Games that Look interesting , but you haven't got a clue to fathom.

[Puresox]

I expect reading the instructions will help no end in a lot of these , but many times can't find the instructions in the language I'm familiar with. Anyway some that come to mind are


Armageddon Man
Contamination
The Fourth Protocol
Apocalypse -ERE


If anyone has any good tips on any of these games or has any idea whether they are worth trying to understand ?

[Singaja]

There was a submarine game I couldn't not ever figure out (it had a nice animation when the sub was actually sinking inside the control room). I can't recall the title.
And Dun Darach too. I had no idea what to do - I could buy stuff (with the infamous Iridi currency), steal and give away my money but basically that's it. I never got a clue what the items were supposed to do.

[TFM]

Hunt for Red October, or Silent Service?

[khaz]

Haha I should list every game I've ever played as an 8 year old
Especially as those were disc copies that my father got without any instruction manual.

Thanatos: no indication on what to do ingame. Replenishing gas is undiscoverable, and the princess sprite is the same colour has the soldier, basically invisible when flying at great speed. The spectrum version has her in a different colour, so sort of clues you something has to be done with her.

Saboteur: After wandering for a while, I was able to routinely evade in the helicopter. I had no idea the difficulty level was actually different missions with different objectives, and I only recently found out on youtube that there was a massive underground area that I had never explored, complete with underground base, rocket pad and underground train!

Saboteur 2: way too huge a map for my tiny brain lol. I only tried a few times and got slaughtered by the guards and their flamethrowers each time.

[Puresox]

There was a submarine game I couldn't not ever figure out (it had a nice animation when the sub was actually sinking inside the control room). I can't recall the title.
And Dun Darach too. I had no idea what to do - I could buy stuff (with the infamous Iridi currency), steal and give away my money but basically that's it. I never got a clue what the items were supposed to do.

Some of the submarine games intrigue me loads , And there are a fair few out there , Even that amsoft title Hunter Killer looked pretty cool for Amsoft.

[Zoe Robinson]

There was a submarine game I couldn't not ever figure out (it had a nice animation when the sub was actually sinking inside the control room). I can't recall the title.

Was it the one that was on an AA cover tape and allowed you to pump your own air? I never understood that one.

[alex76gr]

Avenger (avenger &copy gremlin graphics software (1986))

Iron Lord (iron lord &copy ubi soft (1989))

Kinght Lore (knight lore &copy ultimate play the game (1984))

Usagi Yojimbo Samurai Warrior (usagi yojimbo &copy firebird (1988))

I had these games back in the days but they always baffled me on how to play and proceed.
Today with the internet it's easy to find the manual but back then it was a no go.

[dirtybb]

Eden blues 

[Puresox]

Eden blues, ha ha , yes that was a git of a game if you didn't know certain things, which I didnt at the time.

[khaz]

Kinght Lore (knight lore &copy ultimate play the game (1984))

Oh this one. I got a copy of it back in the day. I never understood what I was supposed to be doing, and I'm still clueless about most isometric games even today. I don't understand the popularity of these games.

[ivarf]

Eden blues, ha ha , yes that was a git of a game if you didn't know certain things, which I didnt at the time.

Please give a hint...

[Shaun M. Neary]

Purple Saturn Day

End the thread...

[Puresox]

The buget rereleaseof Captain Blood! Instructions ? What Instructions do you need for this very straightforward game!!

[EgoTrip]

Knight Lore is easy to understand. You pick up objects and take them to the cauldron room, when you are Sabreman (going in that room as the werewolf results in pain). The cauldron will tell you what item to drop into it. Do it 14 times to complete the game.

As for the main topic, Codename MAT was one I never understood. I had it back in the day but didn't have any instructions. The Freescape games also. I guess I had little patience with them because they are so slow.

[Puresox]

Knight Lore is easy to understand. You pick up objects and take them to the cauldron room, when you are Sabreman (going in that room as the werewolf results in pain). The cauldron will tell you what item to drop into it. Do it 14 times to complete the game.

As for the main topic, Codename MAT was one I never understood. I had it back in the day but didn't have any instructions. The Freescape games also. I guess I had little patience with them because they are so slow.

I agree , Knight lore was not a difficult one IMO. KnightForce game however (With superb graphics) that one was baffling. Codename Mat that was  one I need to get my head around , especially getting all the keys familiarised. Back in the day , I would never have enjoyed Codename mat

[Zoe Robinson]

Impossible Mission was a bastard, as I recall. So many people rave about that game but I could never understand why.


Also, Hacker. Let's release a game with no instructions, that'll be great! 

[andycadley]

Impossible Mission was a bastard, as I recall. So many people rave about that game but I could never understand why.

Sacrilege. Impossible Mission is a fantastic game and not one I'd consider particularly hard to understand. Collect puzzle pieces, solve puzzles. What could be easier?

Now why people rave about the C64 version, despite it playing the worst, is a whole different kettle of fish....

[Zoe Robinson]

I was 4 when Impossible Mission was released, and about 6 when I first played it. At that age, it's not a good game (and thus has been etched into my memory as crap).

[Puresox]

Sacrilege. Impossible Mission is a fantastic game and not one I'd consider particularly hard to understand. Collect puzzle pieces, solve puzzles. What could be easier?

Now why people rave about the C64 version, despite it playing the worst, is a whole different kettle of fish....

Impossible Mission was ok, and easy enough. Amstrad version was terrible. C64 was so much better, I can't see why you would think that? Reasons?

[andycadley]

The stupid homing ball robots, the inconsistency about running past holes, the way it doesn't properly clear puzzle pieces after a successful match.

It's not that it's bad, it just has rougher edges than other versions, but everyone just seems to get swept up in the "it has speech" thing and ignores the glitches.

[remax]

Nexus

<-Thing Bounces Back

2 games i loved being a child but i never understood anything about.

[AMSDOS]

Impossible Mission was ok, and easy enough. Amstrad version was terrible. C64 was so much better, I can't see why you would think that? Reasons?

AA must of been paid off to give Impossible Mission an AA Rave! 

[Puresox]

I think the second Mission Impossible was reasonable on the Amstrad

[Shaun M. Neary]

AA must of been paid off to give Impossible Mission an AA Rave! 

Well it was a U.S. Gold related release after all... 

[andycadley]

I think the second Mission Impossible was reasonable on the Amstrad

Ooh no, terrible game on every platform. The "music" puzzle was convoluted (to the point it probably deserves to be in this thread!) and not much fun, the screens were too busy making it hard to tell what needed searching and what didn't and the myriad of different items unnecessarily complex. It always just felt like a less fun version of the original, with things added simply because "more is better"