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Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior is a 1987 video game developed and published by Palace Software for the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum. The game was ported to many other systems and was licensed to Epyx who published it as Death Sword in the United States.
Barbarian is a fighting game that gives players control over sword-wielding barbarians. In the game's two-player mode, players pit their characters against each other. Barbarian also has a single-player mode, in which the player's barbarian braves a series of challenges set by an evil wizard to rescue a princess.
Instead of using painted artwork for the game's box, Palace Software used photos of hired models. The photos, also used in advertising campaigns, featured Michael Van Wijk (who would later become famous as 'Wolf' in the TV series Gladiators) as the hero and bikini-clad Maria Whittaker, a model who was then associated with The Sun tabloid's Page 3 topless photo shoots. Palace Software's marketing strategy provoked controversy in the United Kingdom, with protests focused on the sexual aspects of the packaging rather than decapitations and other violence within the game. The ensuing controversy boosted Barbarian's profile, helping to make it a commercial success. Game critics were impressed with its fast and furious combat, and dashes of humour. The game was Palace Software's critical hit; boosted by Barbarian's success, Palace Software expanded its operations and started publishing other developers' work. In 1988, the company released a sequel, Barbarian II: The Dungeon of Drax.
Gameplay[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
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Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior is a fighting game that supports one or two players. Players assume the roles of sword-wielding barbarians, who battle in locales such as a forest glade and a "fighting pit".<reference1> The game's head-to-head mode lets a player fight against another or the computer in time-limited matches. The game also features a single-player story mode, which comprises a series of plot-connected challenges.<reference2>
Using joysticks or the keyboard, players move their characters around the arena, jumping to dodge low blows and rolling to dodge or trip the opponent. By holding down the fire button and moving the controller, players direct the barbarians to kick, headbutt, or attack with their swords.<reference3><reference4> Each barbarian has 12 life points, which are represented as 6 circles in the top corners of the interface. A successful attack on a barbarian takes away one of his life points (half a circle). The character dies when his life points are reduced to zero. Alternatively, a well-timed blow to the neck decapitates the barbarian, killing him instantly, upon which a goblin enters the arena, kicks the head, and drags the body away.<reference5>
If the players do not input any commands for a time, the game attempts a self-referencing action to draw their attentions: the barbarians turn to face the players, shrug their shoulders, and say "C'mon".<reference6><reference7> The game awards points for successful attacks; the more complex the move, the higher the score awarded.<reference8> A score board displays the highest points achieved for the game.<reference9>
Single-player story mode[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
In the single-player story mode, the player controls a nameless barbarian who is on a quest to defeat the evil wizard Drax. Princess Mariana has been kidnapped by Drax, who is protected by 8 barbarian warriors. The protagonist engages each of the other barbarians in a fight to the death.<reference10><reference11> Overcoming them, he faces the wizard. After the barbarian has killed Drax, Mariana drops herself at her saviour's feet and the screen fades to black.<reference12> The United States version of the game names the protagonist Gorth.<reference13>
Development[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
In 1985, Palace Software hired Steve Brown as a game designer and artist. He thought up the concept of pitting a broom-flying witch against a monster pumpkin, and created Cauldron and Cauldron II: The Pumpkin Strikes Back. The two games were commercial successes and Brown was given free rein for his third work. He was inspired by Frank Frazetta's fantasy paintings to create a sword fighting game that was "brutal and as realistic as possible".<reference14>
Brown based the game and its characters on the Conan the Barbarian series, having read all of Robert E. Howard's stories of the eponymous warrior.<reference15> He conceptualised 16 moves and practised them with wooden swords, filming his sessions as references for the game's animation. One move, the Web of Death, was copied from the 1984 sword and sorcery film Conan the Destroyer. Spinning the sword like a propeller, Brown "nearly took [his] eye out" when he practised the move.<reference16><reference17> Playing back the videos, the team traced each frame of action onto clear plastic sheets laid over the television screen. The tracings were transferred on a grid that helped the team map the swordplay images, pixel by pixel, to a digital form.<reference18> Brown refused to follow the convention of using small sprites to represent the fighters in the game, forcing the coders to conceive a method to animate larger blocks of graphics: Palace Software's co-founder Richard Leinfellner said they "multiplexed the sprites and had different look-up tables for different frames."<reference19>
Feeling that most of the artwork on game boxes at that time were "pretty poor", Brown suggested that an "iconic fantasy imagery with real people would be a great hook for the publicity campaign."<reference17> His superiors agreed and arranged a photo shoot, hiring models Michael Van Wijk and Maria Whittaker to pose as the barbarian and princess.<reference21> Whittaker was a topless model, who frequently appeared on Page 3 of the tabloid, The Sun. She wore a tiny bikini for the shoot while Van Wijk, wearing only a loincloth, posed with a sword.<reference17> Palace Software also packaged a poster of Whittaker in costume with the game.<reference10> Just before release, the company discovered that fellow developer Psygnosis was producing a game also titled Barbarian, albeit of the platform genre. After several discussions, Palace Software appended the subtitle "The Ultimate Warrior" to differentiate the two products.<reference24>
The sounds of the characters are taken from the 1985 film Red Sonja. Most notably the "EEY-ECH!" sound that plays when the player attempts to decapitate an opponent. This particular sound can be found near the beginning of the movie when Arnold's character is ambushed after pulling an arrow out of the lady's back.<reference25>
Releases[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
Barbarian was released in 1987 initially for the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum<reference26><reference27><reference28> and was subsequently ported to most other home computers.<reference17> These machines were varied in their capabilities, and the software ported to them was modified accordingly. The version for the 8-bit Şablon:Nowraplinks is mostly monochromatic, displaying the outlines of the barbarians against single-colour backgrounds. The sounds are recorded at a lower sampling rate.<reference30> Conversely, the version for the Atari ST, which has 16- and 32-bit buses, presents a greater variety of backgrounds and slightly higher quality graphics than the original version. Its story mode also pits 10 barbarians against the player instead of the usual 8.<reference31> Digitised sound samples are used in the Atari ST and 32-bit Amiga versions;<reference32><reference33> the latter also features digitised speech. Each fight begins with the announcement of "Prepare to die!", and metallic sounding thuds and clangs ring out as swords clash against each other.<reference16>
After the initial releases, Barbarian was re-released several times; budget label Kixx published these versions without Whittaker on the covers.<reference35> Across the Atlantic, video game publisher Epyx acquired the license to Barbarian and released it under the title Death Sword as part of their "Maxx Out!" video game series.<reference36>
Reception and legacy[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
Barbarian's advertisements triggered some outcries of moral indignation. Electron User reported that another magazine had refused to publish Superior Software's advert for its licensed BBC Micro and Acorn Electron ports unless parts of the image were covered up.<reference37> Electron User, who published the uncensored advertisement,<reference38> received letters from readers and religious bodies, who called the image "offensive and particularly insulting to women" and an "ugly pornographic advertisement".<reference17> Richard Hanson, Superior's managing director commented that the Advertising Standards Authority had confirmed that the image was not in bad taste,<reference40> and that the publicity was likely to send the game to the top of the charts.<reference41>
Chris Jager, a writer for PC World, considered the cover "a trashy controversy-magnet featuring a glamour-saucepot" and a "big bloke [in leotard]".<reference42>
Video game industry observers Russell DeMaria and Johnny Wilson commented that the United Kingdom public were more concerned over the scantily-clad Whittaker than the gory contents in the game.<reference43>
In 1988, Advanced Computer Entertainment magazine submitted videos of the gameplay to the British Board of Film Classification who stated that the decapitations were merely "storybook violence" and that the game would have probably have received a PG certificate had it been submitted to them.<reference44> David Houghton, writer for GamesRadar, claimed the game would be rated "Mature" by the Entertainment Software Rating Board if it was published in 2009.<reference45>
Conversely, Barbarian was banned in Germany by the Bundesprüfstelle für jugendgefährdende Medien for its violent content.<reference46> The ban forbade promotion of the game and its sale to customers under the age of 18.<reference47> A censored version of the game, which changed the colour of the blood to green, was later permitted to be freely sold in the country.<reference48>
Reviewers were impressed with Barbarian's gory gameplay. Zzap!64's Steve Jarratt appreciated the "fast and furious" action and his colleague Ciaran Brennan said Barbarian should have been the licensed video game to the fantasy action film Highlander (which had a lot of sword fights and decapitations) instead.<reference10> Amiga Computing's Brian Chappell enjoyed "hacking the foe to bits, especially when a well aimed blow decapitates him."<reference50> Several other reviewers express the same satisfaction in chopping the heads off their foes.<reference31><reference50> Although shocked at the game's violence, Antic's reviewer said the "sword fight game is the best available on the ST."<reference53> According to Jarratt, Barbarian represented "new heights in bloodsports".<reference10> Equally pleasing to the reviewers at Zzap!64 and Amiga User International's Tony Horgan was the simplicity of the game; they observed that almost anyone could quickly familiarise themselves with the game mechanics, making the two-player mode a fun and quick pastime.<reference10><reference56>
Although the barbarian characters use the same basic blocky sprites, they impressed reviewers at Zzap!64 and Amiga Computing with their smooth animation and lifelike movements.<reference50><reference58> Reviewers of the Amiga version, however, expressed disappointment with the port for failing to exploit the computer's greater graphics capability and implement more detailed character sprites.<reference9><reference60> Its digitised sounds, however, won praise from Commodore User's Gary Penn.<reference16> Advanced Computer Entertainment's reviewers had similar thoughts over the Atari ST port.<reference62>
Reviewing for Computer and Video Games, Paul Boughton was impressed by the game's detailed gory effects, such as the aftermath of a decapitation, calling them "hypnotically gruesome".<reference63> It was these little touches that "[makes] the game worthwhile", according to Richard Eddy in Crash.<reference63><reference65> Watching "the head [fall] to the ground [as blood spurts from the] severed neck, accompanied by a scream and satisfying thud as the torso tumbles" proved to be "wholesome stuff" for Chappell,<reference50> and the scene was a "great retro gaming moment" for Retro Gamer's staff.<reference67> The cackling goblin, which drags off the bodies, endeared him to some reviewers;<reference9><reference69> the team at Retro Gamer regretted that the creature did not have his own game.<reference17> The actions of the barbarian also impressed them to nominate him as one of their top 50 characters from the early three decades of video gaming.<reference71>
Popular Computing Weekly considered the Amstrad version to be the best, calling the Commodore 64's animation "shaky".<reference72> Your Sinclair, awarding the game 7/10, complained it was too similar to previous games like The Way of the Exploding Fist and Ninja.<reference73>
According to Leinfellner, the controversy did not negatively affect Barbarian, but boosted the game's sales and profile tremendously.<reference17> The game proved to be a big hit, reaching the top of the all-format charts in 1987<reference75> and number one in the Acorn Electron chart in 1988.<reference76> Leinfellner said he received royalty cheques for approximately seven years, the first of which was for £20,000.<reference48> Barbarian II: The Dungeon of Drax was released in 1988, and Barbarian III was in the works.<reference17> Van Wijk and Whittaker were hired again to grace the box cover and advertisements.<reference79> After the success with Barbarian, Palace Software began to expand its portfolio by publishing games that were created by other developers. Barbarian, however, remained its most popular game, best remembered for its violent sword fights and Maria Whittaker.<reference17>
In 2011, Anuman Interactive (French publisher) launched a remake of the game, adapted to mobile devices and computers: Barbarian – The Death Sword.<reference81>
A spiritual successor, Age of Barbarian, was released in 2012 by Italian indie game developer Crian Soft, with a much longer and updated Extended Cut released in 2016.<reference82><reference83>
References[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
External links[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
Barbarian II: The Dungeon of Drax is a video game first published in 1988 for various home computers. It was released as Axe of Rage in North America. The game is the sequel to Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior (Death Sword in North America), which was published in 1987. In Barbarian II, the player controls a princess or barbarian character, exploring the game world to locate and defeat an evil wizard. The game's plot is an extension of its predecessor, although the gameplay is different. While the first game offers two players the opportunity for virtual head-to-head combat, the second is a single-player beat 'em up with fewer fighting moves. It uses a flip-screen style instead of scrolling.
Palace Software, the developer of the two Barbarian games, marketed the sequel with the same strategy they used for the first game. They hired Maria Whittaker, a model known for her topless work, to pose on the cover and posters as the princess in the game, attempting to recapture the controversy that had boosted sales. Barbarian II received a mixed critical reception. Reviewers were split in their opinions over whether the game was a refreshing and gory adventure, or a boring and lonely sojourn through a confusing digital world.
Gameplay[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
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Unlike its predecessor which offers sword fighting action to one or two players, Barbarian II: The Dungeon of Drax features only a single-player mode, in which the player assumes the role of either sword-wielding Princess Mariana or the titular savage, who is armed with a battleaxe.<reference85> Their common quest is to pursue the evil wizard Drax, who has fled to his dungeon hideout after his defeat in the first game. The player characters battle their way through an inhospitable wasteland, a system of caves, and a dungeon before facing Drax in his inner sanctum for a showdown.<reference86>
Using a joystick or keyboard, the player moves his or her character through Barbarian II's world. Each of the four stages—wasteland, caves, dungeon, and inner sanctum—is a series of interconnected rooms, populated by monsters, traps, and items.<reference87> The game displays one room at a time in a flick-screen manner: as the protagonist leaves a room, the screen is updated to display the next.<reference88> The connections among rooms are disjointed: the exit on the left of one room might be connected to the entrance on the same side of another.<reference89> A compass at the bottom of the interface serves as a directional guide, always pointing to the north.<reference90> The player directs his or her player through the rooms, seeking the exit to the next stage while avoiding traps and collecting items.<reference91>
The protagonist is also challenged in his or her quest by 20 types of creatures.<reference92> By moving the joystick while pressing its button or by performing the equivalent keyboard commands, the player defends the protagonist with four styles of attacks: a low slash, a high chop, a kick, and a spinning neck chop. The life of the combatants are represented by gauges at the top corners of the screen. Successful attacks on a character reduce its gauge and the character is killed when its life is reduced to zero.<reference87> A well-timed neck chop (or the bites of certain monsters) decapitates the opponent, killing it instantly.<reference94> Monsters disappear in a puff of smoke when killed, reappearing with a full life gauge in the same room some time later.<reference60> Although the player character likewise reappears fully rejuvenated in the room after being killed, he or she can only do so for a limited number of times. This limit (number of lives) is represented in the form of globes at the top centre of the screen.<reference91> The protagonist increases his or her number of lives by collecting skulls that are scattered throughout the game world.<reference97>
Development[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
Barbarian II's predecessor, Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior, was a critical and commercial success on its release in 1987. Reviewers enjoyed the game's exciting sword fights, and its profile was greatly enhanced by marketing strategies employed by its developer, Palace Software, a subsidiary of media company Palace Group. The developer had engaged Maria Whittaker, a model known for topless shoots, to pose on the box covers and posters of the game. The image of a bikini-clad Whittaker created a hype that pushed the game beyond the attention of the video game industry, producing a controversy in which members of the public criticised the industry for promoting Barbarian in a sexist manner.<reference60><reference99>
Palace Software repeated the strategy for the sequel,<reference60> publishing a poster of Whittaker as Princess Mariana, this time in metal bikini armour, and Michael Van Wijk as the barbarian.<reference101> Steve Brown, creator of the Barbarian games, recalled that the bikini's chain "snapped a number of times" in a comical Carry On fashion during the shoot.<reference17> Brown was behind the concept of the poster, which was brought to fruition by Lee Gibbons, a commercial artist, over the course of four weeks. The image of the barbarian and princess poised over the fallen body of a large, scaly monster was a photomontage, created by superimposing three photographs—one of each subject—on one another. The creature was a small scale model made of Plasticine. After cutting out the subjects from their photos and composing the cut-outs to form a new scene, Gibbons painted the background and added effects such as smoke to form the final image.<reference103>
Brown had filmed sword fights and used the tracings of the combatants' movements to produce the animations in Barbarian. For the animations in the sequel, he turned to the works of photographer Eadweard Muybridge, who made a name for himself through his series of photographs of animals and humans captured in motion. The movements of Barbarian II's characters were based on the pictures in Muybridge's book Human in Motion,<reference104> which was published in 1901.<reference105> The resulting animation was judged very realistic and detailed by several reviewers.<reference91><reference107><reference108><reference109>
Barbarian II was released in August 1988 for the Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Amiga, Commodore 64/128 and ZX Spectrum.<reference110> The various versions differed in features, depending on specifications of the platforms.<reference111> The Amiga version of the game was given several improvements. It has digitised speech and better graphics in the form of greater details and number of colours. The introductory and disc loading sequences were revamped, featuring animated skeletons with maniacal voices.<reference112> In contrast, the ZX Spectrum version has monochromatic graphics;<reference113> the first level comprises black-outlined sprites against pink backgrounds.<reference114>
As with its predecessor, Barbarian II was licensed to Epyx for its release in North America. The game was published there under the title Axe of Rage and included a tattoo in its packaging.<reference87> The North American version featured a different cover art, showing the close-up visage of "a screaming berserker with homicidal tendencies".<reference116> Dragon magazine's reviewers found the cover ugly,<reference87> and according to Computer Gaming World, a Canadian wholesaler refused to sell Axe of Rage because it considered the game's box cover art crass enough to offend customers.<reference118><reference119> Similarly, in the United Kingdom, pharmacy chain Boots banned displays of Barbarian II, featuring Whittaker, from their stores.<reference120>
Reception[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
| Yayıncı | Puan |
|---|---|
| Crash | 81%<reference113> |
| CVG | 9/10<reference91> |
| Sinclair User | 69%<reference123> |
| Your Sinclair | 6/10<reference121> |
Barbarian II received praise for its audio, mostly for the versions on more powerful platforms. Reviewers of The Games Machine pointed out that the "most remarkable feature of the ST version is its crystal clear sampled effects".<reference127> Zzap!64's staff and Computer and Video Games's Julian Rignall were impressed with the digital thuds and whacks produced on the Commodore 64, and particularly the rendition of a certain monster's laughter.<reference91><reference129> Mike Pattenden of CU Amiga claimed the "manic clucking of the mutant chicken would be enough to send [the player] running in the opposite direction".<reference130> Although rating the audio-visual components of the Amiga version on par with that for the Atari ST, Pattenden and reviewers from The Game Machine felt the flashy introductory sequence on the Amiga made it stand out;<reference130><reference132> Tony Horgan of Amiga User International called it the best introduction he has seen in Amiga games.<reference60>
Although some reviewers were less than impressed with the colour-scheme on systems such as the ZX Spectrum<reference123> the colours and large detailed sprites on the higher-end platforms won their acclaim. The animation of the characters also captured their attention. Tommy Nash of Your Sinclair hailed it as "first class",<reference135> while Paul Glancey of Zzap!64 called the sprites "beautifully defined" and "realistically animated".<reference129> Similar accolades were given by other reviewers.<reference91><reference107><reference129><reference140> The staff of The Games Machine were "constantly [amazed]" at the designs of the monsters in the game.<reference111>
Several reviewers had a common complaint about the game. As the difference between executing an attack and a movement was the pressing of the joystick button, they were irked to find their characters frequently switching directions instead of attacking with a low slash.<reference142><reference107><reference123> Their frustration was increased when the protagonist took damage from enemy attacks as he or she executes the unintentional command to change facing.<reference123> Chris Jenkins, however, praised the game for responsive joystick controls in his review for Sinclair User.<reference146> Paul Lakin of Zero pointed out that the flick-screen presentation could lead to confusing situations in combat as the protagonist retreats across an exit and appears at the other end of the screen.<reference147> Horgan had another grouse with the combat, moaning the loss of simplicity from the Barbarian series. According to him, while players could enjoy the first Barbarian game without much effort, intense practise was needed to defeat the monsters in the second game.<reference60>
The change in combat systems was not the only difference between Barbarian II and its predecessor that influenced reviewers' opinions about the sequel. The first Barbarian game was enjoyed by reviewers for providing exciting head-to-head action between two players. Barbarian II abandoned this, setting up an adventuring experience for the single player. Jim Douglas, reviewing for Sinclair User, doubted that players who were looking for quick action would appreciate plotting a path through the maze to reach the final goal.<reference123> Your Sinclair's Marcus Berkmann felt the two genres—slash 'em up and arcade adventure—were "fundamentally incompatible", agreeing with Douglas that the maze was a distraction.<reference150> Crash's reviewers, however, felt the combination of genres made the game interesting.<reference113> James Price wrote in Amiga Force that the adventuring element and unending number of enemies made Barbarian II a far better game than the first,<reference152> while The Games Machine's staff said the expanded menagerie of foes adequately made up for a reduction in combat moves.<reference111>
In their review for Dragon magazine, the Lessers called Axe of Rage "an engrossing slash 'n hack that'll please most arcaders."<reference87> Zzap!64's reviewers were unanimous in recommending Barbarian II to their readers;<reference129> however, two years later in a re-review, the magazine's staff said the game has aged badly, finding the gameplay "lot more crude and clichéd" and of dubious replay value.<reference142> Martyn Carroll concurred in his article for Retro Gamer, 17 years after the game's release, calling Barbarian II "hugely disappointing" for "[messing] up almost everything that was great about the first game."<reference17> Brown and Palace Software's co-founder Richard Leinfellner admitted as much; they said they had mixed feelings about Barbarian II, thinking the idea of a simple fun game was lost by stuffing too many features into it.<reference158>
Legacy[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
After Barbarian II was released, Palace Software went ahead with plans for Barbarian III. For two years, the third game in the series was publicised in gaming magazines. Your Sinclair held a contest for its readers, asking them to submit concepts of gruesome monsters. The winning entry would be implemented in Barbarian III. The Barbarian series of games were, however, brought to a halt in 1991 when Palace Group sold its software subsidiary to fund its expansion into the movie industry. Titus Software bought Palace Software and after reviewing its holdings, cancelled several of its new acquisition's projects, including Barbarian III.<reference17>
References[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
Battle of Britain is a turn-based strategy video game developed and published by Personal Software Services for the Commodore 64 in 1985. It was also ported to the Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum the next year. It is the seventh instalment to the Strategic Wargames series. The game is set during the Battle of Britain campaign of the Second World War and revolves around Britain's defence and prevention against a Nazi invasion. In the game, the player commands the Royal Air Force as they must defend key cities against the Luftwaffe.
The game contains elements of first-person shooting; during some sequences the game requires a certain number of aircraft to be shot down. Battle of Britain received mixed to positive reviews from critics upon release. Critics praised the fast pace of the gameplay and features, however, one reviewer was divided over the historical accuracy of the battle.
Gameplay[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
The game is a turn-based strategy and focuses on air battles during the Battle of Britain campaign of the Second World War. The player commands squadrons of the Royal Air Force and the main objective of the game is to defend key cities and radar installations from the Luftwaffe. Unlike previous games in the series, Battle of Britain is the first to include cursor movement, a scrolling interface and elements of first-person shooter gameplay.<reference161> At the start of the game, the player is given the option of how many RAF squadrons they wish to allocate for offensive and defensive purposes; a proportionate amount must be sent to attack Luftwaffe squadrons whilst the others will be left to defend key cities from air raids.<reference161>
The game has three individual scenarios; training mode, Blitzkrieg mode, and campaign mode. Training mode is set on the lowest difficulty and allows the player to finish the game by using any strategy over an indefinite period of time.<reference161><reference164> Blitzkrieg mode only lasts one in-game day and features the Luftwaffe going out for an "all-out" attack simultaneously on every target and city.<reference164> The campaign mode takes place over a period of 30 days and is set on the highest difficulty.<reference161> In addition, the campaign mode features historically accurate movements and strategies used by both the RAF and Luftwaffe.<reference164>
At the start of the game, a wave of Luftwaffe aircraft (in the appearance of Balkenkreuz sprites on the map) will cross the English Channel and proceed to bomb various cities, air bases and radar installations.<reference168> In response, RAF squadrons are automatically scrambled and will await orders to either engage invading Luftwaffe fighters or to defend key cities from bombers.<reference164> When a RAF squadron has successfully engaged a Luftwaffe unit on the map, the game will shift to a first-person shooter perspective, in which the point of view is portrayed from a cockpit of either a Spitfire or Messerschmitt Bf 109, depending on the side chosen.<reference168> During the dogfight sequence, the number of Luftwaffe casualties will depend on how many aircraft the player was able to shoot down.<reference164>
The game features a changing weather system, which will vary from every hour and will provide obstructions for various forces and installations. For example, fog will close runways whereas storms will temporarily disrupt bombing runs and dogfights.<reference168> Over time, RAF squadrons will run out of ammunition or fuel, and thus must replenish at the nearest RAF station, which will render them vulnerable to a Luftwaffe bombing run.<reference173> In between turns, the player has the opportunity to request reinforcements from RAF reserves, however the longer the campaign progresses, the quality of the reserves will diminish.<reference164>
Background[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
Personal Software Services was founded in Coventry, England, by Gary Mays and Richard Cockayne in 1981.<reference175> The company were known for creating games that revolved around historic war battles and conflicts, such as Theatre Europe, Bismark and Falklands '82. The company had a partnership with French video game developer ERE Informatique, and published localised versions of their products to the United Kingdom.<reference176> In 1986, Cockayne took a decision to alter their products for release on 16-bit consoles, as he found that smaller 8-bit consoles such as the ZX Spectrum lacked the processing power for larger strategy games. The decision was falsely interpreted as "pull-out" from the Spectrum market by a video game journalist.<reference177> Following years of successful sales throughout the mid 1980s, Personal Software Services experienced financial difficulties, in what Cockayne admitted in a retrospective interview that "he took his eye off the ball". The company was acquired by Mirrorsoft in February 1987,<reference178> and was later dispossessed by the company due to strains of debt.<reference179>
Reception[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
The game received mixed to positive reviews from critics upon release. Gwyn Hughes of Your Sinclair praised the game's fast pace and tempo of gameplay, stating it to be "fast and furious". However, he criticised the arcade-style flying sequences, referring them as "dodgy" due to the system's lack of processing power.<reference186> Philippa Irvine of Crash praised the "all-action" theme of the game, and heralded the campaign as "impressive" in both terms of content and length.<reference187> Gary Rook of Sinclair User similarly praised the gameplay, suggesting that it had a "workmanship" quality to it, however he noted that it lacked a "certain sparkle".<reference188> Gordon Hamlett of ZX Computing found some aspects of the gameplay confusing, comparing it to juggling.<reference189> Jon Sutherland of Commodore User concluded that the game "is an enjoyable and absorbing game with a good balance between reflex and strategy gaming."<reference190>
A reviewer of Computer and Video Games stated that the game "isn't very good", nor the best Battle of Britain recreation on the market, and criticised on how interceptions were "far too easy" to make.<reference191> Reviewing the ZX Spectrum version of the game, a critic from Advanced Computer Entertainment cited the game as historically inaccurate due to it lasting only 30 days, whereas the actual Battle of Britain was considerably longer. However, they praised the gameplay as an "enjoyable challenge" and a good value for money.<reference192>
The game was a runner-up for the 1985 Strategy Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards.<reference193>
References[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
External links[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
- Battle of Britain at MobyGames
- Battle of Britain at Lemon64
- Battle of Britain at Spectrum Computing
Şablon:Personal Software Services
Battlefield Germany is a turn-based strategy video game developed and published by Personal Software Services for the Commodore 64 released in April 1987. It was also ported to the Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum later that year. It is the eighth instalment to the Strategic Wargames series. The game is set during a fictional scenario in which the powers of NATO and the Warsaw Pact engage in a conventional war throughout Europe, mostly centring in West and East Germany.
The game is a turn-based strategy and focuses on the player building and training units that are used to attack the opposing side. The game was released for 8-bit consoles as well as 16-bit consoles. Battlefield Germany received mixed reviews upon release. Reviewers mainly criticised the tempo of the gameplay and lack of innovation from the original. Some critics, however, praised the graphics and viewed the hard difficulty favourably.
Gameplay[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
The game is a turn-based strategy and revolves around a fictional conflict between the powers of NATO and the Warsaw Pact.<reference194> The player has the choice of choosing to control either NATO or Warsaw Pact forces at the beginning of the game.<reference161> The player will begin the game on either side of Europe depending on which side was chosen; if NATO was picked, the player will start at western European countries (France, West Germany, Denmark)<reference168> whereas if the player sides with the Warsaw Pact, the game will begin in eastern Europe.<reference164><reference161> The map is hexagon-shaped and allows the player to move their units in six directions.<reference164> Each side has a variety of units; infantry move at a slower pace than mechanised infantry however armoured units are able to withstand more damage than regular units.<reference161> The game displays two maps on screen; the larger, central map displays the current situation whereas a smaller map to the corner of the screen displays a mini-map of Europe, which runs north from Denmark to southern France.<reference168>
There are seven types of units in the game.<reference164> Each unit has a set of statistics which is displayed in the interface once selected. The statistics range from combat strength, fatigue, efficiency, supply and movement points.<reference164> During the game, both sides have the option to request air support that can be used to attack enemy units. If the other side uses their air support, the player will be given a warning of an oncoming air strike and will have the option to retreat.<reference164> The game has two endings depending on the side chosen. If playing as NATO, the main objective is to stall Soviet forces long enough until American reinforcements arrive. However, if playing as the Warsaw Pact, the objective is to destroy all NATO forces.<reference161>
Setting[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
The events leading up the stand-off between NATO and the Warsaw Pact are detailed in a pre-game text; Iran declares war on Iraq and subsequently invades the latter nation, whilst Egypt succumbs to a civil war and establishes Islamic law over the country, culminating in an Egyptian invasion of Israel. The events in the Middle East prompt the superpowers of the United States and the British Empire to intervene, leading up to a conventional war in Europe against the Eastern bloc.<reference164> The game is set in 1987.<reference173>
Reception[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
| Yayıncı | Puan |
|---|---|
| Crash | 42%<reference164> |
The game received mixed reviews upon release. Richard Blaine of Your Sinclair praised the graphics as "wonderful" and the gameplay as "tough", adding that the game should be aimed at advanced players.<reference211> Philippa Irving of Crash criticised the graphics as repetitively "dull", despite admitting that they were "clear enough" visually.<reference212> Gary Rook of Sinclair User heralded the graphics as "superb", adding that the game was one of the "best looking" wargames he had ever seen at that time.<reference213> A reviewer of Computer and Video Games criticised the presentation, stating that the screen was too small and the lack of visual understanding made the game "completely unplayable".<reference214> Mark Reed of Computer Gamer praised the graphics as being superior compared to Theatre Europe, heralding it as "much more detailed". However, Reed criticised the originality of the game and the lack of manual for the ZX Spectrum version.<reference215>
A reviewer of ZX Computing praised the game's difficulty, suggesting that it was "recommended" for advanced gamers in the wargame genre.<reference216> Irving criticised the game's value for money and playability, stating that £12.95 was "a lot" of money to spend on a game that the player would most likely dislike.<reference164> However, Rook heralded the gameplay as "smooth" and "challenging", contrary to other critics.<reference168>
References[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
External links[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
- Battlefield Germany at WorldofSpectrum
- Battlefield Germany at IGDB.com
Şablon:Personal Software Services
Bismarck is a turn-based strategy video game developed by Personal Software Services and published by Mirrorsoft. It was first released for the Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum in 1987 for the United Kingdom. It was ported to Amiga, Apple II, Atari ST and Atari 8-bit home computers in both the United Kingdom and the United States the following year. The game is the tenth instalment in the Strategic Wargames series. In the game, the player can choose to control either the German battleship Bismarck or command the pursuing fleet of Royal Navy ships.
The game is set during the Last battle of the battleship Bismarck of World War II and revolves around the Bismarck attempting to escape a pursuing fleet of Royal Navy ships, who desire to avenge the deaths of 1,412 men in the sinking of the flagship and "pride of the Royal Navy", HMS Hood. The game received positive reviews upon release; critics praised the graphics and presentation, though one reviewer found difficulty with the controls.
Gameplay[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
The game is a turn-based strategy and takes place during the Last battle of the battleship Bismarck on 27 May 1941. The battle is a sequel to the Battle of the Denmark Strait, in which the Kriegsmarine ships Bismarck and Prinz Eugen sank the Royal Navy flagship, HMS Hood, resulting in the deaths of 1,412 men.<reference168> Incensed by the loss of the "pride of the Royal Navy", a large British force was dispatched in order to pursue and destroy the Bismarck and its support ship, the Prinz Eugen.<reference173>
The player has the option to choose which side they wish to command at the beginning of the game. If the German side is picked, the objective of the game is to evade the Royal Navy fleet by either sailing to Iceland or heading to the safety of Nazi occupied France. The player will only have the ability to control the Bismarck itself, and must defend themselves against Royal Navy and Royal Air Force attacks if compromised.<reference164> If the British side is chosen, then the player must command the hunting Royal Navy fleet in order to search and destroy the Bismarck.<reference168><reference164> To achieve both these ends, the player will be able to access an in-game command centre, which will give out alerts depending on the side chosen. If controlling the Bismarck, the player will be reported of hostile British U-boat sightings. If controlling the Royal Navy fleet, they will be told of radio intercepts, which will pinpoint the Bismarck's approximate location.<reference164>
If the Bismarck has been intercepted or compromised by Royal Navy ships, the game will automatically shift to an arcade sequence which will give the player an opportunity to defend the ship against a British attack, or alternatively, if playing as the British, the sequence is utilised in order to destroy the Bismarck.<reference168> The feature can be displayed at any time, though it is automatically enabled if either side comes into conflict.<reference164> The interface of the feature is split into three sections; the upper part of the screen shows a view of the ocean in front of the ship and any hostile ship in the vicinity. The middle section contains buttons and icons which are used to control ship movement and to fire weapons. The lower part of the screen displays a diagrammatic representation of the ship from the side chosen (Bismarck or Royal Navy ships); the diagram will change colours once the ship receives damage from shelling.<reference164>
Once a hostile ship is in range, the player will have the choice to either open fire or outmanoeuvre the enemy. The Bismarck is able to withstand 99 points of damage; internal fires may break out during battle and will risk destroying the ship if the fires are not contained quickly enough or if they reach fuel tanks.<reference164> If fires occur, the player is given the option to order fire-fighting crews to contain the blaze, although it will cause the ship to disengage from combat. The game proceeds in real time, and has the option to change speed from slow to fast at any time.<reference164>
Reception[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
The game received positive reviews upon release. Peter Berlin of Your Sinclair praised the presentation of the game, stating that it was "good to look at" and well organised.<reference235> Philippa Irving of Crash asserted that the graphics and interface were "rather bland" but "pretty". Despite stating that the map of the game was "unexciting", Irving noted that it was offset by "pretty touches" and new graphical additions.<reference236> A reviewer of Computer and Video Games stated that the game was "historically good". Their only criticism was the unsuitability of using a joystick for the game, which they deemed "virtually unusable".<reference237> David Buckingham of Computer Gamer considered Bismarck the best game Personal Software Studios had released at the time, and added that the two genres of strategy and action work "very well".<reference238>
Gary Rook of Sinclair User heralded the gameplay as an "exciting" blend of strategy and arcade simulation.<reference239> Berlin suggested that Bismarck was a good introduction for players who were "bored" with the arcade genre and preferred "something a little bit tougher".<reference161> Irving praised the gameplay as smoothly-presented and "undemanding", stating that the type of game Personal Software Studios were creating was "successful". She also considered the rules of the game to be detailed in all important respects, well-presented and "helpful", albeit "not voluminous".<reference164> Regarding the arcade aspect of the game, Rook noted that the level of action in it was sufficient, but was sceptical that it was a "true" wargame.<reference168>
Reviews[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
- Jeux & Stratégie #52<reference243>
References[değiştir | kaynağı değiştir]
- 1987 video games
- Amiga games
- Amstrad CPC games
- Apple II games
- Atari ST games
- BBC Micro and Acorn Electron games
- Commodore 64 games
- DOS games
- Fighting games
- Multiplayer and single-player video games
- Obscenity controversies in video games
- Video games about death games
- Video games scored by Richard Joseph
- Video games developed in the United Kingdom
- ZX Spectrum games
- Epyx games
- J2ME games
- Palace Software games
- 1988 video games
- Beat 'em ups
- Video games featuring female protagonists
- Single-player video games
- Video game sequels
- 1985 video games
- Battle of Britain video games
- Personal Software Services games
- Turn-based strategy video games
- Video games set in 1940
- World War II video games
- Video games set in 1987
- Alternate history video games
- Video games set in Germany
- Cold War video games
- Atari 8-bit family games
- Datasoft games
- Naval video games
- German battleship Bismarck
- Mirrorsoft games