Tag Archives: spiders

gog.com, PC, Sierra On-line, Steam, Troika Games, Windows

Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura, PC

Leave a comment

Developed by Troika Games and published by Sierra On-Line in 2001, Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura is a rich and complex RPG with isometric 2D graphics, set in a fantasy world undergoing an industrial revolution. The game mixes magic and technology in a Victorian-styled “Steampunk” setting; is completely open-ended, and features lots of different races (humans, orcs, gnomes, elves, dwarves), with complicated – even racist – societal themes developing as you discover the world and interact with its many characters.

Continue reading Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura, PC →

Antstream, Commodore 64, Epyx, US Gold

The Movie Monster Game, Commodore 64

Leave a comment

Developed and published by Epyx in 1986, The Movie Monster Game is a love letter to classic monster movies of the mid 20th Century. In it you play as a gigantic creature, laying waste to various cities around the world.

Continue reading The Movie Monster Game, Commodore 64 →

Game Boy Advance, Saffire, Inc., Sierra On-line

The Hobbit, Game Boy Advance

Leave a comment

The Game Boy Advance version of The Hobbit was developed by Saffire, Inc. and first released by Sierra Entertainment in 2003. This game is based on Tolkien‘s famous book, and not the Peter Jackson films (the first Hobbit film was released in 2012, and this game actually came out the same year as The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King).

Continue reading The Hobbit, Game Boy Advance →

Masaya Games, NCS Corporation, NEC, PC Engine, TurboGrafx-16

Double Dungeons, PC Engine

Leave a comment

Developed by NCS Corporation and published by Masaya Games in Japan and NEC in North America in 1990, Double Dungeons is a one or two-player, first-person, dungeon-crawling JRPG with real-time combat. The game’s unique selling point is that it features two-player split-screen cooperative play, which is unusual for a game like this, and which makes it simultaneously playable with a friend.

Continue reading Double Dungeons, PC Engine →

Activision, Sega, SG-1000

H.E.R.O., SG-1000

Leave a comment

Activision‘s classic underground rescue game, H.E.R.O., was released on Sega‘s SG-1000 console – in Japan only – in 1985, and it is somewhat different to all the other versions of the game out there.

Continue reading H.E.R.O., SG-1000 →

Activision, Atari 5200, The Softworks

H.E.R.O., Atari 5200

2 Comments

The Atari 5200 version of H.E.R.O. was ported by The Softworks and published by Activision in 1984. It is definitely a step up from the original Atari 2600 version and is more or less identical to the Atari 8-bit version, but with slightly richer colours.

Continue reading H.E.R.O., Atari 5200 →

Activision, Apple II, Microsmiths

H.E.R.O., Apple II

Leave a comment

The Apple II version of John Van Ryzin‘s classic H.E.R.O. of course lacks the colour of other ports, but it still plays well enough. The game was converted by Charlie Heath (of Microsmiths) and published by Activision in 1984.

Continue reading H.E.R.O., Apple II →

Homebrew, Modern Retro, ZX Spectrum

Vradark’s Sphere, ZX Spectrum

1 Comment

Vradark’s Sphere is a Roguelike fantasy role-playing game that was created by Aleksander Udotov, for 128K Spectrums, and first released in 2018. To me it is the epitome of what I would call “Modern Retro” (ie. a modern game, made to look old or be played on old hardware), and it looks and plays fantastically well.

Continue reading Vradark’s Sphere, ZX Spectrum →