Heartland (video game)

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Heartland
Heartland Cover.jpg
Developer(s) Odin Computer Graphics
Publisher(s) Odin Computer Graphics
Designer(s) Steve Wetherill
Colin Grunes
Platform(s) ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC
Release1986
Genre(s) Platform
Mode(s) Single-player

Heartland is a platform game for the ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, and Commodore 64 released by Odin Computer Graphics in 1986.

Contents

Plot

The Heartland has fallen under the rule of the ruthless tyrant Midan and his minions. To overthrow him, the final six pages of a magical book must be found and assembled, but to confuse would-be adventurers Midan has created six evil pages; these must also be destroyed.

Gameplay

The game is similar to the earlier Odin titles Nodes of Yesod and Arc of Yesod . The player must locate the six magical pages and also destroy the six dark pages. Various spells may be collected, including a magical hat which may be thrown to kill enemies. Knives and fireballs can also be used to attack enemies. [1] Contact with enemies will cause the player to lose energy; as he grows weaker the face of Midan gradually appears at the top of the screen.

Reception

Sinclair User wrote: "Stunning to look at, delightful to play, HEARTLAND is magical and stylish. Simple without being simple-minded" [5] Crash reviewed the game stating: "This is a very nice game. The graphics are fabulous, and the animation is really rather neat and the game itself is very attractively designed. Playability-wise, Heartland is very good indeed, and it's also addictive. Lots of things combine to make this one of the better games on the Spectrum". [3]

Zzap!64's reviewers complimented the game's graphics and playability and said it was "another high quality arcade adventure from Odin". [8]

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Odin Computer Graphics were a Liverpool-based computer games developer who came to prominence in the mid-1980s with a variety of titles for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC home computers.

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References

  1. "Heartland - Software - Game - Computing History".
  2. Clarke, Anthony (January 1987). "Heartland". Amtix . No. 15. pp. 22–23.
  3. 1 2 "Heartland". Crash . No. 31. August 1986. pp. 26–27.
  4. David (January 1987). "C+VG Reviews". Computer and Video Games . No. 63. p. 25.
  5. 1 2 Taylor, Graham (August 1986). "Arcade Review". Sinclair User . No. 53. pp. 24–25.
  6. Nash, Tommy (October 1986). "Screen Shots". Your Sinclair . No. 10. pp. 28–29.
  7. "Zzap! Test". Zzap!64 . No. 22. February 1987. pp. 124–125.
  8. "Zzap! 64 Issue 022 (HQ)".