The Ancient Art of War (1984) by Dave and Barry Murry of Evryware, published by Brodebund for DOS, Apple II, Atari ST, Amiga, and more. More than a few Broderbund titles recently, hm. This can be considered an early example of a Real Time Strategy game, an ancestor if you will of the likes ofContinue reading “11/18/20 The Ancient Art of War (1984)”
Category Archives: The Cellar
Video Analysis: Duck & Cover
In October, I streamed my playthrough of Death Wish, a mod for Blood, a game I love (which you might be able to tell from the 12 page article I wrote on it). I was so inspired by how good the level design was that I spent something like 15 hours making this deep diveContinue reading “Video Analysis: Duck & Cover”
11/10/20 Karateka (1984)
Karateka (1984) by Jordan Mechner of Liquid Entertainment, published by Broderbund for DOS, Apple II, Commodore 64, NES, ZX Spectrum, and many more. You might call this an early example of a beat ’em up, or as Jordan Mechner describes it, “a story-based game where the gameplay mechanic is fighting.” Karateka follows an unnamed protagonistContinue reading “11/10/20 Karateka (1984)”
11/4/20 Anti Ballistic Missile (1980)
Anti Ballistic Missile (1980) by Silas Warner, published by Muse Software for DOS. This is also technically a review of Missile Command for Apple II, because they’re essentially the same game. This is from a time before home computer game programmers were widely comfortable stepping outside the confines of arcade gameplay, and you can basicallyContinue reading “11/4/20 Anti Ballistic Missile (1980)”
11/1/20 Locomotion (1992)
Locomotion (1992) by Prestige Softwareentwicklung GmbH, published by Kingsoft GmbH for DOS, Amiga, Atari ST, and Commodore 64. I didn’t expect to like this game so much, but it’s actually a blast. A pretty simple concept, flip the railway tracks to get the trains to their destinations. Even without instruction, it’s easy enough to graspContinue reading “11/1/20 Locomotion (1992)”
10/29/20 Arcticfox (1986)
Arcticfox (1986) by Dynamix and published by Electronic Arts for DOS, Amiga, Atari ST, Apple II, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum. I think that of all the pre-Wolfenstein pseudo-3D games, Arcticfox deserves the most recognition. This is a first-person tank simulator that controls pretty well all things considered. It’s the far flung year of 2005Continue reading “10/29/20 Arcticfox (1986)”
10/28/20 Battle of Olympus (1989)
Battle of Olympus (1989) by Infinity, published by Broderbund for NES. Taking clear inspiration from Zelda II, released two years prior, Battle of Olympus puts you in the shoes of Orpheus, whose girlfriend is captured by Hades. To get her back, he must venture throughout Greece, gaining the favor of the gods to acquire specialContinue reading “10/28/20 Battle of Olympus (1989)”
10/27/20 Music Spot || Persona 3 – Heartful Cry
The Persona series is no stranger to a wide variety of great compositions, but I wanted to shine some light on this less popular track from the third entry. Heartful Cry is considered the theme of Aigis, the game’s android character. I’m a big Aigis fan, and I think this tune encapsulates her quite well.Continue reading “10/27/20 Music Spot || Persona 3 – Heartful Cry”
10/26/20 Brides of Dracula (1992)
Brides of Dracula (“1992”) by Toast Dept., published by “Gonzo Games” for Amiga, Commodore 64, and Atari ST. I put a lot of things in air quotes because this game was never officially released. You probably haven’t heard of Gonzo Games because they published a snowboarding game, this, and then, in the words of programmerContinue reading “10/26/20 Brides of Dracula (1992)”
10/25/20 Dragon Spirit (1991)
Dragon Spirit (1991) developed by Namco and published by Domark Software for DOS, Commoodore 64, Amstrad PC, and Atari ST. This is a conversion of the original arcade title for home computers and it’s… good! Dragon Spirit is a fantasy twist on the ever popular ‘shmup genre that features some pretty solid design and pleasantContinue reading “10/25/20 Dragon Spirit (1991)”
Taigen Moon Works 