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Homebreviews - part 35


Nathan Strum

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So what's left over when you've tested and reviewed everything else in the AtariAge store? Is this the end of Homebreviews!? icon_eek.gif *

Labyrinth
1/5

Labyrinth is an unreleased prototype of the game Escape From The Mindmaster, which requires the Supercharger peripheral to play. The game comes on a CD, so you'll need to plug the Supercharger cable into the headphone jack of a CD player, then play the CD for about a minute for the game to load.

Once loaded, you maneuver through a maze in first-person perspective. The walls are smoothly drawn, and the graphics are all very crisp. The basic premise of the game is to find some tools with which to disable some of the Mindmaster's machines, then find a key to move to the next level. You must also avoid a roving alien, and barriers which move across the hallway. The prototype differs considerably from the final game, since in the released version, you must find and match various puzzle pieces, then play a series of mini-games in order to progress through the mazes. Also, instead of the alien's spooky sound effects, Labyrinth features what could best be described as "circus music". The prototype is only partially functional, in that neither the roving alien nor moving walls have any effect on you, and you can also walk down a dead-end and get stuck with no way back out. There are only two levels in Labyrinth, the second of which just repeats, so there's no apparent end to the game. There are no instructions included, but instructions for Escape From The Mindmaster are online at www.AtariProtos.com.

Labyrinth is a mere historical curiosity, suitable for Supercharger completists only. Having to drag out a CD player and a Supercharger just to play an unfinished prototype is a chore, and the CD doesn't even include a binary version of the game for emulation use. If you're looking for a real game for the Supercharger, find a copy of Escape From The Mindmaster instead, which is not only complete, but excellent.

Alligator People
3/5

Alligator People is an unreleased prototype from 20th Century Fox, and a weird one at that. You control a hypodermic needle, and must inject mutating humans at the top and bottom of the screen, in order to prevent them from turning into alligators. To do this, you must first collect antidote vials and serum, which are spread throughout a maze of ever-moving, crushing walls. As if this weren't enough, real alligators (which you can shoot, but not "cure") are roving the halls, looking to devour you. Cure all six humans, and you move onto the next level.

Alligator People is a decent game, although it does take awhile to get used to the play mechanic. You can enable a practice mode with unlimited lives by flipping the left difficulty switch to B (novice). The alligators are nicely detailed, but the rest of the game looks rather bland. The sound is adequate, but nothing special. Alligator People reminds me very much of Revenge of the Beefsteak Tomatoes, which is another very quirky 20th Century Fox game with a similar B-movie theme. No instructions are included, but you can find them online at www.AtariProtos.com.

As far as prototypes go, Alligator People is above average. It seems to be complete, or at least completely playable. The need to collect both antidote and serum seems rather pointless, as the serum doesn't seem to do much. While not outstanding, Alligator People is certainly an original idea for a game, and a pretty decent challenge, too. If you're looking for something different, this might be worth picking up.


*Nope. That was just a dramatic device. Seems to me I've got at least one more game coming in...

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