★ AMSTRAD CPC ★ GAMESLIST ★ TIR NA NOG (c) GARGOYLE GAMES/HEWSON/REBOUND ★ |
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Tir Na Nog — The Land of Youth, tne Other World. Home to a hero. Cuchulainn was the greatest of Heroes. He had been defeated only by fulfilling destiny. Now he wanders the land of Tir Na Nog on a quest he has chosen himself. Somewhere in this shadowland lie the four fragments of the Seal of Calum. Though the power of their parts is individually great, no longer can the seal fulfill its purpose — the imprisonment of the Great Enemy. Born of the age of Heroes, Cuchulainn can ensure its existence through the cycles of the universe if only these parts may be re-united and activated. And then DC 10s might fly . . . This game was one of the greatest titles to ever appear on the Spectrum and ensured a reputation for quality and imagination for Gargoyle Games. It was almost a legend itself in the fast and ephemeral world of home computer gaming. Now the legend has new life in the new age of :he Amstrad. The game is most unlike normal adventures. It's a true animated adventure. Cuchulainn explores the terrain by walking across a three stage scrolling backdrop in glorious Techno (4) Colour mode. Compared to most other computer characters, Cuchulainn is a giant — a well animated one at that. His hair flows in the breeze as his giant strides take him further on his quest. When he fights, ferocious lunges are made against his adversaries.
As visitors are not welcomed, Tir Na Nog may only be traversed by using the horrendously complex series of interlocking roads. The matter of getting anywhere is further complicated by the fact that our hero may only walk to the left or right of the screen. If he wishes to travel 'into' or 'out of the screen, the view must be altered so that the desired direction now lies to the left or right. Though a compass is displayed in the lower third of the screen, a pencil and paper are essential to really find your way around. The land is populated by creatures of a bygone age. Called the Sidhe, these pseudo-apes are but a shadow of their former selves, having once been a great race that protected the Seal of Calum in happier days. Now, as nobody in this place is actually alive, then nobody can really be killed. But (and this is a big But), encountering an enemy without proper protection (the" discovery ot which can form a quest in itself), has the effect of making you lose whatever objects you may have acquired and returns you to the beginning of the game. There are others you may encounter. Some may be helpful though perhaps at a price. It is always advisable to be wary. Thoughtfully, a load/save game option is available. All manner of artifacts wait to be discovered in the darker corners of the land. Scrolls may hint at greater prizes elsewhere. Stranger artifacts may be beneficial or otherwise. More often than not, it is up to you to uncover their use. Of course, weapons may be found but these are normally only effective against certain opponents. Up to four objects may be carried at once and an inventory of these is constantly displayed at the bottom of the screen. An asterisk is used to highlight the object currently in use. It takes some time to get used to the idea of changing the view (especially as the character may face in any of four directions as well) but once this rather peculiar system is understood, play progresses smoothly. It is in the nature of the game that for much of the time, very little is happening. Cuchulainn is free to admire the background scenery which often contains landmarks such as a dramatically silhouetted castle surrounded by fearsome hawks. There is-plenty to see in Tir Na Nog. The thing about this game I really enjoy is its open endedness. The freedom to explore and play differently in each session make the game far more interesting than would seem at first sight. The last thing you could play this game for is speed, but its depth is most remarkable. Gargoyle supply a well written instruction booklet which provides all the background detail needed to get the most from the game. The history and mythology surrounding the Seal of Calum makes for fascinating reading. Tir Na Nog is an unusual and demanding game. It requires a great deal of patience from the player and I doubt whether it will appeal to everyone. However, Marsport was modelled on this great adventure — at least in terms of presentation, and that was well received. But this is the original. And a classic game it is too.
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Page créée en 260 millisecondes et consultée 2610 fois L'Amstrad CPC est une machine 8 bits à base d'un Z80 à 4MHz. Le premier de la gamme fut le CPC 464 en 1984, équipé d'un lecteur de cassettes intégré il se plaçait en concurrent du Commodore C64 beaucoup plus compliqué à utiliser et plus cher. Ce fut un réel succès et sorti cette même années le CPC 664 équipé d'un lecteur de disquettes trois pouces intégré. Sa vie fut de courte durée puisqu'en 1985 il fut remplacé par le CPC 6128 qui était plus compact, plus soigné et surtout qui avait 128Ko de RAM au lieu de 64Ko. |