Walker (video game)

Last updated

Walker
Walker Coverart.png
Developer(s) DMA Design
Publisher(s) Psygnosis
Designer(s)
  • Ian Dunlop
  • Neill Glancy
Composer(s) Raymond Usher
Platform(s) Amiga
ReleaseFebruary 1993
Genre(s) Scrolling shooter
Mode(s) Single-player

Walker is a horizontally scrolling shooter video game developed by DMA Design and published by Psygnosis for the Amiga in February 1993. The player controls a bipedal mech and is tasked with killing advancing enemies in stages set in multiple time periods. Development of the game began after the release of Blood Money , but was scrapped in 1990 because the game was not coming together. By the end of the year, development had recommenced with a redesign, inspired by sprites originally intended for Blood Money. Ian Dunlop and Neill Glancy designed the game, and Raymond Usher wrote its soundtrack. The game was released to positive reviews with praise directed at the game's graphics and sound, but reviewers were critical towards the repetitiveness of the gameplay. Amiga Power ranked it among their top 100 Amiga games of 1993.

Contents

Gameplay

In the game, the player controls a bipedal mech to advance through the several stages and defend against enemies, who attempt to lower the mech's shields. Walker gameplay screenshot.jpg
In the game, the player controls a bipedal mech to advance through the several stages and defend against enemies, who attempt to lower the mech's shields.

Walker is a horizontal side-scrolling shooter that utilises 2D computer graphics. The player controls a bipedal mech to advance through the game's four stages, each consisting of two levels: 1944 Berlin, 2019 Los Angeles, contemporary Middle East, and 2420 Earth during "The Great War". [1] [2] Throughout the levels, the player uses the mech's machine guns to defeat waves of enemy infantry, tanks, and airships; [1] the player advances to the next level upon killing all enemies. When the mech's guns are fired, the temperature indicator rises; when overheated, the guns must cool down over a short time before further use. [2] The player has the ability to lock-on to enemies with their missiles. The mech's shield acts as the player's health and is depleted when enemies attack the mech. When the mech is destroyed, the player loses a life; when all three lives are lost, the game ends. [2] [3] At the end of each level, the player must defeat a boss. [4] Unlike most side-scrolling games, Walker is controlled from right to left. [1] The game features two difficulty levels: easy and arcade. Only the first two stages are playable in easy mode. [5]

Development

DMA Design founder David Jones began developing Walker following the release of Blood Money in 1989. [6] [7] The inspiration for the game's mech originated in a sprite from Lemmings (1991) originally designed for Blood Money. [8] The graphics and animation for Walker were designed by Scott Johnston, who later worked on Hired Guns (1993). Johnston, a freelancer at the time, wrote a small program to correctly render the walker's head in position, which could then be altered in Deluxe Paint. [6] In early 1990, Jones scrapped Walker because the design was not coming together, and began development on a new game called Gore!; [9] this was soon scrapped. [10] Following the completion of the Commodore 64 and TurboGrafx-16 ports of Shadow of the Beast , Jones hired Ian Dunlop and Neill Glancy to continue working on Walker; Glancy redesigned the game. [11] Raymond Usher wrote the game's soundtrack. [2]

When played on advanced Amiga systems, such as the Amiga 4000 (pictured), Walker has additional features, such as a speech between the player's mech and its headquarters. Amiga 4000 desktop original.png
When played on advanced Amiga systems, such as the Amiga 4000 (pictured), Walker has additional features, such as a speech between the player's mech and its headquarters.

Dunlop had been seeking contract work when he was hired by Jones. Glancy was working at a computer shop in Scotland when he met Dunlop, who was working on Walker at the time. "I had been working on pixel art games and projects for some years so offered to create an entire set of level graphics for the game", Glancy said. [12] The Terminator (1984) and Akira (1988) influenced Glancy's design work, which he described as "the most complex pixel graphics [he] had ever made", due to the addition of motion blur and dynamic lighting. [12] While Jones was impressed by Glancy's designs, he selected alternative designs by the art department at DMA Design because Glancy was not an employee. [12]

Dunlop found that the large scale of the game necessitated small enemies, which were partly inspired by the characters of Lemmings. The game's control scheme consisted of a mouse controlling the guns and a keyboard or joystick controlling the mech's movements. Dunlop explained that this allowed the player to maintain freedom of the weapons while simultaneously moving the mech and felt that it "gave the gameplay a bit more depth and interest". [12] In regards to the game's side-scrolling, the team took inspiration from their 1988 game Menace . When played on advanced Amiga models, Walker included a speech between the mech and its headquarters that had been recorded by Dunlop and Glancy over walkie-talkie. [12]

The game's original concept included an underground base that connected all of the levels, but this element was scrapped by publisher Psygnosis due to financial constraints. Several additional levels were also cut from the game due to time restrictions, including one inspired by Prince of Persia (1989). Following Walker's launch in February 1993, Dunlop began working on a port for the Mega Drive, which was cancelled shortly thereafter. [12] Glancy was also recruited to work on a sequel, Walker 2, which would have overhauled the visual quality of the first game and include a customisable mech. Planned for release on the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, it was eventually cancelled. [12]

Reception

Walker received positive reviews from critics upon release. Reviewers particularly directed praise at the game's graphics and sound design, though the gameplay was met with mixed reactions. James Price of Amiga Force named it "one of the most satisfying shoot-'em-ups", [15] while Amiga Computing 's Paul Roundell wrote that the developers "managed to combine the best elements of several games". [14] The game received the "Amiga Action Accolade" from Amiga Action [13] and was ranked 58th in Amiga Power 's top 100 games of 1993. [17]

Critics praised the game's graphical qualities. Amiga Computing's Roundell described the mech animation as "a pleasure to watch", [14] and Amiga Force's Price called it "flawlessly animated". [15] Mark Winstanley of Amiga Power praised the enemy animation, writing that he had "never seen ... soldiers die so needlessly and gratuitously". [3] Andy Nuttall of Amiga Format applauded the game's subtle use of scrolling backgrounds. [5] CU Amiga 's Dan Slingsby found that the design of the military hardware was particularly pleasing. [4] While David Upchurch of The One Amiga admired the mech's animation, he found that it "looks more like a mechanical chicken than a vicious killing machine". [16]

The game's use of sound also garnered praise. Alan Bunker of Amiga Action wrote that the developers "realised the importance of sound and perfected it". [13] CU Amiga's Slingsby found that the game's sound effects complemented the action of the gameplay. [4] Amiga Power's Winstanley praised each element of the sound design, particularly lauding the subtle inclusions, such as music from enemy radios. [3] Nuttall of Amiga Format felt that the developers dedicated "a lot of attention" to the game's sound design. [5]

Reviewers were satisfied with the gameplay, though most were critical of the lack of variation. Roundell of Amiga Computing noted that the variety and speed of enemies ensures engaging gameplay. [14] The One Amiga's Upchurch wrote that the game is "not ... for the faint-hearted". [16] Price of Amiga Force described the controls as "rather innovative", though criticised the longevity of gameplay due to lack of variation. [15] Amiga Format's Nuttall echoed similar remarks, noting the repetitiveness of gameplay. [5] In a 2014 review, Graeme Virtue of Eurogamer felt that the right-to-left movement made the game memorable. [1]

Related Research Articles

<i>Lemmings</i> (video game) 1991 video game

Lemmings is a puzzle–strategy video game originally developed by DMA Design and published by Psygnosis for the Amiga in 1991 and later ported for numerous other platforms. The game was programmed by Russell Kay, Mike Dailly and David Jones, and was inspired by a simple animation that Dailly created while experimenting with Deluxe Paint.

<i>Shadow of the Beast</i> (1989 video game) 1989 computer game

Shadow of the Beast is a platform game developed by Reflections and published by Psygnosis in 1989. The original version was released for the Amiga, and was later ported to many other systems. The game was known for its graphics, with many colours on screen and up to twelve levels of parallax scrolling backdrops, and for its atmospheric score composed by David Whittaker that used high-quality instrument samples.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockstar North</span> British video game developer

Rockstar North Limited is a British video game development company and a studio of Rockstar Games based in Edinburgh. The company was founded as DMA Design in Dundee in 1987 by David Jones, soon hiring former classmates Mike Dailly, Russell Kay, and Steve Hammond. During its early years, DMA Design was backed by its publisher Psygnosis, primarily focusing on Amiga, Atari ST and Commodore 64 games. During this time, they created successful shooters such as Menace and Blood Money, but soon turned to platform games after the release of Lemmings in 1991, which was an international success and led to several sequels and spin-offs. After developing Unirally for Nintendo, DMA Design was set to become one of their main second-party developers, but this partnership ended after Nintendo's disapproval of Body Harvest.

<i>The Humans</i> (video game) 1992 video game

The Humans is a puzzle-platform video game developed by Imagitec Design in Dewsbury, England and originally published by Mirage Technologies for the Amiga in May 1992. It was later ported to other home computers and consoles. The goal of the game varies per level but usually revolves around bringing at least one of the player-controlled humans to the designated end area marked by a colored tile. Doing this requires players taking advantage of the tribe's ability to build a human ladder and use tools such as spears, torches, wheels, ropes and a witch doctor in later levels.

<i>Oh No! More Lemmings</i> 1991 video game expansion pack

Oh No! More Lemmings is an expansion pack for the puzzle video game Lemmings by DMA Design. It contains 100 single-player levels and six music tracks. The Amiga version also includes 10 two-player levels. The game requires either the install disk from the previous Lemmings, or, in a standalone version, the game manual, for use as a copy protector. The new levels are separated into five difficulty categories, each with 20 levels.

<i>Lemmings 2: The Tribes</i> 1993 video game

Lemmings 2: The Tribes is a 1993 puzzle strategy video game developed by DMA Design and published by Psygnosis, and is the sequel to the 1991 video game Lemmings. Similar to the original title, the game sees the player guiding various tribes of anthropomorphised lemmings through a number of levels, using various skills to help them reach the exit. Expanding on the mechanics of the original game, Lemmings 2 featured a more open-ended series of levels with different 'tribes', contained an overarching narrative, expanded the number of skills, simplified the requirements for clearing levels, and included a practice mode for players to test out new gameplay mechanics. Development of Lemmings 2 was more intensive, with Psygnosis having greater involvement in attempt to recreate the success of the original game. A focus on the production of the game was cross-development of a large number of ports, with the game released to consoles including the Mega Drive, Super NES and Game Boy. Lemmings 2 was a commercial success and received positive reviews from critics, with praise directed towards its additional gameplay mechanics and greater variety of levels and abilities.

<i>All New World of Lemmings</i> 1994 video game

All New World of Lemmings is a puzzle video game released in 1994, as the third game in the Lemmings series. In North America, the game was named The Lemmings Chronicles. It was published by Psygnosis and was the last Lemmings game developed by DMA Design.

<i>Blood Money</i> (video game) 1989 video game

Blood Money is a side-scrolling shooter video game developed by DMA Design and published by Psygnosis in 1989 for the Amiga, Atari ST, and MS-DOS. A Commodore 64 version followed in 1990. The game is set in four different locations on a planet, where the player must fight off enemies and bosses.

<i>Leander</i> (video game) 1991 video game

Leander is a video game for the Amiga developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Psygnosis in 1991. It was the first game developed by Traveller's Tales. The game was developed on the Amiga, then converted to the Atari ST by Philipp Wyatt for W.J.S Design. A year later it was published for the Sega Genesis as Galahad by Electronic Arts.

<i>Wiz n Liz</i> 1993 video game

Wiz 'n' Liz: The Frantic Wabbit Wescue is a platform game developed by Raising Hell Software for the Amiga and Sega Mega Drive and published by Psygnosis in 1993. It is a humorous, cutesy platform game. With the exception of some end-of-level bosses, the game contains no enemies.

<i>Obitus</i> 1991 video game

Obitus is an action-adventure game developed and released by Psygnosis in early 1991 for Amiga, Atari ST and DOS. It was also ported to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System by Bullet-Proof Software. The game features both first-person dungeon crawling and side-scrolling gameplay with action-oriented combat and an emphasis on item acquisition. It is similar to games like Eye of the Beholder on Super Nintendo but without the RPG mechanics.

<i>Lemmings Paintball</i> 1996 video game

Lemmings Paintball is an action video game from the Lemmings franchise made by Visual Science and published by Psygnosis in 1996.

<i>Hook</i> (video game) Video game based on the eponymous 1991 film

There have been several video games based on the 1991 film Hook. A side-scrolling platform game for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and Game Boy was released in the United States in February 1992. Subsequent side-scrolling platform games were released for the Commodore 64 and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), and an arcade beat ‘em up by Irem later in 1992, followed by versions for the Sega CD, Sega Genesis, and Sega's handheld Game Gear console in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psygnosis</span> British video game company, 1984–2012

Psygnosis Limited was a British video game developer and publisher headquartered at Wavertree Technology Park in Liverpool. Founded in 1984 by Ian Hetherington, Jonathan Ellis, and David Lawson, the company initially became known for well-received games on the Atari ST and Amiga. In 1993, it became a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) and began developing games for the original PlayStation. It later became a part of SCE Worldwide Studios. The company was the oldest and second largest development house within SCE's European stable of developers, and became best known for franchises such as Lemmings, Wipeout, Formula One, and Colony Wars.

<i>Ruff n Tumble</i> 1994 video game

Ruff 'n' Tumble is a 1994 platform run and gun video game developed by Wunderkind and published by Renegade Software for the Amiga. An Amiga CD32 version was planned but never released. It was the only game made by Wunderkind. It stars Ruff Rodgers, embarking on a quest across an alien planet to reclaim his marbles after one of them fell into a portal inside a rabbit hole while playing with his collection in the park, and free the planet from Dr. Destiny and his Tinhead army. Through the journey, the player explores and search through each level for items and power-ups, as well as fight enemies and defeat bosses.

<i>Lionheart</i> (video game) 1993 video game

Lionheart is a platform game for the Amiga developed and self-published by German video game developer Thalion Software in 1993. Using a fantasy motif, the game takes place in the land of the Cat People, a race of feline humanoids, who are threatened by the evil Norka. The player assumes control of Valdyn, an outlaw swordsman who is also known as "Lionheart". Players have to fight their way through 14 levels filled with monsters and environmental hazards. Most of the gameplay is melee combat and precision platforming.

<i>Menace</i> (video game) 1988 video game

Menace is a horizontally scrolling shooter developed by DMA Design and published by Psygnosis. It was originally released for the Amiga in 1988, and was ported for the Atari ST, Commodore 64, and MS-DOS in 1989. The game is set on the planet of Draconia, where players are tasked with destroying the planet's defence mechanisms in order to kill the harmful creatures.

<i>Brutal Sports Football</i> 1993 video game

Brutal Sports Football is a 1993 sports video game developed by Teque London and originally published by Millennium Interactive for the Amiga. It was re-published for MS-DOS and Amiga CD32, and later became the first third-party title published for the Atari Jaguar. The first entry in the Brutal Sports series, the game is a fictional style of football played against human or computer-controlled opponents. It features a different take on american football by emphasising the violent aspect of the sport.

<i>Marvins Marvellous Adventure</i> 1994 video game

Marvin's Marvellous Adventure is a 1994 platform video game developed by Infernal Byte Systems and published by 21st Century Entertainment for the Amiga. An Amiga CD32 version was later released in 1995. It stars Marvin, a pizza delivery boy transported into another dimension embarking on an adventure to defeat an evil being known as Dark-One and rescue a professor who ordered a pizza. The player must traverse through 60 levels and search for items and power-ups, while defeating enemies along the way.

<i>X-It</i> 1994 video game

X-It is a 1994 puzzle video game developed by Data Design Interactive (DDI) and published by Psygnosis for the Amiga and MS-DOS. The Amiga version was also distributed in Australia by Hot Point. The game stars a character named Bill, who was kidnapped by aliens and placed him on a space junkyard maze to learn about the humans, before launching an invasion against people on Earth. The player controls Bill across 120 levels, each one divided into eight ships that feature their own variety of obstacles. The goal on every level is to get each block into hole fillers to make a path around the exit, without getting blocks stuck against walls or other obstacles under a time limit.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Virtue, Graeme (14 September 2014). "After Lemmings was a hit, DMA Design declared war with Walker". Eurogamer . Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 16 September 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 DMA Design (1993). Walker Game Manual. Psygnosis.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Winstanley, Mark (24 April 1993). "Walker". Amiga Power (24): 60–62.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Slingsby, Dan (March 1993). "Walker". CU Amiga . EMAP: 48–50.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Nuttall, Andy (May 1993). "Walker". Amiga Format (46): 84–85.
  6. 1 2 Dailly, Mike (2004). "The History of DMA - Chapter 2, part 4". Mike Dailly. Archived from the original on 5 June 2004. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  7. ↑ "History of DMA Design". NowGamer. Imagine Publishing. 28 June 2010. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  8. ↑ Stanton, Rich (4 June 2015). "The Making of Lemmings". Read-Only Memory. Archived from the original on 7 June 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  9. ↑ Dailly, Mike (2005). "The History of DMA - Chapter 3, part 1". Mike Dailly. Archived from the original on 8 January 2007. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  10. ↑ Dailly, Mike (2005). "The History of DMA - Chapter 3, part 2". Mike Dailly. Archived from the original on 8 January 2007. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  11. ↑ Dailly, Mike (2005). "The History of DMA - Chapter 3, part 6". Mike Dailly. Archived from the original on 8 January 2007. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Jones, Darran, ed. (26 November 2015). "The Making of: Walker". Retro Gamer . Imagine Publishing (149): 70–74.
  13. 1 2 3 Bunker, Alan; Merritt, Nick (April 1993). "Walker". Amiga Action . Europress (43): 48–49.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Roundell, Paul (April 1993). "Walker". Amiga Computing . Europress (59): 6.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Price, James; King, Phil (May 1993). "Walker". Amiga Force . Europress (5): 39.
  16. 1 2 3 Upchurch, David (March 1993). "Walker". The One Amiga . EMAP (54): 72–73.
  17. ↑ Baker, Linda, ed. (30 October 1993). "The Bottom Line". Amiga Power (30): 107–111.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.