Doomsday Blues

Incarcerated in the prison headquarters of the robots that have exterminated all other life on Earth, you are awaiting whatever evil experiments the robots have in store for you when you hear the sound of a girl's voice through the bars of your cell - You are not alone - there is someone else left alive - a reason to escape... find her!

This stunning Arcade Adventure will leave you breathless in your search for the girl. The 3D animation and cartoon style graphics, coupled with superb gameplay is what your Amstrad has been waiting for.

"Excellent graphics, sound and gameplay. Packed full of atmosphere... Another winner!" - Amstrad Action. March 1986.

Doomsday Blues is an Ere Informatique game produced under licence in the UK by PSS. (The French version of this product is titled Eden Blues.)

Introduction

Like the cry of a million lost souls, the icy wind howled its ghostly lament across the deserted plains, echoing among the frozen walls of the once-bustling town and finally dying against the granite walls of the prison that stood overlooking the lifeless streets and houses.

Inside, the only movement was mechanical. Machines now ruled - and they had mercilessly exterminated all life on the planet they called Earth. All life except one that is, and the eerie silence was broken now by the pounding on the door of cell 412.

The occupant's misery was only equalled by his confusion - why had they spared him? What evil designs did they have for this sole survivor of the human race?

Harder and harder he beat at the door, oblivious to the pain that coursed up his arms from his bloodied fists... Suddenly, he stopped - frozen - the door swung slowly out onto the deserted corridor. Freedom - or a trap? Breaking into a cold sweat and his heart thumping as if it was going to burst, he peered outside.

His cell was halfway along a passageway. To the left was a dead end - no escape that way. To the right, it was about a hundred yards long with three corridors crossing it before it finished once more in a dead end.

Cautiously he tiptoed out of the cell and turned right, the pounding of his heart loud in his ears. He had taken no more than half a dozen steps when horror struck. The aluminium sphere that was one of his captors hovered silently into view - its support system gently disturbing the dust on the stone floor some half a metre below it. Rooted to the spot, the solitary survivor of doomsday could only watch in terror as the robot's single eye turned slowly towards him.

Momentarily the two gazed at each other and then the prisoner threw himself full stretch to the floor as a laser bolt left a smoking hole in the wall only centimetres from his head. Before the robot could take aim again, he was on his feet and racing back to the open door of his cell - his only refuge.

Hours later he watched the setting sun cast a purple glow over the courtyard below his cell window. As the shadows from their antennae grew longer, the machines seemed to slow down. Some were even sinking to the ground in the darker corners of the yard. For a brief moment the prisoner again thought of escape - perhaps he could slip past his tormentors at night... But then he caught sight of the town far below and his thoughts once more turned to the futility of his situation. Even if he did escape, what then? He was alone - he was the human race. His only companions now were the robots that guarded him. He sank back on his bunk and resigned himself to their will, whatever it might be.

An hour or so later he jerked upright, his eyes wide with terror. He had been sleeping and in his nightmarish dreams he had heard a girl crying over and over again for help. Looking round the cell, now lit by a harsh naked bulb, he realised he had been dreaming. But it had sounded so real. Wait! There it was again - it seemed a little louder this time. Now wide awake he savagely pinched the skin on his arm to check he wasn't dreaming. There it was again louder still! It was definitely a girl's voice...

He had to get out and find her...

The Game

1. Life Force Allocation
   Before beginning the game (press COPY or FIRE), you should breathe some life into your hero, otherwise he'll be in trouble from the start!
   
   Three icons show the various "Life" characteristics:
   
   Strength
   Courage
   Fitness
   
   You are given 75 points at the beginning, to be allocated to each of the three life forces in the following way:
   
   Left/Right - Select an icon
   Up/Down - Increase or decrease the value
   
   Note: If you decrease a value, the remainder are allocated to your reserve and can be put into any characteristic.
2. Pressing FIRE or COPY
   Each time you press FIRE or COPY, your hero will perform the function relevant to the object displayed in the Window. If there is nothing shown in the Window then your hero will either speed up or slow down. Be careful - his fitness level will reduce faster, the faster he walks.
   
   
3. Actions
   Symbol & Characteristic
   
   Doors
   Opened by a fierce kick. The force required is a function of the value shown underneath the window on the status table.
   
   Bottles
   Increase your hero's Fitness level. Bottles can be found in the cellars.
   
   Plates
   Increase your hero's strength.
   
   Cups Of Coffee
   Increase his courage. Each cup costs a 1F coin.
   
   1F coin
   Needed to get coffee from the vending machines. Coins are sometimes found on the window ledges in cells.
4. Changes in the Life Force characteristics
   

   Characteristic	Reduction	Increase	Zero Level
   Strength	Opening Doors - Walking into walls	Eating	Impossible to open doors
   Courage	- Stunning Robots with a look	Drinking coffee	Impossible to neutralise Robots
   Fitness	- Survival Resisting Robots - Time	Drinking wine	Premature Death

Finally, his Fitness level doesn't decrease when you hero is asleep.

Now you know everything. Good luck - and find the girl!

Game Controls

Cursor (arrow) keys or use a joystick.

Game Credits

Author: Patrick Dublanchet
Graphics: Catherine Vagnon
Music: Ulrich
Published by PSS, 452 Stoney Stanton Road, Coventry CV6 5DG (0203 667556)