Personal Computer News


Dungeons Of BA

Author: Bob Chappell
Publisher: Quicksilva
Machine: Commodore 64

 
Published in Personal Computer News #098

DUNGEONS OF BA

Despite the bovine allusion in the title, this game is nothing to do with mutant mutton. Quicksilva describes it as a "real time action interactive film". If by film they're implying that the game is of cinema cartoon quality then take that with a fist of salt. The rest of the description is accurate.

The inlay puff tells of a fabled Ba Stone hidden within a labyrinth of forbidding underground caverns. This subterranean rats' nest abounds with traps, secret chambers and, without which no self-respecting dungeon is complete, monsters. Ba gets a five star rating in the AA (Alien-spotting Association) handbook - there are enough denizens to fill a month of nightmares.

The idea of the game is to traipse through the maze cracking clues and monsters' pates, until you find the Ba Stone. There are 36 screens yielding some 200 rooms to take a packed lunch.

Dungeons Of BA

What you get is a two-dimensional, bat's eye view of part of the dungeon, shadows giving some illusion of depth. Your character, a candle-holding innocent, trots along in accordance with any of the eight joystick movements.

Four action modes are available: Shield, Arrow, Fight and Take. Shield gives temporary protection against the many arrows that come whizzing from nowhere while Arrow mode lets you indulge in a bit of toxophily of your own. The monsters can similarly pop up out of thin air; just entering a certain room can bring them to life. Fight lets you get the jump on them but they'll fight you anyway.

The game is very large, hence disk only, so should provide many pleasurable hours of dungeoneering.

Bob Chappell

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