Falcon 030 Power 2/F030_POWER2.iso/ST_STE/MAGS/STPLUS19.ARJ/stplus19.msa/STP/CHAOSRVW.STP/CHAOSRVW.STP

Text File | 1997-07-31 | 8KB | 138 lines

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                        CHAOS STRIKES BACK by FTL Games
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  I  had  heard that you got into trouble almost immediately  when   this  game
started so I was ready. My special characters were  strong, Master or Expert in
nearly all skills. I sat down to the  computer and began the process. First you
are  required  to  boot   the Chaos Utility Disk and use  this  to  import  you
characters from  you DM save game.  Once this is done a new CSB save game  disk
is   required for all your CSB saves.  After making these preparations  we  are
ready for the Dungeon.

 My palms were sweating and my throat was constricted from the  excitement.  My
adrenaline  levels were skyrocketing and little  crinklings of nervous  tension
were  running up and down my back  muscles.  Into the ST went the CSB disk  and
then in drive B goes  the save game.  The screen comes up with the familiar FTL
logo  and  then goes to a huge slab of stone with a map roughly etched  out  on
it. You may at this time either enter the prison where several  characters have
been  frozen and left for you to select or you may  resume your previous  game.
Since I had already made up my  character set I selected the resume option  and
after a long wait I  was greeted with the familiar "game loaded" screen.

 As my audience watched from the rear I pressed the button and  popped into the
game.  Immediately  I was confronted by 3 of the  ugliest golden brown worms  I
have  ever  seen.  They are like the  purple worms in DM with the  addition  of
armored  plates  over their  heads and a little red flag on the  end  of  their
tails.  As  any DM  afficionado knows worms are poison and attack  with  gusto.
Unfortunately  all my characters were naked as jay birds and the   only  things
they  brought with them were their levels of skill and  of course my  knowledge
and  experience.  Naturally  I figured the  poor worms didn't  have  a  chance.
Within  10  minutes  I  was  rebooting the game because I  had  gotten  my  but
thoroughly kicked.  All my people were dead and I was hopelessly addicted.

  I  resumed my game from the beginning and with a little  fore  knowledge  was
ready for those old worms. I made a mad dash for  the sword on the floor in the
center  of  the room and while  avoiding the worms prepared a light  spell  and
then a couple of  poison cloud spells and some fireballs. The room is square or
nearly  so  and there is a chest in the center.  There are coin  slots  in  the
walls and small cubby holes which are opened when a  coin is inserted. There is
one obvious exit which requires the  killing of a couple of worms to get to.

 These FTL people are devious. To get to the exit you must  pass through a door
and go down a corridor.  Even highly skilled  people don't do too well fighting
worms while naked so you have  some poisoned wounds and are hurting a bit while
running  towards   the door.  Wouldn't you know there would be a  hidden  floor
switch  which immediately causes the generation of a new pair of worms.

 After about 11 minutes I was beginning my third game and was  a little  wiser.
This time I knew about the worm regeneration  switch and avoided it as much  as
possible.  I  got  the  sword and  from the chest in the room  I  was  able  to
partially clothe my  heroes.  I ran down the corridor the there was a pit  trap
on the  floor.  A worm was pursuing me,  but there was also a floor switch   in
front of me which momentarily closed the pit.  If the timing  was just right  I
could  run from the floor switch down the corridor  and across the closed  pit.
When I woke up and dusted myself off,   my heroes were hurt a bit but all  were
alive.  They  had to sleep a  while to regain strength and let the poison  from
the worms wear  off but were otherwise ok. As I looked around I saw there was a
regeneration  area  in front of me and some writing on the wall to   my  right.
Each  time I turned I was the same thing again.  The  only difference  was  the
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item placed in the regenerator.

 This is know as the crossroads and is where the game truly  begins.  From this
point  you  can  select one of the four directions  and begin  your  search  in
earnest. You may select from KU  (fighter), ROS (ninja), DAIN (Wizard), or NETA
(Priest)  pathways.   The object (other than getting  bashed  ,burned,  bonked,
broasted   and  otherwise  abused) is to complete each of the  four  paths  and
along the way obtain a special element called Corbum which must  then be thrown
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into a special FUL YA (mondo fire) pit where it is  consumed.

 Make no mistake about it,  this game is tough!  At the time of  this writing I
have  destroyed  two  of the Corbum elements and  completed  all  four  of  the
pathways down to the Diabolical Demon  Director level.  There are sthll several
puzzles  left  to solve and  a couple of keys to find.  Many  of  the  monsters
regenerate  and  so   there is always a new surprise waiting  just  around  the
corner.

 There are new monsters and old ones. I know I have killed at  least 13 dragons
and several of the stone golems.

Kill  the  worms if you need  to and take the worm rounds for  food.  Once  you
encounter  the  dragons you won't need worm rounds any more,  but for now  they
are   useful.  Walk around the room and bump into the wall every step  of   the
way.  There is an invisible room containing a complete set of  armor which  you
will need. Pick up the torch and put it into the  holder. This opens a corridor
and exit from this room.  If you  are hurt you can rest for a while in the room
where the armor is  found but when you leave you will probably find a couple of
worms  waiting.  Once you have killed the first couple of worms you can  search
the room at your leisure if you don't step on the hidden  floor switch and make
more of the little devils.  Finally,  use  your coins wisely, some items can be
used many times and others  only once.

  Now  you  are on your own.  You probably want to know if you   must  own  the
original DM game in order to play CSB. In the most  strict sense you don't, but
without  DM  you  don't  have  much  chance.    It  isn't  only  the   original
documentation,  it's the experience and  the chance to learn the various spells
and  build up your heroes to  their maximum potential.  This game requires  not
only powerful  heroes, but you as the player must be experienced as well.

  In summary,  CSB is a great game.  the value is  excellent.  I have put  more
hours into this game series than I  ever will in any of my other game software.
It is fun, exciting,  challenging, and most important of all, it is winnable. I
have  fully enjoyed my time with this game and if it weren't for this  review I
would  be playing it right now.  One final little hint  before I get back  into
the action.  If you have access to GEnie,   many people have uploaded  powerful
character  sets which you can  download and use as your own if your heroes  are
too wimpy for your  tastes. See you in the dungeon.

                           Review by Paul D. Gittins
                              Portland Atari Club


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