.

For each world, the exit is blocked, so we need to find the key(s) or complete tasks to escape. Interestingly, each world can be played again for an increased level of difficulty and fascinating design changes, all of which keep the gameplay interesting and progressively challenging. Battles are fought using a rocket launcher and, best of all, you've been blessed with unlimited ammo too!! Very nice, and that suits me just dandy.

Time Bandit is a cracker with interesting levels to plunder that offer a unique charm. It might look like Gauntlet, which it predates, but it's so much more!! Additionally, each world is very different, with such a huge variety of gameplay that increases in difficulty with each attempt. No other similar game comes close to having so many styles, yet it keeps its own uniqueness to become a true Atari ST classic you shouldn't miss.

Yes, I said all that, and (shockingly) for a 1985 game, too! Truly one of the best Atari ST games.

• Budding time lords should download this game for floppy or your hard disk!!

- Sixteen whacky worlds -

 
Underworld Arena has many spectators, and Darkside Dare is incredibly odd with unexpected twists.

 
Castle Greymoon is one of my favourite levels, as is the dingy Excalibur spaceship!

 
Shadowland? Nah, this is a Pacman ripoff lol. Welkin Island looks rubbish but is so cool.

 
Omega Complex, one vowel off being blocked. The Sentinel reminded me a little of Tutankhamun.

 
Gridville appears to have rude tomatoes, but Hotel California allows us to play as John Wayne!!

 
Watch out for strange aliens in Major Hazard, but the Old Bomb Factory takes that to another level!!

 
Cheops' Curse offers more than you think, but there's a spooky graveyard in Ghost Town.

Guardian is tough even on the first attempt. Watch out for the creepy crawlies in King's Crown.

GIANTS

Atari ST gaming titans?

Giants was released in 1989 by US Gold and is "a mammoth compilation of world beaters" according to the box. Always believe the box, ahem, anyways... Inside a sturdy plastic case are several floppy disks for four big names - which only goes to prove how cool the 1980s were. The four games are:

+ Out Run - I cannot believe this is by the same guy that gave us Enduro Racer!
+ Gauntlet II - an Atari ST classic developed by Golden Axe legend Richard Costello.
+ 1943 - developed by Probe... No, wait! Come back, this one is a good 'un!!
+ Street Fighter - Tiertex gave us Strider so I'm hopeful for another gem. Ahem.

One of those is an arcade beauty on the Atari ST, but what about the other games? Let's see...

- OUTRUN -

Let's begin with Out Run. Oh, dear... I'm not sure what to say about this because we have all moaned about it for many years. Personally, I thought the perspective didn't work on the home computer versions. I know we're in a Ferrari, but there ain't enough pixels for such a low position. However, it's the framerate that hurts the most. This is supposed to be a fast-paced rush through the sunny streets, but it feels more like a jerky slideshow.

Ignoring the dreadful framerate, the visuals aren't too bad and are bright, colourful, and sunny. The music is fantastic, and that's thanks to Jason Brooke. However, it's that framerate that destroys everything this could have been. I wasn't expecting an arcade-perfect conversion, but whoever programmed this should be shot.

Stay clear of this game. There are so many other - far better - racers available for the Atari ST.

Thankfully, there is light at the end of this horendous tunnel, thanks to Manic Miner legend Peter Jørgensen who is in the process of upgrading Out Run for the Atari STe. It uses the Blitter for better framerates along with new sprites, music and more. As a work-in-progress, is already a million times better than the official game...

The road ahead is blocked by four trucks. Yes, four trucks. And I'm almost outta time too!!

- GAUNTLET II -

Unlike the other two Gauntlet games, this one is oddly missing from our archives, so Giants has nicely plugged that gap. Come on, what a fantastic game this is, also something every Atari ST player knows and loves dearly. Whether you are playing solo or with friends, this is a brilliant conversion of the arcade game.

From the moment its cabinet appears - with that foot-tappingly cool music - we are in love. Choose a character from four heroes: a brute like Thor, the cunning Valkyrie, a powerful wizard, or a wise Elf. Each has its style, and all will find it tough to clear the crowded dungeons of evil monsters, ghosts, and other demons.

Use your weapon, kill everything - leave nothing alive. This includes those generators popping out all kinds of monsters from the depths of hell. Look for potions to help against the tougher beasts - like death or a massive hoard. But there is also treasure and food to keep yourself wealthy and healthy.

This game is Dandy, and one of the greatest Atari ST arcade games you will ever play!

One of the best Atari ST arcade conversions there is. Right? Of course, I'm right!!

- 1943 -

1943 follows on from (wait for it) 1942 and is another vertically-scrolling shooter. However, this conversion was initially tough, so I was saddened by how much I hated it. The gameplay feels too fast, so I spent ages ramming into the enemy - and their bullets. It's almost like I had a kamikaze gift for getting myself destroyed.

I also miss the real estate of a portrait display, but that's hardly the ST's fault. Nor is reaching for the spacebar to use a bomb during the difficult moments. However, stick with it and don't be put off because this is a faithful and frantic conversion with tons of enemies and power-ups to collect. Also, I must say that I absolutely love the energy bar, which I thought was superb - and certainly helped prolong my games!

Graphically, we've not been given a perfect clone, but it's no ugly beast. The sprites are nice zooming around your screen, but the backgrounds are pretty lame. However, that is compensated by parallax scrolling - fluffy clouds gliding down the screen like melting butter. The music was YM-composed by Jason Brooke and is brilliant.

Boot this one up for a good hour of frantic joystick-breaking action!

Oh no, the enemy is attacking from multiple directions? Argh, I'm bound to die pretty soon!!

- STREET FIGHTER -

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm no expert in this genre. I know very little until recently dipped my toes in the water a few years back with Double Dragon 3. I was shocked by how much I enjoyed it and found the whole experience rather mind-blowing. What had I been missing all these years? I know, I know...

Things aren't (ahem) as impressive here with Street Fighter. The gameplay is very slow, and the controls don't feel right. It's like I'm blindly bashing the button in the desperate hope of punching or kicking at the right moment. Also, the opponents never truly feel like they have much AI, but when they attack, they're possessed by Chuck Norris!! The balance is off, so I dare anyone to beat your first opponent - without cheating!

Graphically, it looks nice with neat backdrops and huge sprites (more on that another time!). However, the game is dog-slow, and the sprites have bad animation. I'm unsure why everything is so eye-burstingly jerky, as there's little going on. I'm not going to mention the music other than to say how much it grates. Ugh!!

Everything about this conversion feels like a wind-up. Have I been given a beta by accident? Surely this is a joke? Imagine paying the RRP for this. Play something else and don't waste your time booting this up!

Looks quite nice, I think. Though fighting in slo-mo is made even worse by ridiculous difficulty.

- THE CRYPTO'PINION -

It's obvious Gauntlet II was going to be the star of this collection - and it is. But I'm shocked at how much I enjoyed playing 1943, which is a seriously crazy shooter. Okay, I initially hated it, but after many agonising attempts, I finally got the hang of it. I still need a cheat for infinite lives, but I loved it.

That leaves two stinkers. OutRun is a terrible racer with a headache-inducing framerate that makes our Atari ST run slower than an Amstrad CPC. So I'm (more than) relieved we have Peter's Atari STe upgrade in the pipeline. Street Fighter is something else. I'm unsure what to say other than shockingly poor programming.

Overall, I would have been pleased with this compilation back in the day. It's obvious that I would have spent most of my time playing Gauntlet II and occasionally booting up 1943 for a quickie - and probably not lasting very long. The other floppies would have been reformatted and used for the latest Automation disks!!

GIANTS can be downloaded from AtariMania

The Chaos Engine

Is it time for another ripoff?

Not too dissimilar to Gauntlet, The Chaos Engine, by the Bitmap Bros, was released in 1993. It's a top-down arcade shooter where you choose from a selection of characters before running around levels with one purpose: killing baddies! Okay, there is a [minor] puzzle element, but this is about reaping death!!

It's now that I can imagine the look on your faces. Why attempt to take on Gauntlet? Hmm, read on...

"Sometime during the last century, an experimenter with time, space and early computers created a bizarre machine. The inventor's name was Baron Fortesque and the machine was... THE CHAOS ENGINE! Although primitive the machine became incredibly powerful and went crazy, turning ordinary humans and household pets into razor-toothed, armour-plated killing machines."

The characters: you can be one of six mercenaries, each with their own skill set. Chose wisely...

 

 

 
So who are you gonna be? Let me know in the comments who you choose.

Who ya gonna be?

Each character has unique skills, so I advise that you should play each one to find out what you prefer. Personally, I tend to prefer the Mercenary or Thug! Each of the environments is extremely interesting with wicked mechanics and beautiful visuals, helping to create a wonderful Victorian England theme, etc.

Co-op is enabled whether you play solo or with friends and is a treat. I love having a computer-controlled player alongside you, and that extra firepower comes in handy. That helps, especially in the later levels, and is implemented well without ever taking over. However, it's embarrassing when he grabs the coins so quickly!! Argh, this is one of those games that demands practice before you can even think about beating it!

Hey, let's take another break for a couple of screenshots...

The first level is brilliant and works well with the computer-controlled guy.



Level two increases the difficulty, but it's still damn good fun!

Bitmap aesthetics!

The graphics are literally outstanding. From start to end, beautiful artwork, detailed sprites, and gorgeous landscapes. I love each of the environments, which have all been enhanced for the lovely Atari STe by using the hardware scrolling and extra colours. One of the best-looking games on the Atari ST/e. Period!!

All audio is cool - the chip music will stay playing in your head all day, and the sound effects do their job well. However, I must admit to being a little disappointed that this talented bunch failed to use the DMA audio for sampled sound effects. They're already utilising the STe, so why not use the DMA for samples?

So, it looks and sounds great, especially when played on the Atari STe. Agree or disagree? Let me know...

I struggled with the third level, or rather, my old man reactions did!



...and again for the frantic fourth. So tough!!

The CryptO'pinion?

I have always ranked the Bitmap Brothers as one of the best 16-bit developers. The freakish charm of Chaos Engine certainly helps to prove that. I cannot say whether it's better than Gauntlet because it's similar, but different. It's marmite and I think people will find themselves split over these two crackers?

My only gripe is the difficulty on later levels, which I fear is over the top. This means I need to cheat, which isn't good if you think about it. However, there is a passcode system, which is a fantastic feature to have.

This is a remarkable and addictive shooter stuffed full of action. Glad I bought this - I love it!!

8BitChip and D-Bug have created superb hard drive installable games!!

Chaos Engine floppy disks: Adrenalin #37A  #37B disks.

LEVEL CODES

World Two = T6MV6J4LGLCZ (Thug + Mercenary)

World Two = 73VBPXY1PZV1 (Brigand + Navvie)

World Two = QLVKM4YKJQVS (my own code!)

World Three = 4WQZTTRG61MZ (Navvie + Gentleman)

World Three = 2#YNLN7SR94W (Navvie + Brigand)

World Three = JSP99G416LY2 (I've no idea where I found this!)

World Four = PK2R9J6G5W4K (Navvie + Gentleman)

World Four = C8737KFPBCDB (Navvie + Preacher)

ST Format has a guide and a walk-through solution (issues: #51 #52 #53 #54)

Bitmap Bros have a cool website with maps, guides, and more.

Let's Play has a great page with loads of info.

I love this game so much that I went "out" and bought the Apple Mac version.