| Damocles (video game) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Novagen Software |
| Publisher(s) | Bethesda Softworks [1] |
| Designer(s) | Paul Woakes |
| Artist(s) | Mo Warden |
| Platform(s) | Amiga, Atari ST |
| Release | May 1990 [2] |
| Genre(s) | Action-adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Damocles is a video game developed by Novagen in 1990. [3] It is the second game in the Mercenary series.
Once again, the player is stranded on a planet, Eris, with an inoperable spacecraft. Unlike the first game, however, the scope of Damocles is considerably widened, offering the player an entire solar system to explore (the Gamma System; the player's original destination before the Interlude on Targ). There is also a race-against-time element to the game as a comet, the eponymous Damocles (a reference to the Sword of Damocles), is hurtling towards Eris. The player is encouraged to both escape Eris and find a means to prevent Damocles from destroying the planet, if possible without destroying the comet. Although an obvious, but destructive, solution exists, Damocles has no fewer than five distinct solutions. [4]
Damocles includes orbital mechanics in the game physics. While also featuring less standard physics (e.g. teleportation), it includes a detailed representation of the dynamics of the Gamma System and even includes a simplified form of special relativity. To cross the solar system in reasonable (to the player) time, time dilation occurs. However, given that the player has only a few hours to save Eris, extended periods at near-light speed are unwise. One of the game's many solutions even involves manipulating various planetary bodies in order to make use of the changes in gravitational pulls to divert the Damocles comet. From an aesthetic point of view, the inclusion of celestial physics allows the player to experience attractively-rendered sunrises and sunsets while on planet surfaces as well as various satellite occultations.
Damocles contains many real-world references, particularly drawn from the UK in the 1980s. For example, the president of the planet Eris is named Margaret, after Margaret Thatcher (British Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990); there is a bank called Lawson Bank, after Nigel Lawson (British chancellor of the exchequer from 1983 to 1989, though a real Lawson Bank does exist). [5] Some of the references are more elusive; for example, several stores are called "GUM Stores", after the real Russian Gosudarstvennyj Universalnyj Magazin department stores, but the fictional planet of Eris is not a reference to the real-life dwarf planet of the same name, as the latter was only discovered in 2005, some 15 years after the release of Damocles.
Despite these references, the game universe has no actual connections with Earth, since the player is given information that the Gamma System was actively explored before the present day (e.g. on approaching a particular moon, Benson informs the player that a space flight company was already present there in 1190). According to the poster that accompanied the game, the events of Damocles take place on 27 April 2099.
Damocles was released on the Atari ST and Amiga platforms in 1990. Development on the game started as early as 1987. [6] Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum versions were originally in development but eventually cancelled as a consequence of the declining 8-bit market. Unlike Mercenary, Damocles represented the game environment using filled polygon graphics, allowing a both more realistic and colourful world.
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Bristol Post | 3/5 [7] |
Judith Kilbury-Cobb for Info said: "I would like to see more in the way of sound effects, but I still enjoyed this one a whole lot". [8]
John S Davison for Page 6 said: "For me Damocles has everything – top notch presentation, excitement, depth, lots of humor, addictiveness... I could go on forever!" [9]
Eugene Lacey for Commodore User described "Amiga gaming at its very best". [10]
Eugene Lacey for ACE said that "Damocles has everything – the thrill of discovery, the fun of exploration, a totally believable world, a tough challenge, and even the odd bit of blasting". [11]
Amiga Format wrote: "Whether or not you like 3D space adventures, Damocles is an experience not to be missed". [12]
Zzap! claimed the game is "a superlatively polished, amazingly large and challenging adventure brought to life through amazing 3-D 16-bit graphics". [13]
Brian Nesbitt for Computer and Video Games concluded: "Fluid solid 3D graphics generate a wholly believable environment which is a joy to explore, and the unique feeling of being there is exemplary". [14]
Robin Hogg for The Games Machine gave a positive review for the game, saying "Welcome back Mercenary, you've been away for far too long". [15]
Neil Jackson for ST Format stated that "Damocles keeps pulling you back to the screen, no matter how much you want to go to bed". [16]
Zany Golf, also known as Will Harvey's Zany Golf, is a fantasy take on miniature golf developed by Sandcastle Productions and published by Electronic Arts in 1988. The game was originally written for the Apple IIGS and subsequently ported to the Amiga, Atari ST, and MS-DOS compatible operating systems. In 1990, a port was released for the Sega Genesis. The game was developed by Will Harvey, Ian Gooding, Jim Nitchals, and Douglas Fulton. Harvey was pursuing his advanced degrees at Stanford University at the time.
Mercenary is a 3D action-adventure game written for the Atari 8-bit family and published by Novagen Software in 1985. It was converted to the Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Amiga and Commodore 16/116/Plus/4 platforms. The game uses vector graphics renderings of vast, sparse environments and has open-ended gameplay. It was also released as Mercenary: Escape from Targ and Mercenary: A Flight Simulator Adventure.
Gold Rush! is a graphic adventure video game designed by Doug and Ken MacNeill and originally released by Sierra On-Line in 1988.
Fiendish Freddy's Big Top o' Fun is a video game developed by Gray Matter under developer Chris Gray and published in 1990 by Mindscape. It originally appeared on the 16-bit Atari ST, IBM PC and Commodore Amiga, before later being converted to the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC. The Commodore 64 version was included on cartridge bundled with the Commodore 64 Games System.
Time Bandit is a maze shoot 'em up written for the TRS-80 Model I by Bill Dunlevy and Harry Lafnear and published by MichTron in 1983. It was ported to the TRS-80 Color Computer and Dragon 32, but enjoyed its greatest popularity several years later as an early release for the Atari ST. It was also released for the pseudo-PC-compatible Sanyo MBC-55x with 8-color display. Amiga and MS-DOS versions were ported by Timothy Purves.
Sleeping Gods Lie was a first-person adventure game released on the Amiga, DOS and Atari ST, published by Empire Interactive in 1989.
The Immortal is an isometric action-adventure game originally created by Will Harvey and released by Electronic Arts in 1990 for the Apple IIGS. It was soon ported to the Amiga, Atari ST, DOS, Nintendo Entertainment System, and Genesis. A wizard is attempting to find his mentor in a large and dangerous labyrinth. It has a high degree of graphic violence. In 2020, the NES port was re-released on the Nintendo Switch Online service, while the Genesis port was re-released on the Piko Collection Collection 1 cartridge for the Evercade.
Barbarian is a 1987 platform game by Psygnosis. It was first developed for the Atari ST, and was ported to the Amiga, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, MSX, Amstrad CPC, and ZX Spectrum. The Amiga port was released in 1987; the others were released in 1988. The cover artwork is by fantasy artist Roger Dean.
Basil the Great Mouse Detective is a platform, action-adventure game designed by Bob Armour and published by Gremlin Graphics in 1987 for the Amstrad CPC, Atari 8-bit and Commodore 64 home computers. The game is based on the 1986 Disney animated film The Great Mouse Detective.
World Tour Golf is a 1986 video game by Evan and Nicky Robinson, Paul Reiche III and published by Electronic Arts for Commodore 64, Amiga, Apple IIGS, and DOS.
Mines of Titan is a single-player role-playing video game, developed by Westwood Associates, and released by Infocom in 1989 for Apple II, Commodore 64 and MS-DOS.
Iron Lord is an adventure video game developed by Orou Mama and Ivan Jacot for the Atari ST and published by Ubi Soft in 1989. It was ported to the Amiga, Acorn Archimedes, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, and DOS.
Escape from Singe's Castle, also known as Dragon's Lair Part II - Escape From Singe's Castle, is a computer game for the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum home computers, released by Software Projects in 1987.
Dream Zone is an adventure game developed by JAM Software and published by Baudville. It was released in 1988 for the Apple IIGS and then ported to MS-DOS, Amiga, and Atari ST.
Boulder Dash Construction Kit is the fourth game in the Boulder Dash series. It published for the Commodore 64 and Atari 8-bit family in 1986 by Epyx. Ports were released for the Apple II, Atari ST, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, and MS-DOS. The Spectrum version was rereleased as Boulder Dash IV: The Game. Boulder Dash Construction Kit includes new levels and a level editor.
Mercenary III is the third and final video game in the Mercenary series. It was written by Paul Woakes for the Atari ST and Amiga and published by Novagen Software in 1992.
Spy vs. Spy II: The Island Caper is a 1985 video game. It is the sequel to Spy vs. Spy.
TV Sports: Football is a 1988 video game by Cinemaware for Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, and TurboGrafx-16.
Joe Blade is the first game in the Joe Blade series. It reached the top of the UK game charts, replacing Renegade. In Germany, the game peaked at number 7.
Pink Panther is a 1988 video game based on the character of the same name. It was developed by German company Magic Bytes and published by Gremlin Graphics. It was released in Europe for Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum. Pink Panther was criticized for its control and difficulty, although the Amiga and Atari ST versions received praise for their graphics.