Game Info --------------------------------------------------- Developer: Hewson Publisher: Hewson Year of Release: 1989 Coding: Keith McMurtrie Graphics: Mark K. Jones Music: Charles Deenen, Jochen Hippel Game Review & Impressions --------------------------------------------------- Released in 1989, Stormlord set the hearts of many schoolboy aflutter with the alluringly pixelated presentation of faeries in the altogether. Designed by Raffaele Cecco and Nicholas Jones, the C64 version was a decent platformer with some cool concepts and a great soundtrack, and the Amiga version followed shortly thereafter. The Amiga version doesn't deviate from the C64 version to any particular degree; the core mechanics are pretty much identical, although you do get more levels than the C64. However, there is a seismic upgrade in the in the visuals department. The graphics by Mark K. Jones are absolutely stunning to look at. Coupled with smooth scrolling, this would have been quite the posterchild for the A500 at the time of its release. As for the music, the in-game tunes are recreations of the C64 SID tracks, albeit fully sampled. Don't get me wrong, the composition and arrangement is excellent, although there's something about the rawness of the C64 versions which I just prefer. As for the gameplay, it's still very much Stormlord. Each level contains a certain number of faeries, imprisoned in various locations. Stormlord must seek out items strewn across the landscape which will lead to their eventual rescue, whilst dispatching monsters along the way. I wouldn't go as far as saying the game has actual puzzles, more that you just need to figure out where to use each item. Keys open locked doors, umbrellas protect you from acid rain, and honey pots distract swarms of angry bees. As it turns out, the bees prove to be the one of the most infuriating part about the Amiga version. Even when distracted by honey pots, the insects swarm around in an arc which can be almost impossible to avoid. It wasn't until later in the game I discovered that scrolling the screen so the bees are out of view actually adjusts their position, allowing you to pass unhindered. Having rescued all faeries in a level, Stormlord proceeds to a bonus round. Players can earn extra lives by collecting 10 faery tears, which they shed when shot with love hearts. Magazine reviews were complementary of the Amiga version of Stormlord at the time, awarding scores between 70% and 90%. Amiga Power, however, savaged the game in its budget game round up in 1994, dishing out a lowly 26%. Their main beef with the game, and rightly so, is that collecting items in the wrong order can put the player in an unwinnable situation. Games development and design had changed a great deal in the 5 years since Stormlord's original release, and putting players in dead-end situations was now frowned upon, rather than an accepted norm. In any case, I still think the Amiga version of Stormlord is worth checking out. The visuals are are absolutely stunning, and provided your reflexes are up to the task, I think fans of platformers will find some fun here. Information & Trivia --------------------------------------------------- - Game has no ending (loops after stage 6) Video Notes --------------------------------------------------- - Includes full loop of intro music Related Longplays & Videos --------------------------------------------------- Chapters --------------------------------------------------- 00:00 Main menu & full music loop 06:05 Stage 1 11:33 Stage 2 17:20 Stage 3 22:18 Stage 4 27:33 Stage 5 34:30 Stage 6 39:15 Game Over
