Some Amiga game questions...

[dave4shmups]

It's good to be back on these boards!

Someone put up some T-Zero footage when I was on here a while back, and I just wonder if there was anymore put up since? I have asked on the Recorded Amiga Games site for footage of this game, but no replies so far.

Also, how would you rate Xenon and Xenon 2 on the Amiga? I have played the Mega Drive port of Xenon 2, and it's pretty good-as is the Game Boy port! The SMS port is REALLY slow, which is dissapointing.

Still thinking about getting an Amiga, but I am in the process of trying to sell one of my consoles. My 7800 and SMS aren't going anywhere!

I LOVE the Recorded Amiga Games site! I downloaded a longplay of "It Came From the Desert", and loved it! What a great old point and click adventure! And King's Quest-awesome old schoolness!

[Muzkat]

Hello and welcome to EAB.

I haven't really looked on that site much, but I agree that game recordings are great. I say this ever since I saw the recording of Shadow of the Beast II being completed on You Tube a few weeks ago - I honestly thought that game was nigh on impossible to finish.

As for Xenon II, you will probably receive mixed reactions. It had gorgeous graphics, and it was made by the Bitmaps, whom I consider the best Amiga game makers ever. But the playability to some rapidly became stale, and the soundtrack became repetitive.

I never played the first Xenon much. And there are heaps of great shooters on the Amiga.

[laffer]

It Came from the Desert isn't exactly a point and click adventure game.. it's more of an adventure/arcade thingie.. and very little pointing and clicking (except on the map). It's a GREAT game though! One of my favourites.

I've posted some longplays on this site btw, check out the "Shadow of the Beast longplays" and "Last Ninja longplays" threads

[Legerdemain]

I would say that what Xenon 2 offers when it comes to stills... it doesn't offer when it comes to gameplay. Yes, the soundtrack was very original and daring for its time... but, hey, who likes to listen to a 10-second long loop all the way through the game? Yes, the gameplay was rather orginal back in the days with its shops... but, hey, who likes to play a game that lacks smooths scrolling, offers special weponry that really feels like it is put in there only to make the game seem cooler than it is (but not at all because it is needed) and overall feels quite sluggish in its controls? Yes, the graphics were rather good for its time... but, hey, today it seems rather monotonous and stale and the levels are too long and repetative to really manage to hold up ones interest for long. It just feels dated, in every possible aspect besides when it comes to stills... and when it comes to the original Xenon I can't consider it being much more than rubbish in every possible aspect.

...but, on the other hand... we all do differ, and what I consider being a bad game (which I really do think Xenon 2 is) someone else can consider pure genius. So it is in the end not really much more than a matter of taste...

If you are looking for high-quality SHMUPs to be played on the Amiga I would recommend Z-Out (R-Type clone), Apidya, Project-X (no, it isn't as hard as people claim... one just has to 'learn' the levels with the help of good old 'trial & error'), Battle Squadron and uhm some more... there are other good SHMUPs aswell, but these just do feel like a good place to start.

I had completely forgotten about the longplayer site... have to check it out at once... and if I hadn't been such a failure when it comes to recording good quality movies I would have done my best to add a Turrican II movie where I run through the game without dying once with 40+ lives left when the credits start to roll; the one and only game I really do feel like I've got what it takes to play in an impressive way...

[Graham Humphrey]

You should give Plutos a whirl - a vertical scrolling blaster with sub-C64 graphics and general 'feel', but a cracking and charming little game that's very underrated.

[dave4shmups]

Originally Posted by Graham Humphrey

You should give Plutos a whirl - a vertical scrolling blaster with sub-C64 graphics and general 'feel', but a cracking and charming little game that's very underrated.

Cool, thanks! Is there a specific location on this site for longplays, or other recorded Amiga footage, or are they just scattered about in various threads?

[rsn8887]

Shooters?

I'd say Swiv, Banshee AGA, and Battle Squadron.

Did we have a best shooter poll yet?
If not, we need one

[Legerdemain]

Originally Posted by rsn8887

I'd say Swiv, Banshee AGA, and Battle Squadron.

I have really tried my best to love Banshee... and in certain ways I do; the graphics are amongst the best ever in any Amiga SHMUP, rivaling the likes of classics like DonPachi and Gunbird... but the levels are just uninspired... I just don't get it why european SHMUPs has to lack originality and innovation when it comes to the design of the levels and game play in general... instead they offer long and repeative levels without anything out of the ordinary happening along the way... it almost feels like waking up from a slumber when those big bosses makes their appearance. Had the levels been shorter and the weaponry a bit more intense... I would be in heaven... (and a soundtrack to be played during the levels wouldn't have hurt either). Z-Out and Apydia does levels better than Banshee... but instead they lack the charm of the graphics found in Banshee...

All of them good games, thankfully and anyways... but not perfect...