Game Review: Storm (Commodore 64, Mastertronic)

Storm first started out on the Amstrad CPC before getting a conversion to the ZX Spectrum and later the Commodore 64.  There is a very easy way to tell the release order: the Amstrad and Spectrum versions have a grid style packaging, and the Commodore 64 version has the Mastertronic logo at the bottom with format at the top, similar to the likes of Proof of Destruction and Video Meanies.  Interestingly, the inlay and title screen of this game mention that this game was meant to be Part 1: Una Cum’s Lair.  If you are wondering what happened to Part 2, then that was only released on the Amstrad CPC called Storm II: The Fear and released on the MAD label.

The story is this: the evil Una Cum (not the most appropriate name) is holding the warrior Storm’s wife Corrine prisoner in the laboratory lair.  Whilst Una Cum has left the castle to search for a box called The Fear (hence the sequel naming) Storm the warrior and his comrade, the wizard Agravain Undead, must pit their wits against the foul traps that Una Cum has left behind, and must reach the lair to free Corrine.  There are some helpful hints such as what you need to collect to get to the laboratory, namely three snake brooches.  And if the likes of armour, food, and potions all sounds familiar, then once the game has shown its Spectrum ported loading screen and then loaded, you will soon realise that in the most part, this will be a budget Gauntlet clone, with a couple of twists later.

Instructions and Insight

When the game loads, there is a reasonable piece of David Whittaker music which plays, which is quite catchy albeit a little on the short side.  Not so sure if it fits the game exactly, but it is pleasant enough nonetheless.  For some reason, the default Commodore font is used at the top of the screen for the score display and scrolling messages.  You can press fire to start, but do note that the inlay has the instructions the wrong way round for the joystick ports, but the game itself is correct: Storm (blue character) is controlled in Port Two and Agravain (red character) in Port One.   When you start the game, you are asked for one or two players, as well as if you wish to see the instructions.

The in-game instructions give out more of the plot of the game, but they also later show you the correct ports for the controls and it is there you will note something: the controls are rotational, for both characters.  So left and right rotates the characters 90 degrees, and up goes forward in that direction.  Fire will fire a bullet, and for each character there are additional controls: Storm can use down and fire to fire an amulet, whilst Agravain can use down and fire to use a scroll and just down to use a mask.  Of course, depending on what the characters pick up, more so in two player mode, may affect that character being able to use the right spells or magic masks, so go wisely.

Locating the Lair

Once you have chosen your options (with a one player game always being Agravain, rather daft that you cannot play as Storm, the main game character), you start in a central chamber.  Straight away you can collect a cabbala, which will release any traps on screen – sometimes they work out in your favour, but not always.  Here it does open  the screen, and you will need to destroy the generators, Gauntlet style, to stop the minions spawning. If you exit down from here, you will see a locked door with the snake brooch symbol.  This is where you need to return to with the three brooches to unlock the door and locate Corrine.  You will also note as you enter each screen there is a scrolling message at the top describing the room.

Because of the top-down viewpoint, the walls are relatively easy to spot and you know you cannot head through there.  However, what looks like some form of roof or ceiling where you character walks through and is barely visible does not work, it obscures the view too much and can lead to confusion when battling the minions.   Having read the instructions made more sense to denote the on-screen collectables that you come across.  There are two types of generators that can be destroyed, along with food to collect, and the cabbalas, although often releasing a trap on the same screen, can sometimes unlock something a screen or two away, handy to know.  There is also one room that requires a special purple round key, so finding that is important.  Normal keys appear as a different object and can be used to open standard doors, although it does not state how many of those you have, or whether one is enough.  When you do collect an object, again there is a scrolling message to inform you of what you have just picked up.

Progression Paradox

On the one hand, you do make your way throughout the screens relatively well, with the caveat that the generators do respawn if you enter a room.  Although that was probably to make the game  more difficult, it would have maybe helped mapping if you knew you had been to this screen before and cleared it.  Certainly, using the spells can come in handy, especially to clear a screen of enemies as needed.  Agravain can only find the masks much later, and they do have good power to use, and the further you go, the more there are.   On the other hand, there does appear to be a fair amount of back tracking, as often the locations of the snake brooches are in dead end that you have probably taken some time to get to, so do bear that in mind.

Rotational Regrets

For some, the rotational controls that are employed in the game are somewhat frustrating, and can often lead to going the wrong way with enemies upon you, with the red lava type object being the one to drain the most energy.  A choice of control methods, with standard directional controls and holding down fire for the extras may have worked well to be allowed to select at the start.  I did manage to get very far into the game and collect two of the three snake brooches, so if you do plan your route carefully and get used to the controls, you can make good progress.  It will depend on how you find those, I feel, which is a bit of a shame to be honest.

Graphics and Sound

The graphics in Storm are a mixed bag – they are very chunky in the main, but there is a reasonable use of colour throughout.  The walls are at least well defined but the top-down view with backgrounds that obstruct your view do not really work, and obscure the view too much.  It is flick screen, but the screens map well.  The main Agravain and Storm characters are well defined in all four directions, albeit with no animations as they rotate around.  There is a pleasant enough David Whittaker tune on the title screen, and in-game sound is just limited to sound effects when you collect an object or if you manage to shoot the generators for example.  What is there is fine, but an in-game soundtrack would have made things more interesting.

Final Thoughts

Although in the main Storm is of course heavily inspired by the arcade game Gauntlet, the additional arcade adventure elements such as collecting the brooches to complete the game and the addition of special objects such as the purple key does at least give it a sense of being more a larger maze game and not just level based.  Master the controls and you are in for a reasonable game all round with a decent challenge from around its one hundred screens, with progression happening once you learn the map and layouts.  I do feel that this will divide some – if you do not get on with the controls you will not like the game.  It is worth persevering to see if you can collect at least two of the brooches, and despite some niggles, is a playable enough game that certainly gives you enough for the money.

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