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| Welcome
to Game of the Week! Each week there will be a
new featured game on this page. The game may be good,
average or diabolically bad, it really doesn't matter!
Just look at the pics, read the text and enjoy the nostalgia!
:-) Game of the Week! is open to contributions so if you
would like to contribute
a game article for this page you're more than welcome
to! Every article we receive will be considered! |
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Hero
of the Golden Talisman
1985 Mastertronic's
Added Dimension (MAD)
Programmed
by Shaun Southern
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text of the present article comes from the review published
in the nineth issue of the British C64 magazine ZZAP!64
(street date: 12 December 1985). |
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HERO OF THE GOLDEN TALISMAN
Mastertronic,
£2.99 cass, joystick only
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This is the second of two MAD releases reviewed this
issue and is an arcade adventure written by Shaun Southern,
author of Kik Start (he's a local lad you know,
hailing from North Shropshire)! The game puts you in
the shoes of 'the hero', with the object of freeing
a city from the curse of an evil Wizard. For many years
the city had been protected from the forces of evil
by the Golden Talisman. Unfortunately the Talisman is
now in five pieces and scattered about a large and deadly
labyrinth, inhabited by a multitude of ferocious monsters.
These pieces must be hastily recovered and the Wizard
destroyed to release the people from their anguish and
torment.
The
labyrinth is composed of 64 rooms spread over five levels.
Each room consists of 8 screens, making a total of 512
to explore, and each level contains a piece of Talisman,
along with various useful objects and the tortured souls
of all previous visitors to the maze. Hero-hungry piranha
fish patrol the depths of water-filled passages, while
fire-breathing Dragons occasionally block the way ahead.
Thankfully our hero can shoot, but a Dragon requires
many hits before it disappears for good.
Amongst
the objects to be found in the maze are lamps to light
up dark rooms, flags to increase firepower, fruit for
extra energy and keys -- essential, as they are needed
to unlock coloured gates blocking off exits throughout.
Heroes can hold up to five objects at a time, displayed
in boxes at the bottom of the screen. The object currently
in use is highlighted in a different colour and can
be changed by pressing the space bar.
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Although Hero
of the Golden Talisman
lacks in she graphical sophistication of some games,
it is still very good indeed -- the many different puzzles
are varied and provide a constant challenge. The graphics
aren't that amazing, but some of
the animation is quite good, especially when you take
a running jump. My only minor niggle is the awkwardness
of getting a forward or backward jump -- you have to
get the joystick into a diagonal, which isn't that easy
on a review hardened and knackered Atari stick. The
playing area is very large but the scanner makes it
look deceptively small. Despite the slightly increased
price tag, Hero
of the Golden Talisman
is definite hit material and represents excellent value
for money.
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Presentation 85%
High
standard throughout plus witty (and lengthy!) scrolling
message.
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Beneath
the fairly timid exterior of this game there lies
a very enjoyable arcade adventure. It isn't much
to look at or listen to, but it's fun to play
and that's what counts. The control does seem
a little unresponsive at times and occasionally
proves frustrating. This is a minor niggle though,
as I still found myself engrossed for some considerable
time with each play. Despite the slightly higher
price tag, this is one of Mastertronic's better
releases and as the saying goes -- it's well worth
the asking price.
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Graphics
56%
Strange
but sufficient.
Sound 67%
Competent tunes but weak FX.
Hookability
77%
Not particularly taxing and therefore
easy to get into.
Lastability
75%
Lots of screens to explore and
problems galore.
Value
For Money 82%
A Mastertronic quality game at
a MAD price but still worth the extra quid.
Overall
78%
A good arcade adventure and certainly
the best of the two MAD releases.
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Htmlized
by Dimitris
Kiminas (29 Apr 2004)
Other
"Games of the Week!"
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