We are still waiting on a suitable Amiga AGA emulator with robust recording features before tackling such games.
Phobia
Phobia developed by Antony (Ratt) Crowther and John Bishop , published by Mirrorsoft on the Image Works label in 1989.
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Player's Review
"TO SLEEP, PERCHANCE TO DREAM........ BUT DON'T SLEEP TOO DEEPLY 'COS ALL YOUR NIGHTMARES ARE WAITING FOR YOU IN THIS UNIQUE ARCADE-BLAST FROM TONY CROWTHER. PHOBIA IS SET IN THE MINDS OF MEN, FEEDING ON EVERY HUMAN FEAR; SPIDERS, FIRE, DEATH - AND DENTISTS! GRAB HOLD OF YOUR COURAGE AND PREPARE TO FACE THE FRIGHTENING CHALLENGE OF EACH OF THE 14 PLANETS THAT PHOBOS HAS SET AGAINST YOU. CAN YOUR BODY TAKE THE HEAT, CAN YOUR BRAIN TAKE THE PRESSURE!"
Quite a strange premiss and design for a shoot'em'up but it kind of works. Not much in the way of presentation and after the title tune gets right to the game. Unfortunately there is no in game music and it makes the game feel like it's dragging on with just sfx. However the graphics are quite interesting, colourful and detailed and even mixes in some hires sprites. Each planet has a different theme to keep it interesting.
Each planet is split into three levels. The first is Lightspeed travel to the planet, the second is the planetary attack phase where you need to ensure enough key generators are destroyed in order to drop the shield protecting the boss. The third stage is traveling through the planets core to obtain a planetary shield part.
The Disk and Tape versions differ slightly in the overall objective. On Disk, you can move around the map more freely and only need to complete any nine levels (Collecting all nine Sun Shield Parts) in order to to the final Sun/Planet. I played the Tape version which requires playing all levels in a linier order. It doesnt matter where you go on the map but you do have to plan it out so that you cover all levels before going to the final planet as you can not move backwards over a completed planet in this version. It does make for a longer more difficult game. While on the map screen there is an opposing battle fleet moving towards you and when you run into them there will be a hellish fight during the lightspeed travel to the planet.
Some planets have moons. On tape you have to be fortunate for one to activate around the planet you are on as you cant move back. Going to a moon can supply you with 'Space Pods' which give extra fire support. Around some planets is a force field and the only way through is to either sacrifice a ship or space pod if you have them. In single player mode you can also activate a doppelganger for even more fire support but if it gets hit it will cost you your life as well.
Overall, its a nice C64 game on a technical level and collision detection is quite fair with the hitbox being the centre of the ship and not the outer spinning bits. It can be overly challenging though with enemy projectiles flying everywhere and there are moments where the game wont acknowledge you are trying to fire which can be costly. I think it goes on for too long with too many levels and just to run salt in the wound it gives the crappiest ending you could expect. The game has been a multiload all the way through and they couldn't give you one extra bit with a proper ending for the effort.. That leaves a sour taste on an otherwise all right game.
00:00:00 Titles
00:03:28 Level 1
00:08:10 Level 2
00:13:10 Level 3
00:17:45 Level 4
00:22:50 Level 5
00:27:50 Level 6
00:33:14 Level 7
00:39:20 Level 8
00:44:05 Level 9
00:48:30 Level 10
00:52:55 Level 11
00:58:00 Level 12
01:02:44 Level 13
01:07:42 Level 14
01:12:45 Level 15
Quite a strange premiss and design for a shoot'em'up but it kind of works. Not much in the way of presentation and after the title tune gets right to the game. Unfortunately there is no in game music and it makes the game feel like it's dragging on with just sfx. However the graphics are quite interesting, colourful and detailed and even mixes in some hires sprites. Each planet has a different theme to keep it interesting.
Each planet is split into three levels. The first is Lightspeed travel to the planet, the second is the planetary attack phase where you need to ensure enough key generators are destroyed in order to drop the shield protecting the boss. The third stage is traveling through the planets core to obtain a planetary shield part.
The Disk and Tape versions differ slightly in the overall objective. On Disk, you can move around the map more freely and only need to complete any nine levels (Collecting all nine Sun Shield Parts) in order to to the final Sun/Planet. I played the Tape version which requires playing all levels in a linier order. It doesnt matter where you go on the map but you do have to plan it out so that you cover all levels before going to the final planet as you can not move backwards over a completed planet in this version. It does make for a longer more difficult game. While on the map screen there is an opposing battle fleet moving towards you and when you run into them there will be a hellish fight during the lightspeed travel to the planet.
Some planets have moons. On tape you have to be fortunate for one to activate around the planet you are on as you cant move back. Going to a moon can supply you with 'Space Pods' which give extra fire support. Around some planets is a force field and the only way through is to either sacrifice a ship or space pod if you have them. In single player mode you can also activate a doppelganger for even more fire support but if it gets hit it will cost you your life as well.
Overall, its a nice C64 game on a technical level and collision detection is quite fair with the hitbox being the centre of the ship and not the outer spinning bits. It can be overly challenging though with enemy projectiles flying everywhere and there are moments where the game wont acknowledge you are trying to fire which can be costly. I think it goes on for too long with too many levels and just to run salt in the wound it gives the crappiest ending you could expect. The game has been a multiload all the way through and they couldn't give you one extra bit with a proper ending for the effort.. That leaves a sour taste on an otherwise all right game.
00:00:00 Titles
00:03:28 Level 1
00:08:10 Level 2
00:13:10 Level 3
00:17:45 Level 4
00:22:50 Level 5
00:27:50 Level 6
00:33:14 Level 7
00:39:20 Level 8
00:44:05 Level 9
00:48:30 Level 10
00:52:55 Level 11
00:58:00 Level 12
01:02:44 Level 13
01:07:42 Level 14
01:12:45 Level 15
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