Tag / Videogames

by lawrenceofcanadia

Sword of Vermilion – Review

I have mixed feelings toward RPGs. On the one hand, I love the extended adventure, and stories of derring-do, but I dislike the grind and monotony of fighting the same demons over and over again to gain experience points to “level up” your characters. Sword of Vermilion (1989) decided to mix things up a little. The question is, were the innovations novel and interesting, or were they a misstep for the game creators?

Title screen (screenshot taken by the author)

Sword of Vermilion is a single-player action RPG developed and published by Sega, and released for the Mega Drive in 1989 (1990 in North America and 1991 in Europe). It was later released with the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable’s Sega Genesis Collection (2006), and was available on the Wii Virtual Console (2006), the PlayStation 4 as part of Sega Genesis Classics (2018), and Nintendo Switch Online in 2021. For this review, I played the version found on PlayStation 4’s Sega Genesis Classics (2018).

Plot

Life was good in the peaceful Kingdom of Excalabria. That was until the evil King Tsarkon of Cartahena invaded, destroying all their farmland, and laying waste to this once-prosperous land. Seeing that nothing could be done to save his kingdom, King Erik of Excalabria entrusted his only son to his most loyal knight, Blade, and ordered him to take his son far away to safety. After a long journey, Blade finally found a home in the village of Wyclif where he raised the king’s son as his own but never told him of his royal lineage. After 18 years had passed, Blade’s health began to fail. On his deathbed, he reveals the, now-adult, prince’s identity and retells the story of his father’s fate. The prince, who has grown into a strong and skilled warrior swears vengeance upon King Tsarkon and sets off to avenge his father and retake his kingdom. To defeat King Tsarkon, the prince must travel the land of Vermilion to find and obtain eight Rings of Good. However, King Tsarkon already possesses the Rings of Evil…and plans to use them to devastating effect.

Gameplay

There are four different views in this game:

  • Town View – Typical RPG view from overhead with a slight angle.
  • Battle View – Sparked by random map encounters, it is similar to the Golden Axe (1989) style view and allows you to take full control of your character. Using weapons and magic, you can opt to engage the monsters or flee.
  • Dungeon View – First person perspective similar to Shining in the Darkness (1991).
  • Boss View – Sideways viewpoint where you must defeat a powerful boss.

In Town View, you use the D-pad to move around the towns. When you wish to interact with someone or something, you press ‘C’ to bring up a menu with the following options:

  • Talk – Talk to a character
  • Item – Select an item to use
  • Str – See your characters stats
  • Open – Open a treasure chest or door in a cave/dungeon
  • Magic – Select a magic spell to use or to ready for use in battle (some spells require more magic points per use than others). You cannot change your choice of spell during a battle.
  • Equip – Equip a new weapon or piece of armour
  • Seek – Search directly in front of you
  • Take – Take an item from an opened treasure chest.

To cancel, or return to the previous screen, press ‘B’.

In the towns, you will find armourers (to upgrade your weapons), potion shops (for healing and egress items), and magic shops (spells).

Town View (Screenshot taken by the author)

In Battle View, you will fight up to eight enemies at a time. Enemies have of varying degrees of strength and speed. You can run around the screen evading their attacks, slash at them with your sword, cast a magic spell on them, or flee. Naturally, the better your armour the less damage you take, and the better your weapons and spells, the more damage you inflict on the enemy. When you defeat an enemy or group of enemies, you earn experience points and Kims (money) proportionate to the difficulty of the battle. Once you earn a certain amount of experience points, your level and stats increase.

Battle View (Screenshot taken by the author)

In Dungeon View, when in a cave or dungeon, the HUD splits into five boxes. The largest one in the top left shows your first-person perspective. The slightly smaller one in the top right shows a map of the dungeon level or the area of the overworld. The three smaller rectangular boxes show your hit and magic points; your experience and Kims totals, and the last is which magic spell you have equipped. You move by pressing up on the D-pad to go forward, down to go backward, and left or right to turn 90 degrees either way. It is during these parts of the game that you will have random map encounters.

Overworld View (Screenshot taken by the author)
Dungeon View (Screenshot taken by the author)

In Boss View, you can only move left or right. However, you can crouch to evade boss attacks and swing your sword when both crouched and standing. You cannot jump or block, but swinging your sword will destroy any fireballs thrown at you by the boss.

Boss View (Screenshot taken by the author)

How Does It Handle?

The Town View is standard for most RPGs. It is simple to navigate and the menu system is easy to use.

The Battle View is quite novel for these sorts of games. Usually, they are turn-based affairs. I actually prefer this more involved form of battle. I like how you can easily choose to flee random map encounters without having to go through a menu system. However, I dislike the fact that you cannot block an enemy’s attack. What is the point of having a shield if you cannot block with it? I also dislike that you cannot change your magic spell during the battle. Since different spells are more effective against different enemies, and you cannot predict which you will fight.

The Dungeon View will be familiar to fans of dungeon crawlers. I like how the map is in darkness until you use a candle (which has a time limit on the light), or a lantern (unlimited light) and that you need to find a map to open up the whole dungeon/cave.

The Boss View is, again, quite novel for this sort of game. I just wish you were able to use your shield to block the boss’s attacks and that your player was more manoeuvrable.

Another annoyance was when coming across treasure chests, you have to select open, and then select take if you want to take the item. These actions are pointless as far as I can see because none of the treasure chests contain booby traps or anything else to your detriment, and there are no items that you wouldn’t want to pick up. It would make more sense to have the option to replace an item you’re carrying (if your inventory is full) or decline to pick it up.

Overall, the changing views, which change the gameplay, are a great idea and stops the game from becoming monotonous too quickly.

Graphics

Let’s start with Town View and Overworld/Dungeon Views. Although the colours are not as vibrant as Phantasy Star II (1989), they are a bit more detailed and mature. It looks a bit less childlike, in my opinion. Oh, and why do the characters all look like they have green face paint on? Weird!

The Battle View, however, pales in comparison with Phantasy Star II (1989) which is much more detailed and interesting to look at. The Boss View offers the opportunity to be really detailed with the sprites and it does just that. It’s just a pity that the sprite movement is labouriously slow.

Music & SFX

The music is ok, but for me not very memorable. The piece that plays over the Town View has an eerie/spooky feel and would be more fitting in a game like Addam’s Family (1993). It’s not the heroic sort of tune I’ve become accustomed to whilst playing RPGs. The music for the Overworld View is more appropriate and adds a feeling of dread to your travels.

I like the sound the sword makes when you swing it during Boss View (Oddly, this sound is not in Battle View) and the dying sounds the beasts make when you slay them. Feels very arcadey to my mind. Other than that, SFX are quite minimal in this game.

Replay Value

Unless you’re an RPG fan and a glutton for punishment, I don’t think this game has much replay value. There are no extra difficulty settings or alternate endings.

Did I Complete The Game:

No, I got as far as Cartahena and was just done with the game. I could not be bothered to finish it.

What The Critics Said:

Computer and Video Games: “…Sword of Vermilion offers a vast, sprawling adventure that’ll have you up burning the midnight oil for many a month before the before the quest is finally complete…The combat screens may not be complex, but it’s great fun whipping out your sword, chopping up all-and-sundry, and testing out your new magical powers as well. Graphically, Sword of Vermilion is a mixed bag, with 3D screens looking decidedly rough, but this is more than made up for with the excellent town graphics and detailed sprites. It’s the sound that lends a perfect atmosphere to the proceedings with some of the best music ever heard on the Megadrive. Overall 91%“.[1]

MegaTech: “What makes this vast RPG so attractive are the great graphics, excellent sound and the arcade-type combat system which replaces the boring exchange of hit-points found on most RPGs. Overall 93%“.[2]

My Verdict:

“I think the game has a good story and a great mix of different aspects to keep it interesting. Even if it doesn’t quite work as well as it should. I just got bored with it in the end and had no desire to finish it. RPG fans may have more patience than me.”

Rating:

What are your memories of Sword of Vermilion? I would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t forget to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss my latest reviews! You can also find me on Instagram: @nicklovestogame.

[1] Leadbetter, R., ‘Review – Sword of Vermilion’. Computer and Video Games. (June 1991). Issue 115:114-116.

[2] ‘Alternatives – Sword of Vermilion’. MegaTech. (Xmas 1991). Issue 1:30.

by lawrenceofcanadia

The Chessmaster – Review

Chess is one of those games that I find rather intimidating. People who excel at chess are considered incredibly intelligent…which is probably why I suck at the game! The Chessmaster franchise was originally developed by Ubisoft and published by The Software Toolworks (formally Software Country). The first instalment of the franchise was released under the name of The Chessmaster 2000 (1986) for the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Atari 8-bit, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, Macintosh, MSX, and ZX Spectrum. Since its humble beginnings, technology (and gamer expectations) had moved on. How would the mighty SNES deal with those expectations?

Title screen (screenshot taken by the author)

The Chessmaster is a chess simulator released for the NES (1989), Game Gear and Game Boy (1991), and the SNES and Mega Drive in (1992). For this review, I played the SNE version.

Objective

Manoeuvre your pieces so that you can gain a “checkmate” on your opponent. A “checkmate” is when you position your pieces in such a way that your opponent cannot move their king safely out of “check”, block your pieces with one of theirs, or take one of your pieces to take their king our of “check”.

Gameplay

The game can be played in single or two-player mode. You ad your opponent begin with a full army of troops that include:

Pawn x 8 – They can move two spaces forward on their first turn but can only move forward one space after that. They can “take” an opponent’s piece if they are diagonally one space in front of them. If the make it to the last row closest to you opponent, your pawn can be promoted to either a Rook/Castle, Knight, Bishop or Queen.

Rook/Castle x 2 – They can move as many spaces as they like horizontally or vertically (forward and backward) or until they are blocked by another piece.

Knights x 2 – They can move in all directions as long as it equates to one space forward/backward/sideways and then one space diagonally in the same direction. They are the only piece that can leap over other pieces.

Bishops x 2 – They move diagonally forward or backwards in a straight line as many spaces as they like until they are blocked by another piece.

Queen – The most powerful piece. She can move in a straight line in all directions as many spaces as they like until they are blocked by another piece.

King – The king can only move one space, in any direction they wish, at a time (with the exception of “castling”, see below).

If the king is in “check”, the only move you can make is to either move the king out of check or move another of your pieces to block the check, or take the piece that has the king in “check”.

To move your pieces, use the ‘D’ pad to move the hand over the piece you wish to move and then drag them to the square you wish to place them. The computer will tell you if you try to make an illegal move.

Standard 3D view (screenshot taken by the author)
Standard 2D view (screenshot taken by the author)

Special Moves:

En Passant – French for “in passing”, it can only be performed under specific circumstances by pawns. Rather than me attempting to poorly explain it to you, follow the link to hear chess expert David Pruess explain the manoeuvre.

Castling – This is one of the first special moves you are likely to have been taught when playing chess. Your rook/castle and king must still be in their original starting positions without having been moved so far during the game and with no other piece of either colour standing between them. The king can then move two spaces towards the castle. The castle then automatically transfers to the next space on the opposite side of the king.

At anytime in this version, you can open up the options menu which allows you the option of the following:

The option screen…which can only be accessed during a game (screenshot taken by the author)

How Does It Handle?

Once you learn how the pieces move, it is easy to play. However, I’d still recommend playing in 2D mode as I found I was less likely to miss opportunities take a piece or would not spot when one of my pieces was going to be taken.

One of the things I found odd was that from the title screen, you simply jump straight into a game. You then have to open the options menu and make any necessary changes you wish to make. This doesn’t make sense to me. Why not have the options screen available before beginning a game?

Also rather than the hand, I think I would have preferred the square to be highlighted instead. I think this would make it slightly easier to navigate the board.

Fantasy 3D view (screenshot taken by the author)
Fantasy 2D view (screenshot taken by the author)

Graphics

The graphics are very basic, but some would argue you don’t need more than that for a chess game. A chessboard against a black backdrop is sufficient. The 3D fantasy mode looks ok but I think you’d expect better sprites from the SNES and maybe even a little animation like Battle Chess (1988). The fantasy pieces are fun and quirky, but serious gamers may prefer to stick with the standard pieces.

It is unclear why the 2D fantasy view is the only view that changes from green squares to blue squares.

Music & SFX

The music over the title screen (you can also turn this on throughout the game) is a very cheap 8-bit piece that is unbecoming of the SNES.

As for the SFX, there aren’t any, save for a weird duh-duh-duh-da after every move. Who on Earth thought that was a good idea? It becomes incredibly annoying almost instantly.

War Room view(screenshot taken by the author)

Replay Value

If you enjoy chess, then this game has endless replay value. There are around 16 different difficulty levels and every game will be different. For the casual gamer, it may not hold the attention for that long.

Did I Complete The Game?

I only beat the game on level Newcomer 1.

What the Critics Said:

At present, I couldn’t find and contemporary review of this game.

My Verdict

“Awful, cheap music and SFX really let this game down. I know chess is a serious game and doesn’t need all the bells and whistles, but this is a SNES game and I expected a bit more in those departments. I just hope it didn’t cost £40 on its release!”

Rating:

What are your memories of The Chessmaster? I would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t for get to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss my latest reviews! You can also find me on Instagram: @nicklovestogame.

by lawrenceofcanadia

PGA Tour Golf III – Review

By the mid-90s, Electronic Arts, under EA Sports, seemed to have established themselves as the number one developers of sports simulations. American football, football, rugby, ice hockey, golf, cricket and basketball, their games were lauded for their realism, gameplay, graphics, and ability to get licenses of sports personalities and teams to incorporate into their games. With the critical and commercial success of PGA Tour Golf II (1992), it made sense for EA to continue the franchise. Would PGA Tour Golf III garner the same praise from critics and achieve commercial success as well?

Title screen (screenshot taken by the author)

PGA Tour Golf III is a sports simulation video game. It was developed by Hitmen Productions and published by EA Sports for the Sega Mega Drive in 1994.

Gameplay

There are three modes to choose from:

Practice Round – Play 18 holes on any course just for fun. You can also just practice your long game on the driving range and/or short game on the putting green.

Tournament – Compete in any tournament which consists of 4 rounds of 18-hole rounds. However, to qualify for the next round, you must make the cut by ensuring you score low enough on your round. If you successfully compete the final round, you earn money and may even win the tournament if you consistently score the lowest numbers of strokes per round.

Skins Challenge – Two to four players can compete in an 18-hole match where each hole is assigned a monetary value. To win the hole, simply complete the hole in the least strokes. The winner takes the pot for that hole. The value of the holes increase as the match progresses. If a hole is tied, the money rolls over to the next hole. To make it more interesting, you can also opt to have pros join the game controlled by the computer.

The portraits of the players and commentator as well as the background images have now been digitized. (screenshot taken by the author)

You can play eight courses including:

TPC at Avenel

TPC at Las Colinas (New)

TPC at River Highlands (New)

TPC at Scottsdale

TPC at Southwind

TPC at Summerlin (New)

TPC at The Woodlands (New)

Advice from the professionals before every hole (screenshot taken by the author)

Unlike previous PGA Tour Golf games, you can play as one of eleven professional golfers who had won the following accolades at the time of the game’s release:

Brad Faxon – Three professional tournament wins

Jim Gallagher Jr. – Three professional tournament wins including The Tour Championship (1993)

Lee Janzen – Three professional tournament wins including the US Open (1993)

Tom Kite – Nineteen professional tournament wins including The Players Championship (1989), Nabisco Championship (1989), and the US Open (1992)

Bruce Lietzke – Twelve professional tournament wins including the Canadian Open (1978 & 1982)

Davis Love III – Eight professional tournament wins including The Players Championship (1992)

Mark O’Meara – Eight professional tournament wins

Jeff Sluman – One professional tournament win which was the PGA Championship (1988)

Craig Stadler – Ten professional tournament wins including the Masters Tournament (1982) and The Tour Championship (1991)

Fuzzy Zoeller – Ten professional tournament wins including the Masters Tournament (1979) and the US Open (1984)

Other than that, the gameplay hasn’t changed much. At the beginning of each hole, there is a slow flyover approach to the green with advice from one of the professional golfers on how to approach the hole.  Before each stroke, a bird’s eye view of the hole with a cross hair over the pin will appear. You can move the cursor and it tells you the distance from your golfer to the cursor. You can go back to the overview at any time by pressing ‘A’ button.

There has been a slight change to the gameplay. For example, when addressing the ball, a box with the lie of the ball appears where you can move a cursor allowing you effect the flight of the ball by adding a draw or fade to the flight or affect the arc of the ball. You can also change your type of shot from Normal, to Chip to Punch shot.

The information shown on the HUD has not changed. The wind speed and direction box is still on the bottom left, the power gauge remains in the middle, and the hole number, hole par, stroke number, current score, distance to pin and club are still bottom right. On the horizon is the cross hair which shows you were you are aiming your shot. You can move this cursor left or right. Your caddy will automatically select the club they think you should use but you can change clubs yourself by pushing up or down on the D-pad. As you do this, you will notice the number to the left of the power gauge will increase or decrease. This is the maximum number of yards the club will hit the ball if the ball was unaffected by wind or how the ball lies.

When you are ready to hit the ball, press ‘B’ and the power gauge begins to fill from right to left. When you have reached your desired power, press ‘B’ again and the power bar begins to descend having left a mark when you stopped the power gauge rising. You then need to press ‘B’ a third time as the power bar reaches the Stroke Bar. If you are accurate, you will hit the ball without a slice or draw. The earlier or later your stop the power gauge either side of the stroke bar will determine the degree of which you slice or draw the ball. After striking the ball, and when the ball begins to descend, the camera angle changes, and you will see where the ball lands.

When you reach the green, a 3D square grid will appear showing you the lie of the green. This allows you to judge the slopes of the green when attempting to putt. Again, by pressing up and down on the D-pad when you are on the green increases and decreases the maximum power of the putt. The 3D view when observing the putting green is unaltered from PGA Tour II (1992). I guess if it ain’t broke, why fix it?

PGA Tour Golf II (1992) (screenshot taken by the author)
PGA Tour Golf III (screenshot taken by the author)

How Does It Handle?

Again, little has changed from the first two PGA Tour instalments. The game is easy to pick up and play but mastering it will take patience and practice. It might just be me, but I found this game harder than its predecessors. I can’t seem to place very high in any of tournaments. Clearly, I need more practice.

You have to be incredibly precise (maybe too precise) when you try to stop the descending gauge at the Stoke Bar else you can very easily draw or slice the shot. If you’re not accurate with your timings, you will inadvertently put your next shot in a place that puts you at a big disadvantage. It is very unforgiving.

They have kept the power gauge and method of changing clubs which is simpler than other golf games.

When putting, I like the fact that you can change the maximum strength of the putter as this allows you to more accurately gauge the strength of your putt. That is not to say that putting is easy, of course. I found the putting to be very unforgiving with little margin for error. I still think the putting is the best and most accurate method to date. With regard to the 3D view of the green, it becomes a tad annoying when you need to keep rotate the view in order to check the line of your shot. One would think this would be done automatically.

Graphics

The first thing to notice is that they have moved away from illustrated pictures of courses and headshots of pros and have moved to digitized photos…and I have to say it looks great! The sprites have been rotoscoped too, allowing the addition of extra frames to ensure a more realistic golf swings. The courses themselves are also more detailed. The trees look a lot more realistic and the horizon contains detailed clouds in the skies and even some mountainous terrain.

However, I didn’t like that the fairways have been pixelated in two shades of green. I found it an attack on the eyes. I also didn’t like the new wind indicator, but overall, the HUD looks a bit slicker.

When comparing the game to its contemporaries, I think it looks much better than PGA European Tour (1994) (which is basically the same as PGA Tour Golf II (1992). I also prefer this instalment’s sprites over those of Pebble Beach Golf Links (1994). When it comes to the colouring of the courses, I also prefer the more muted, realistic palette of colours of PGA Tour Golf III than that of Pebble Beach Golf Links (1994). The edges of the sand bunkers and fairways are better too as on Pebble Beach Golf Links (1994), they look too angular rather than smooth curves.

Music & SFX

The only music that I recall is a slow piano like melody that is played over the leaderboard. I’m surprised there wasn’t any music played over the title screen.

Again, the minimalist sound creates a laid back and relaxing environment. The occasional thwack of the ball, the gentle ripple of applause from the crowd, and the infrequent bird tweets, does well to capture the atmosphere of the game.

Replay Value

The desire to do better draws you back in to play again and again. Having more courses also encourages further forays into the world of golf. Definitely a game enjoyed more in two-player mode.

Viewing the putting green has not changed at all. I guess if it ain’t broke…(screenshot taken by the author)

Did I Complete The Game?

I didn’t spend as much time on this game as I did on PGA Tour Golf II (1992) because I felt I grasped quickly what the game had to offer. I did not come anywhere near winning a tournament yet.

What The Critics Said:

Next Generation: “Other Genesis golf games have looked better (like the first Genesis golf game, Arnold Palmer Golf), but none maintain the depth of play or the true PGA experience like PGA III has been improved with an arc meter that helps control backspin. Golf fans put down that Golf Digest, keep your eye on the ball, keep your left arm straight, and pick up this game. Overall 4/5“.[1]

Liverpool Post: “Evolution not revolution, but PGA addicts will want it anyway. Overall 16/20.”[2]

My Verdict:

“Arguably, the most realistic golf game to date with regard to graphics and gameplay. Addictive and tough to beat, though, casual gamers may be deterred by its difficulty.”

Rating:

What are your memories of PGA Tour Golf III? I would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t for get to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss my latest reviews! You can also find me on Instagram: @nicklovestogame.

[1] ‘Sega Genesis – Hole In One’. Next Generation. (March 1995). Issue 3:102.

[2] (Jan 7, 1995) ‘Fairway to go for revolution’. Liverpool Daily Post. p29.

by lawrenceofcanadia

Blockout – Review

Tetris (1988) is one of the most popular puzzle games of all time. The learning curve is steep, and the game is highly addictive. Although Sega owned arcade cabinets of Tetris (1988), licensing issues meant their Mega Drive release in 1989 had to be abandoned. This may account for the development of Blockout as a potential rival. The question soon became: would it be just as successful?

Title screen (screenshot taken by author)

Blockout is a 3D puzzle game developed by P.Z. Karen Co. Development Group and published by American Technos for the arcade in 1989. That same year, it was also released for Amiga, Apple IIGS, Commodore 64, Mac OS, MS-DOS, PC-98 (California Dreams). It was later released for Atari ST (California Dreams) and NES (Technos Japan Corp.) in 1990, Atari Lynx (Atari Corporation) and Sega Mega Drive (Electronic Arts) in 1991, and Virtual Boy (as 3D Tetris) in 1996. For this review, I played the Sega Mega Drive version.

Plot

There is no plot other than to earn the maximum points you can.

Gameplay

Played in single or two-player mode, you play by looking down a 3D “well” where blocks of varying shapes and sizes slowly descend. The slow descent rate gives you time to rotate the block around three coordinate axes and place it into your desired position. When a facet of the block touches the floor (or the lowest point of the well where a previous block has been placed), it will fill with colour, meaning you can no longer move or rotate that block. Every block you place earns you points. Once you have filled an entire layer (known as a “face”) and there are no gaps in that layer, it will disappear, earning you a bonus, and the rest of the cubes drop down as far as they can go. If you are able to empty the well, you will receive a “Block Out Bonus”. 

Like Tetris, as the game progresses and the levels increase, the speed with which the blocks fall gradually increases. The game continues until you fail, and the blocks fill the well.

It’s tetris but in 3D! (screenshot taken by author)

How Does It Handle?

The 3D element and three coordinate axes rotation format adds an extra degree of difficulty that you wouldn’t find in Tetris. It definitely takes a lot of practice. Being able to change the dimensions of the well is a nice feature too adding an extra challenge to the game.

Graphics

The graphics are basic, but they don’t need to be complicated for this game. Having different colours to differentiate each layer is sufficient for the game.

Music and SFX

The intro music is quite aggressive for a puzzle game. It remined me of the fuzzy musical notes of Road Rash (1991). There is no in-game music and minimal SFX when you place a block or complete a Face. I think some light music would not have gone amiss here.

Replay Value

For fans of Tetris and the like, I imagine this would be an addictive game, especially with a two-player mode.

Did I Complete The Game?

I’m not sure that you can complete this game but I didn’t spend too much time trying to find out. I don’t enjoy these sorts of games so don’t put in the time to become a good player. My highest score so far is a pitiful 18242.

Different colours help differentiate the layer (screenshot taken by author)

What The Critics Said:

MegaTech: “This sort of 3D Tetris is surely the finest Megadrive puzzle game available, packed with tons of options (including a simultaneous two-player mode) and featuring highly addictive gameplay, this is a must for your collection. Overall 91%”.[1]

Mean Machines: “This sort of 3D Tetris is surely the finest Megadrive puzzle game available. Packed with tons of options (including simultaneous two-player mode) and featuring highly addictive gameplay, this is a must for your collection. Overall 91%”.[2]

My Verdict:

“It’s Tetris in 3D. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of these sorts of games and but can appreciate their appeal and the skill and practice that goes into being able to achieve high scores. Ardent fans will play for hours and return time and time again.”

Rating:

What are your memories of Blockout? I would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t forget to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss my latest reviews! You can also find me on Instagram: @nicklovestogame.

[1] ‘Game Index – Block Out’. MegaTech. (May 1992). Issue 6:76.

[2]’Review: Mega Drive – Block Out’. Mean Machines. (October 1992). Issue 1:137.

by lawrenceofcanadia

Alien Soldier – Review

Ah, emulation vs original hardware. There are very good arguments for both sides of this divisive coins. Personally, I do not have the funds, or patience, to seek out games I wish to play on original hardware due to the prices have been inflated by collectors, the scarcity of the original hardware and pure laziness. So, I say, thank God for emulation. Without emulation there are many, many games that I would never have heard of and would never have had the opportunity to play. Alien Soldier is one such game.

Title screen (Screenshot taken by the author)

Alien Soldier is a single-player side-scrolling run and gun video game developed by Treasure Co., LTD. and published by Sega. It was released for the Mega Drive in 1995 and would be re-released on PlayStation 2’s as part of the Gunstar Heroes Treasure Box (2006), Volume 25 of the Sega Ages 2500 series. It would go on to be re-released on the Wii Virtual Console (2007), Steam (2011), Nintendo Switch Online (2022) and the Sega Genesis Mini 2 (2022). For this review, I played the version found on Sega Mega Drive Classics (2010) for the PlayStation 4.

Plot

The plot to this game is a weird one. Basically, it’s 2015 and the planet Sierra is under attack by a terrorist group known as Scarlet. Led by the evil Xi-Tiger, they plan to destroy the human race. Scarlet’s former leader, Epilson-Eagle has sworn to defeat the terrorist group putting and end to Xi-Tiger’s evil scheming once and for all. (Bearing in mind, Epsilon-Eagle is not trying to save humanity but simply seeking revenge on Xi-Tiger).

Gameplay

Epsilon-Eagle must battle his way through 25 stages, defeating 26 bosses along the way. Before embarking on your mission, you must arm yourself with four out of a potential six weapons, each with their own advantages and disadvantages:

Select your weapons! (Screenshot taken by the author)

Buster Force – Firing bright yellow blasts at your enemy, this weapon has a weak attack but uses less ammo and has a good range.

Flame Force – A deadly flame that uses less ammo but is limited in range.

Sword Force – A deadly laser beam with a good range but that guzzles your ammo.

Ranger Force – Three way shot that is a bit of an all-rounder. Not as strong as the Sword or Lancer Forces but uses less ammo than them.

Homing Force – Flame thrower that seeks out the enemies’ weak spots. Great for bosses but not as strong as the Sword or Lancer Forces. It does use less ammo though.

Lancer Force – Another deadly laser beam with a good range but that guzzles your ammo.

To change weapons in game, please ‘A’ and cycle through the wheel until you find your desired weapon. press ‘A’ again to close the wheel.

Awesome graphics (Screenshot taken by the author)

How Does It Handle?

The controls are nice and responsive but take a little getting used to. You need to be super quick when changing weapons as the game will continue to play. Since there are only four weapons, I think it would have been better to simply press ‘A’ to cycle to the next weapon on the list. This would enable you to continue to evade your enemies rather than be a sitting duck.

Although you can block by double tapping the fire button but I don’t think this works very well. The six-button controller was around by this time so why not utilise it?

I like the idea tht there is a target on the bosses body so that you know where to shoot. Hardened gamers may disagree but this is a personal preference.

I don’t think I used the hover function until stage 11, but I certainly used the Zero Teleport. In fact, spoiler alert, using the Zero Teleport was the easiest way to defeat most bosses which made them a little monotonous after a while. Having said that, I’m yet to get past the boss on Stage 11 and you can’t use the Zero Teleport much on it.

Graphics

I think the game looks great. Epsilon-Eagle is well illustrated and animated and there is plenty of variation between the enemies and each boss is noticeably different. Lots of big explosions, screen shakes when the bosses have been defeated. I think the levels look great too with a nice variation of backgrounds which are very detailed and modestly coloured so as not to draw the eye away too much from the action.

Music and SFX

The music is very high-octane stuff which fits a game like this well. The issue is that I was so engrossed in what I was doing, I never noticed the music. I had to play through again and really pay attention to it. SFX-wise, again lots of explosions and laser noises but they get lost amid the chaos of the game. Although I do like the siren going off and the vocalised “Emergency” when you are coming to a boss battle.

Replay Value:

Having more than one difficulty setting always adds a little to the replay value but I think the game is very samey and did not make me want to continue playing.

The game focusses on boss battles more than level length (Screenshot taken by the author)

Did I Complete The Game?

No. At present, I got to stage 10 or 11 before I felt I had seen all the game has to offer. I will continue to play at a later date though.

What The Critics Said:

Consoles +: “A good shoot ’em up for the MD. Overall 88%“.[1]

Computer and Video Games: “This is a well worn genre and there aren’t many roads forward. Alien Soldier doesn’t exactly build a new orbital motorway, but it does lead you down quite an interesting road. Basing play on boss fighting isn’t a new idea, but Alien Soldier does quite a tidy job of delivering the goods. Alien Soldier will take any budding sadist a lot of determination to complete, my only worry is that your blood lust may dry and your interest shrivel into repetitive stress syndrome before you kill the final infernal boss. Overall 80%“.[2]

Mean Machines Sega: “A modern classic that turns the concept of platform blasting inside-out, but that suffers from being a bit samey. Overall 85%“.[3]

Verdict:

“Alien Soldier looks great and is exciting to play…at first. As the levels progress, the game becomes a bit monotonous.”

Rating:

What are your memories of Alien Soldier? I would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t for get to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss my latest reviews! You can also find me on Instagram: @nicklovestogame.

[1] ‘Mega Driver Review – Alien Soldier’. Consoles +. (April 1995). No. 42. :131.

[2] ‘CVG Review/Showcase – Alien Soldier’. Computer and Video Games. (June 1995). Issue 163:52-57. 

[3] ‘Megadrive Review – Alien Soldier’ – Mean Machine Sega. (July 1995). Issue 33:80-81. 

by lawrenceofcanadia

Congo Bongo – Review

There will always be a debate about emulation vs original hardware. Some argue that you can only experience the true essence of a game upon playing the original. Others aren’t that fussed or simply can’t afford or access the original hardware. Why should they miss out? I tend to fall into the later category. I would never have played Congo Bongo had it not been for emulation…and I’m glad I did.

Title screen (screenshot taken by the author)

Congo Bongo (also known as Tip Top) is a platform game developed and released by Sega for the arcade in 1983. For this review, I played the version found on Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection (2009) for the PlayStation 3.

Plot

One night, deep in the jungle, an unnamed safari explorer has his tent set on fire by a huge ape named Bongo. The explorer then proceeds to chase Bongo to try and capture him.

Gameplay

The explorer must pursue Bongo across four screens. Whilst in pursuit, there are a number of obstacles for you to evade and conquer. These include jumping across water, dodging other jungle creatures who wish you harm, or evading coconuts thrown by Bongo. You are unable to attack any of the other jungle animals, but you can jump over them to avoid being hit by them.

The four stages include:

  • Stage 1 – The hunter must climb a series of cliffs whilst dodging coconuts thrown at him by Bongo and avoiding the smaller monkeys who try to throw him off the ledges.
  • Stage 2 – The hunter must cross a swamp by riding on the backs of diving and swimming hippos. There are also poisonous snakes and scorpions to avoid.
  • Stage 3 – The hunter must cross a plain and crouch into holes to evade the horns of charging rhinos. He must then climb more ledges to get to the next stage.
  • Stage 4 – The hunter crosses a second swamp with lily pads, fish, and hippos. Once you reach the other side of the swamp, you must dodge more charging rhinos that are blocking the ledges where you can capture bongo.

One you reach the end of level four the game repeats from the first level with increased difficulty.

Watch out for the cocnuts! (screenshot taken by the author)

How Does It Handle?

I think our hero moves at a good speed and is easy to control once you get used to the isometric view. I find it helps to rotate my controller to match the directions he will go on the screen. The jumping is tight too. No complaints there. As you can imagine from old arcade games, this is a tough game to master. I think I’ve only ever managed to get to level five or six before losing all my lives.

Graphics

I think this game looks great for 1983. I love the blue of the water, and the animation of our hero as he climbs out of the holes and climbs up the ledges of the mountains. I think the animals are nicely animated too. No issues for me here.

Music & SFX

There is no intro music or in-game music, but there is a nice little piece of celebration music as you pass each level which for some reason reminds me more of a wild west game than it does a jungle game. There is also a strange little riff when you die and float up to heaven.

The noise that the coconuts make as they are being thrown and bounce down the mountains is annoying, as is the low level bassy noise when the rhinos are on screen.

Replay Value

I can imagine that when this game was released it had tons of replay value. I can envisage groups of friends hanging around the machine seeing who could get the highest score. I can also see this game being quite addictive too. There is something about it which draws you back to it.

Did I Complete The Game?

I don’t think this the sort of game you can complete but I only reached level five or six before losing all my lives.

I didn’t know there rhinoceroses in the jungle?! (screenshot taken by the author)

What The Critics Said:

Computer and Video Games:  “Donkey Kong in three dimensions is the fascinating idea behind Tip Top. (No rating)“.[1]

My Verdict:

“I think this would have been a good game in its day. I like the look of it, but the music just doesn’t fit for me. It is also incredibly difficult. Other than that, I can see this game becoming addictive.”

Rating:

What are your memories of Congo Bongo? I would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t for get to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss my latest reviews! You can also find me on Instagram: @nicklovestogame.

[1] ‘Arcade: Jungle Revenge in 3D – Tip Top’. Computer and Video Games. (July 1983). Issue 21:30.

by lawrenceofcanadia

Golden Axe Warrior – Review

It is always a pleasant surprise when you find out that a game that evokes so many fond memories from your childhood has prequels and sequels. Sadly, some of these are often vastly inferior to the original and are clearly a quick cash in for game companies. However, some are rather interesting, especially when a different genre is attempted. I’d never heard of Golden Axe Warrior until I began playing Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection (2009).

Title screen (screenshot taken by the author)

Golden Axe Warrior is single-player action-adventure role-playing game. It was developed and published by Sega and released for the Master System in 1991. It would later be released as part of the Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection (2009) for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. For this review, I played the version found on Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection (2009) for the Playstation 3.

A spin-off of the Golden Axe franchise, I was unable to find out where it fits into the series (if, in fact, it does). It is possible that it may simply be a reboot in a different genre.

Plot

In ancient times, a race of evil giants rose up and fought the Elders. At one point, it looked as though the giants would emerge victorious…but from imminent defeat emerged a hero carrying the Golden Axe bestowed upon him by Thor, God of Thunder. This unnamed hero put down the giant’s rebellion and peace ensued in the kingdoms of Firewood, Nendoria and Altorulia for many years.

As time passed, the war was nearly forgotten until the evil giant Death Adder eyed the kingdoms greedily. He first conquered Nendoria and Altorulia but could not invade Firewood as the kingdom was protected by nine magic crystals. One day, a greedy minister betrayed the King of Firewood, stole the crystals, and gave them to Death Adder, allowing him to finally invade and defeat the kingdom.

An unnamed young hero (you) soon sets out to recover the nine crystals, find the Golden Axe and defeat Death Adder. To do this, you must locate, and search nine labyrinths created by Death Adder and guarded by his armies of minions.

Gameplay

Starting out with a short sword and a shield, you must begin to explore the world one screen at a time. Each screen will spawn a differing array of monsters both in appearance and difficulty. Defeating these enemies will allow you to pick up horns, which you can use to buy items, health, and magic potions. Occasionally you’ll come across towns where the inhabitants offer tips on where to go next. Some even lead you to secret objects. Along the way you’ll have the opportunity to acquire better weaponry and armour. You can also learn the Thunder, Earth, Fire and Water magics.

There are many shops dotted throughout the map where you can buy items. These include:

Magic Oil – Use when your armour gets rusty (flashes).

Golden Apple – Fills up your life gauge.

Magic Feather – Whisks you away from danger and back to where you last saved your progress.

Small Key – Can be bought or found and used open locked doors in the labyrinths.

Other items to look out for include:

Yellow Horn – Worth 1 horn.

Blue horn – Worth 5 horns.

Bread – Increases your life guage a little.

Meat – Increases your life guage a lottle (like a little but a lot).

Heart – Adds an extra heart to your life gauge.

Magic potion – Will fill an empty magic pot (if your magic gauge is full, it will add another pot to it increasing your magic gauge).

Ice Bell – Allows you to see rocks that can be smashed open.

Torch – Allows you to light up dark rooms.

Magic Rope – Allows you to ascend and descend certain parts of the mountains.

Thief’s Key – Opens locked doors in labyrinths and can be used Infinitely.

Speed Shoes – Make you run faster.

Hourglass – Freezes all monsters on screen for a short time.

Don’t forget to be on the lookout for sages where you can save your progress and inns where you can pay to stay the night and restore your health.

You will need to make your own map to record all the secrets you find (screenshot taken by the author)

How Does It Handle?

Although the manual contains a map of the world, annoyingly, the map in your inventory is a blue-lined grid which tells you basically nothing about where you have been and where you yet need to explore. It stays black the entire time. However, this does allow a bit of old school mapmaking and note taking to do yourself…which I find fun!

Your sprite is easy to control but there is an element of finesse to the fighting. For example, when your enemies are throwing their weapons at you, you can manoeuvre yourself to block the attacks with your shield. You must also ensure you are not swinging your weapon at this time else you will take damage.

Graphics

First of all, I love the title screen. Definitely the sort of imagery that would have a younger version of myself chomping at the bit to go on a fantastical adventure.

The HUD is unobtrusive and allows you to keep track of the magic crystals you find, the number of horns you loot, your life and magic gauges, and the weapon/item you are wielding.

I think the in-game graphics are good for an 8-bit system, and better than any top-down RPG I’ve seen on the NES (prove me wrong gamers). However, I don’t think they compare to the quality of Phantasy Star’s (1987) introduction, or open world graphics where the towns and sprites are more detailed and colourful.

The labyrinths are where you’ll find the magic crystals (screenshot taken by the author)

Music & SFX

I quite like the intro music. It gets the blood pumping. The in-game music is good too. There is a relaxed, mellow air when you walk around the villages but when you’re out in the open it takes it up a gear with a melody that will get stuck in your head whilst you reach for your sword and prepare to charge at your enemies!

I don’t really think there is much to comment to discuss where the SFX are concerned. There is a semi-pleasing explosive noise when you kill an enemy, and a rewarding noise of some description when you pick up a goody, but these sounds are very forgettable.

Replay Value

As much as I enjoyed this game, I can’t say I would return to it as I don’t think there could be enough variation in the game to warrant a second run through.

Spoiler Alert

Keep an eye out for the cameos of Gilius Thunderhead, Ax Battler and Tyris Flare (in this game she is a princess).

Along the way, you’ll find faster modes of transport (screenshot taken by the author)

What The Critics Said:

Mean Machines: “It’s no sequel to Golden Axe – instead Golden Axe Warrior is an unsurprising and uninteresting role playing game. Overall 40%“.[1]

Sega Power: “An arcade adventure based on the Golden Axe characters. Akin to Golvellius, this is a flick-screen quest for amgic and monsters. Pretty, but too tame for true RPGers. Overall 2/5”.[2]

My Verdict:

“I have a soft spot for this game and had a fun time playing it and creating my own map. I think it has been harshly judged by critics who unfairly compared it to Zelda: A Link to the Past, in which it can never match in graphics or music, and called it a poor clone. I still think this game is worth playing.”

Rating:

What are your memories of Golden Axe Warrior? I would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t for get to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss my latest reviews! You can also find me on Instagram: @nicklovestogame.

[1] ‘The Hard Line – Golden Axe Warrior’. Sega Power. (October 1991). Issue 23:57.

[2] ‘Master System Review: Golden Axe Warrior’. Mean Machines. (April 1991). Issue 7:72-3.

by lawrenceofcanadia

Alien Syndrome – Review

Sadly, I was a bit too young to experience the heyday of the arcade. Being born in 1983, the closest arcade we had was at the Rotunda Amusement Park in Folkestone, England. My parents took me there a handful of times, but mainly for the rides. We only ventured into the arcade to play a few games. In particular, I remember playing Hang-On (1985). Since I was small at the time, my father had to help me shift my weight on the bike to steer. I also recall a clay pigeon shooting game, but we mostly stuck to playing pinball machines. By the time I began to venture into arcades on my own as a teenager, many of the games had been replaced by fruit machines. There was still a good selection of video games but my pocket money would never last as long I wished it to. Nowadays, the Rotunda has long since gone, and the nearest arcade is over 20 miles away. C’est la vie!

Title screen (screenshot taken by the author)

Alien Syndrome is a run and gun game that can be played in single-player or two-player co-op mode. It was developed and published by Sega, and released in the arcade in 1987. A year later, it would be ported to Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, NES (published by Tengen), Master System and MSX. Later ports also appear on the ZX Spectrum in 1989, Game Gear and Sharp X68000 in 1992. For this review, I played the arcade version found as part of Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection (2009).

Plot

An alien fleet has appeared in our solar system and captured a large number of humans. You must travel from ship to ship and rescue 10 captives from each one before a bomb explodes killing all on board.

Gameplay

You can play as either Ricky or Mary (or both in two-player mode). As you run around the ship looking for captives to free (to rescue the captives, simply walk into them), you will encounter many weird and hostile aliens. You are armed only with a gun, but will find many power-ups along the way including flame throwers and lasers. Once you have rescued enough captives, you will be told to head for the exit where you will encounter a boss battle. When the boss has been defeated, you will head to the next alien ship. However, there is time limit so be careful you don’t take too long rescuing the captives.

Shoot those blobs! (screenshot taken by the author)

How Does It Handle?

The controls are tight, much needed for a game of this sort. You are able to fire in eight directions and there is a nice array of different weapons, each with their own merits. These can be found by looking for metallic doors with letters painted on them (L for Laser, etc.). You can’t hurt your partner or the captives so I’d recommend pounding that fire button!

Each level also contains maps that are attached to the walls. When you walk near one, a small map appears which shows the exit and locations of the other captives. This allows the action to continue rather than pausing the game to get your bearings.

This game is very difficult and unforgiving, and you will die a lot! It’s one of those games that older gamers will tell younger gamers about whilst stating things like “Games were harder when I were a lad!”. The difficulty does diminish the fun a little, but I think that if you had a dedicated friend who was willing to play a few hours with you, I reckon it would be completable.

Graphics

The graphics look good. Certainly not as colourful as the likes of Gauntlet (1985), but the backgrounds and levels are certainly more detailed and interesting to look at. There are also levels (like Level 3) where enemies rise and fall giving the game a real feeling of depth. The enemy sprites are more detailed and are nicely animated too.

Music & SFX

At the beginning of every level, a robotic voice states, “The time bomb is set!” which is a nice touch as it adds to the tension of the level.

The music is there, but I think you become so engrossed in what’s going on that it’s easy to forget it’s there. Add to that the constant zapping from your weapons and I think your brain seems to filter the music out. I’m sure you would miss it if it wasn’t there, though.

Replay Value

There are many ways to increase the difficulty of the levels including adjusting the difficulty setting, number of lives, and by reducing the time limit. The two-player co-op mode also adds to the replay value because it is quite a fun game to play with a friend.

Don’t be fooled by this weird brain-type thing, the bosses are tough (screenshot taken by the author)

Did I Complete The Game?

No, at present, I can’t get past the second boss on my own and couldn’t get past level four in two-player mode.

What The Critics Said:

Computer & Video Games: “It is a classic L and R job with the usual high strains of play and presentation expected from Sega. Overall 8/10”.[1]

My Verdict:

“This game is tough…but fun. You just enjoy running around the levels blasting away to your heart’s content, especially in two-player mode.”

Rating:

What are your memories of Alien Syndrome? I would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t for get to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss my latest reviews! You can also find me on Instagram: @nicklovestogame.

[1] ‘Mean Machines – Alien Syndrome’. Computer & Video Games. (April 1988). Issue 78:23.

by lawrenceofcanadia

Altered Beast (Arcade) – Review

One of the great things about emulation is that you get to play arcade games that you didn’t get the chance to experience first time around. Compared to their console ports, the arcade versions usually had better graphics and sound…but were a lot harder!

Title screen (screenshot taken by the author)

Altered Beast is a side-scrolling beat ‘em up with some platform gaming elements. It was developed and published by Sega, and released in the arcade in 1988. I have already reviewed the Mega Drive version of Altered Beast (1989), but for this review, I played the arcade version found on Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection (2009).

Smash your way through a graveyard filled with the undead (Screenshot taken by the author)

Plot

“Rise from your grave!” commands Zeus, as you emerge from your tomb. You play as a Roman Centurion who is resurrected by Zeus (I know Zeus was a Greek God and the Roman equivalent was Jupiter, but let’s overlook the mythological inaccuracies). Your mission is to rescue Zeus’ daughter, Athena, (Minerva for the Romans) from the evil Demon God known as Neff who has taken her to the Underworld.

Gameplay

You must punch and kick your way through graveyards and caverns to reach the Underworld, all the while fighting numerous undead minions and monsters. In order to meet and defeat the end of level bosses, you need to collect three orbs which increase your strength and eventually morph you into anthropomorphised animals such as wolves, bears, tigers and dragons, each with unique abilities.

The Gothic organ that plays over the cutscenes is awesome (Screenshot taken by the author)

How Does It Handle?

Interestingly, there are one or two differences between the Mega Drive version and the arcade version. For example, the punching and kicking is noticeably slower in the arcade version. This all changes, however, once you transform into your beastie. Your speed increases significantly and you pretty much whizz around the screen destroying everything you com into contact with, which you don’t do when playing the Mega Drive version. The arcade version also sees a slight delay when you try to jump higher because our hero crouches briefly before leaping. This adds an element of realism to the game but takes some getting used to.

Graphics

Being an arcade version, the graphics are obviously superior to any of the console ports, especially where the backgrounds are concerned. The sky on level one, for example, blends the different shades of blue seamlessly, and the sprites themselves are smoother and more detailed with more vibrant colours. The two-headed dogs, for instance, are more defined and you can actually see what they are. As a kid, I thought they were some kind of bull.

When you kill an enemy, rather than just explode, bits of their broken torso fly at the screen towards you which is a gory but cool touch. The animations for when you transform into your beast look great and your attacks are better illustrated and animated. I also like the fact that when you are greeted by Neff at the end of the level, you actually see him grow before he turns into the boss which is a nice addition. After the boss fight, Neff’s head appears and sucks the orbs out from you, returning you to your puny former self. The blue field that surrounds you whilst he does this looks great.

Music and SFX

The music itself isn’t all that memorable but I do like the way that for each level, it starts off quite understated but jacks up when you transform into your beast, and for when you fight the boss battle. The best music from this game, though, comes during the cut scenes. When the purple disc appears showing the various stages of Neff’s ritual, a creepy, Gothic organ plays over the top. It’ll certainly send a shiver down your spine.

When you collect an orb, your hero proclaims “power up” as he grows into a more muscular version of himself. This is so iconic that I’d wager any gamer worth their salt upon hearing that soundbite would be able to tell you what game it came from.

I also like how when you meet Neff and he states, “Welcome to your doom!”. In the arcade version he actually sounds scary, as oppose to the raspy greeting you get on the Mega Drive.

Collect three orbs and become magical beast (Screenshot taken by the author)

Did I Complete The Game?

Yes, but only because the version played had infinite continues.

What The Critics Said:

The Games Machine: “Altered Beast is an interesting coin-op in that while not being a highly visual game like Space Harrier, Out Run and the like, it offers enough in its gameplay warrant a good play. Overall Positive”.[1]

Commodore User: “…the gameplay really doesn’t vary greatly, or increase markedly in toughness. Still, a cleaver game, and still worth a few tens of anybody’s money.  Overall 7/10”.[2]

My Verdict:

“Although the graphics are clearly superior to any port version, the action when you’re human is slowed down and gives the game a laboured pace. Disappointing really as even the arcade version falls short of what could’ve been so much better.”

Rating:

What are your memories of Altered Beast? I would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t for get to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss my latest reviews! You can also find me on Instagram: @nicklovestogame.

[1] ‘Confrontation Co-op – Altered Beast’. The Games Machine. (November 1988). Issue 12:30-1.

[2] Kelly, N., ‘Arcades – Altered Beast’. Commodore User. (September 1988). Issue 60:94-5.

by lawrenceofcanadia

Monkey Island 3: The Curse of Monkey Island – Review

After the success of The Secret of Monkey Island (1990) and Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge (1991), is it any wonder that LucasArt would continue with the franchise? However, fans would have to wait another six years before the third instalment appeared…The Curse of Monkey Island!

Title screen (screenshot taken by the author)

The Curse of Monkey Island is a point and click adventure game develop and publish by LucasArt. It was released in 1997 for Microsfit Windows. For this review, I played the version downloaded from Steam.

Plot

Once again, we follow our hero Guybrush Threepwood. After being stranded at sea for many days in a bumper car, the tides drift him to Plunder Island where he is instantly caught in the middle of LeChuck’s bombardment of Elaine’s fort. It seems LeChuck still wants to marry her and won’t take no for an answer. After foiling LeChuck’s assault, Threepwood finds a diamond ring amongst the pirate treasure. He then formally proposes to Elaine, who accepts. As soon as she puts the ring on, she transforms into a gold statue…the ring is cursed! She is stolen soon after. Threepwood must save Elaine and find a way to lift the curse. Easy right?

Gameplay

The game continues in the point and click format. Your cursor is an ‘X’. When you hover over items, characters, or scenery, that you can interact with, the name of what you can interact with will appear on the screen. The interface is in the style of a gold pirate doubloon. To access it, simply hold the left mouse button over an item and the interface will appear. The hand icon instructs Threepwood to pick up, use, or hit someone; the eyes allow you to examine something; and the parrot head instructs Threepwood to talk to or bite/eat something. To access your inventory, you simply click the right mouse button.

When talking to characters, there are usually several options that appear which usually involves comical quips or questions that help you progress.

A new feature in the series are the sea battles. Using left click to steer and right click to fire, you must learn to manoeuvre your ship into range before firing a volley broadside into the enemy whilst evading their fire.

The new graphics look fab! (screenshot taken by the author)

How Does It Handle?

The user interface and the number of commands has been simplified to make the game more enjoyable (in my opinion). This game is easy to learn and easy to navigate. No complaints here. The ship battles are easy, but fun and a good way to mix up the action. They may not be everyone’s bottle of rum though.

Apart from the usual: examine everything on screen tactic used by point and click fans everywhere, which offers quips from Guybrush, there are two other aspects to the game that add to this gaming experience. The first is by adding a banjo duelling scene where you must compete with another banjo player by plucking the correct strings in order. The second is sword battles where you win by hurling verbal insults at your opponent or countering their insults with even bigger burns. These two aspects of the game are alot of fun!

Graphics

As one may expect after such a long hiatus, the graphics are vastly improved. Not everyone was happy with the more comical style that the characters took on, but I loved it. The scenes are quirky an colourful with plenty to investigate, and the characters are larger than life. Bravo!

Music and SFX

Once you’ve selected your difficulty setting, you begin to hear a few primates chattering away. Over the next few seconds there is clearly some excitement as the voices become louder and more animated. I loved this intro to the game…but then again, I love chimps too.

During the story introduction, you are met with a beautifully animated introduction to the game with some fab Caribbean-style music played over the top. The in-game music doesn’t grab your attention, but its subtlety really works and is fitting for the game.

This game is the first in the series to have voice acting. It stars Dominic Armato as Guybrush Threepwood, Alexandra Boyd as Elaine Marley, and Earl Boen as Ghost Pirate LeChuck.

Replay Value

You have the option of playing a simpler game with less puzzles for a harder game with more puzzles. This is a neat feature and adds replay value to the game. This game is certainly worth revisiting and I know many of my firends who have played through this more than once.

“I am rubber, you are glue!” (screenshot taken by the author)

Did I Complete The Game?

Yes, but I probably used more hints from a walkthrough than I should have. Oh, the impatience of age!

What the Critics Said:

Computer Gaming World: “Outstanding animation, plot, dialogue, and puzzles add up to the most satisfying adventure game of the year. Overall 5/5”.[1]

Next Generation: “…despite its flaws, Curse, like its two predecessors, is still fun enough to remain a satisfying experience. The Monkey Island games are massively popular for a reason: people enjoy playing them. So it’s hard to find too much fault with LucasArt for epitomizing the axiom, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Overall 3/5”.[2]

Gamespot: “There simply isn’t much to dislike about this game, except possibly the ending, which seemed a bit abrupt and anticlimactic after 20 hours of gameplay. Still, The Curse of Monkey Island should more than satisfy the cravings of the Monkey Island faithful and even appeal to gamers who don’t typically go in for graphic adventures. Overall 9/10”.[3]

PC Gamer US: “If this isn’t destined to be a classic, I’ll swallow a cutlass. Overall 95%”.[4]

PC Zone: “Essentially, then, The Curse Of Monkey Island offers more of the same. That’s no bad thing because there are still mad fools out there who’ve never laid their eyes on Monkey 2, but of course to us old ape hands, Monkey 3 is no longer startlingly ‘new’. It’s far more polished than its prequel, yet at the same time familiar and reassuringly tip-top territory. Overall 9.2/10”.[5]

PC Games: “The Secret of Monkey Island was an enormous success. By contrast, LeChuck’s Revenge seemed weak, and the laughs intermittent. The Curse of Monkey Island, though, features all the vitality of the original release. If you want inventive puzzles, fine graphics, and, above all, enough wit to power an entire season of prime-time television, don’t miss this game. Overall A”.[6]

Awards:

Adventure Game of the Year 1997 – Computer Gaming World[7]

Adventure Game of the Year 1997 – Computer Games[8]

Best Adventure Game 1997 – Gamespot[9]

My Verdict:

“What’s not to like? This game looks awesome, has fab music with great SFX and voice acting with larger than life characters. It is also incredibly fun to play and is a worthy sequel to the ever-popular Monkey Island series. I’m now itching to play the next instalment.”

Rating:

What are your memories of The Curse of Monkey Island? I would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t for get to follow and subscribe so that you don’t miss my latest reviews! You can also find me on Instagram: @nicklovestogame.

[1] Green, J., ‘Review: The Curse of Monkey Island’. Computer Gaming World. (March 1998). Issue 164:152-3.

[2] ‘Rating – The Curse of Monkey Island’. Next Generation. (March 1998). Issue 39:113.

[3] Ryan, M.E., (Nov 25 1997) ‘The Curse of Monkey Island’. Gamespot. (http://www.gamespot.com/pc/adventure/curseofmonkeyisland/review.html Accessed 18th April 2022).

[4] ‘Curse of Monkey Island, The,’ PC Gamer US. (February 1998). (https://web.archive.org/web/19991206173715/http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/289.html Accessed on 18th April 2022).

[5] ‘PC Reviews – Monkey Island 3: The Curse of Monkey Island’. PC Zone. (https://web.archive.org/web/20080407171909/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=3210 Accessed on 18th April 2022).

[6] Brenesal, B., (01/05/1998). ‘The Curse of Monkey Island’. PC Games. http://www.games.net/pcgames/articles/0%2C1034%2C1211%2C00.html?CHANNEL=pcgames&AD_SECTION=review Accessed on 18th April 2022).

[7] ‘CGW 1998 Premier Awards: Adventure Game of the Year’. Computer Gaming World. (March 1998). Issue 164:76.

[8] ‘The winners of 1997 Computer Games Award’. Computer Games Strategy Plus. (https://web.archive.org/web/20050206152953/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/009/194/1997_cgsp_awards.html Accessed on 18th April 2022).

[9] ‘Best & Worst Awards 1997 – Best Adventure Game’. Gamespot. (https://web.archive.org/web/20010210224852/http://www.gamespot.com/features/awards97/adven.html Accessed on 18th April 2022).