Scrolls Of Abadon (Americana) Review

Zzap

1st July 1986

Scrolls Of Abadon

Publisher: Americana
Machine: Commodore 64

Published in Zzap #15

Scrolls Of Abadon | JR | GP | GI | Verdict

Scrolls Of Abadon

For some strange and inexplicable reason a Wizard has transported you to the game grid on the World of Abadon, which just happens to reside inside his head. He wants you to please him by collecting all sixteen pieces of his magic 'amulate', which are spread over four levels of increasing difficulty, and returning them to the real world where you will be richly rewarded. All well and good, but who knows what evil lurks within the mind of a depraved Wizard...?

The game grid is composed of many game blocks, each of which is a 3D scrolling platform with lots of rotating gems, and occasionally a spell or piece of 'amulate', for the taking. All gems in a location must be picked up in order to activate the Power Disks which are used to move you from one location to the next. A useful plan view map of any locations explored can be called up at any time by pressing the space bar.

It all sounds easy enough, but there is one small snag - whenever a gem is taken, an arrow is left behind pointing in the direction from which you came, and prevents you from turning back. Attempting to do so angers the Wizard - so much so that he sends in the Beast - a rather fat and nasty creature who kills on contact. Three other creatures also make an appearance and each have their own traits and characteristics...

The Kitz appear now and then, and follow the direction of the arrows. They are deadly to the touch and are best avoided - as is the Nim, who boings and sproings about the grid and takes great delight in sitting on your head and poisoning you to death. Arrow Eaters are just as unfriendly, but they are harmless and only eat arrows, excreting gems in the process.

Fortunately, there are various spells lying around the grid which can be picked up and used to good effect. A spell is activated by typing the respective word on the keyboard (provided you have a spell in the first place). There's a spell to freeze all nasties, a spell to kill everything outright (except for the Beast - he's invulnerable, you see), a spell to display the whole of the map for the level you are on, and a spell that allows you to advance a level. Unfortunately, each spell lasts for only 20 seconds...

Points are given for collecting a gem, a piece of 'amulate' or a spell, and an extra life is awarded every 20,000 points - handy, since you only start with five.

JR

This isn't much cop, a bit of a 3D scrolling Pac Man with extra bits. The graphics are really pathetic, with wobbly scrolling, crummy sprites and glitches abound. The sound is awful too and really gets annoying after a couple of minutes play. The game is pretty simple and after a couple of plays we were well on the way to solving it. If you have three quid burning a hole in your pocket it might be wiser to let your trousers catch fire.

GP

Even though Scrolls of Abadon is awful, I quite like it. The graphics and sound are grotty, as is the game itself, but for some reason I actually enjoyed playing it. I've no idea why, since this is one game I wouldn't really recommend to anyone.

GI

Even though the people who programmed Scrolls of Abadon also did Ghostchaser and Ollie's Follies, they really have hid their tracks well, I mean, you'd never have ever guessed by looking at them. Am I being sarcastic? Yes I am. Yet again we see the return of the horrid looking blobby main character with the combination of unexciting four colour graphics - monotonous. There is some sort of game in there, and a horribly aged one it is too. Crude gameplay coupled with an awkward control method does not really and truly make a good time. That's my opinion and I'm sure it'll be yours also.