Subject: REVIEW: Castle Incinerator
From: [email-masked] (Eyal Teler)
Date: 5 Dec 1994 17:34:50 GMT
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.reviews

PRODUCT NAME

	Castle Incinerator

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

	A full version of Castle Incinerator, similar to Incinerator, but
with different graphics.  The demo version of Incinerator has been reviewed
by me in the past.  [8 November 1994, file software/games/IncinerplexGames
in the c.s.a.reviews archives]

AUTHOR/COMPANY INFORMATION

	Name:		Incinerplex Games
			Pete W Storonskij
	Address:	200 A Street
			Lincoln, NE 68502
			USA

	E-mail:		[email-masked]

LIST PRICE

	$5 (US), or $10 for five games, including Castle Incinerator.
See my review of the shareware versions of Pete's games if you want
more information.

SPECIAL HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

	Should work on any Amiga, although Enforcer hits have been mentioned
for some other game.  Pete's games are written using Blitz Basic 1, so use
them at your own risk. :-)

COPY PROTECTION

	None.

MACHINE USED FOR TESTING

	Amiga 500, 1MB Chip RAM, 2MB Fast RAM
	Fujitsu 100MB SCSI hard disk in A590
	1084 monitor
	Kickstart 1.2, Workbench 1.3, ARP

INSTALLATION

	The game arrives ready to run from diskette.  By dragging the files
into the directory of your choice, you can install it anywhere.  Dragging a
Files drawer and the game icon is all you need to do.

REVIEW

	Castle Incinerator is similar in nature to the old Missile Command
game, only this time there's a medieval twist - you protect a castle from
incoming flying horses, plus the occasional giant bird - a dangerous
creature that fires bolts at your castle.  In addition, you get the
opportunity to attack your opponent's castle.

	The castle is protected with the aid of two magicians who fire bolts
at the horses that seem to be catapulted at the city (although a different
explanation of their nature is given in the docs).  You aim the bolts using
the mouse, and the left and right mouse buttons cause the corresponding
wizard to fire a bolt.

	The wizards get their energy from "mana" generated by villages on the
sides of the castle.  When there's no need to recharge the wizards' energy
supply, the mana supports a shield above the city.  The shield gets depleted
by hits from horses.  If the villages are destroyed, you're in trouble.

	You also get the ability to use Wrath of God to destroy all the
horses that are on the screen.  There's a limited supply of these.

	When attacking your enemy's city, you just click the mouse
where you want the horses to fall.

	The game is supposed to support a two player option - see the
DISLIKES and BUGS sections below.

DOCUMENTATION

	The documentation is similar in nature to the documentation of the
demo versions - in short, it stinks.  Well, it does explain a few things
about the game, but it certainly can't be considered good.

LIKES

	The graphics are nice.  The cute horsies, the nicely drawn castle
with the livestock around, the reasonable 3D affect of incoming horses....
In short, there's not much more you'd want in terms of graphics from such a
game.

	The game is well implemented and highly playable, and it should keep
you occupied for about half an hour (see DISLIKES).

DISLIKES AND SUGGESTIONS

	The first major fault of this game is that it's just too easy.
There are three levels (Easy, Medium, Hard), and indeed Hard is more
difficult to win than Easy.  The problem is that even at the Hard level I
managed to win in about six rounds (three for each side).  While I did get
some damage to my castle, unlike with the Easy level, the computer's city
was easily destroyed.  (And I wasn't even cheating, which is very easy even
without using the cheat mode - not that you'll need it.)

	I now tried it again, just to see that it wasn't some kind of
once-in-a-lifetime thing, and I beat the computer at the Hard level
in 8 rounds, without getting hit.  It would have been faster, but it
seems that hits made at the very end of the round don't get registered.

	The second dislike is the non functioning two player mode (see
BUGS).  A two player mode might have made this game longer lasting.

	The last dislike is the inability to quit a game.  Once you start a
game, you are stuck with it.  This is especially bad if you started a two
player game, since this is virtually impossible to finish.

	I wouldn't mention the documentation...  Well, I would.  Couldn't it
mention that in two player mode one player uses the mouse, and the other uses
a joystick?  Well, actually the attacker uses the joystick while the
defender uses the mouse, which means that the two players have to alternate
controllers each turn.  Frankly, I would have liked a two mouse option.  I do
have two mice, and it's much easier to control a cursor with a mouse than
with a joystick.  (This is all theoretical - see BUGS.)

BUGS

	Two player mode is nice and all, but the attacker just doesn't seem
to have any effect on the game.  You can move the attacker's cursor using
the joystick, and you can even press the fire button, but unfortunately this
does absolutely nothing (that I could see).  Perhaps there's some esoteric
control mechanism to this, but I doubt it - the controls are quite logical
in this game.

	I thought of mentioning another small bug, but that one is enough.
It means that you have to make do with your horses falling only on the
middle of the castle, which makes it nearly impossible to destroy it (unless
you have luck with the giant birds).

VENDOR SUPPORT

	He seems to be a responsive guy, but I wouldn't know about his
support for the game.

CONCLUSIONS

	Warning: use these ratings at your own risk.

	Graphics	9
		All that you need from such a game.  Cute and cuddly.

	Sound		4
		Minimal sound effects.

	Playability	9
		Easy to get into and control.

	Lastability	2
		I finished the three difficulty levels in half an hour
		(or so), and the two player mode doesn't work.

	Value for money	5
		That's $5 for a nice picture and half an hour of fun.
		Go to the arcades instead, and pay $1 for a disk of
		PD pictures (or rather load some from Aminet).

	Conclusion	3
		If I could beat it that easily (and I'm not that much of an
		arcade player), then unless you're very slow, you'll just
		want to format the diskette and use it for something else.  I
		didn't, out of respect for Pete - after all, he did include
		nice labels on all the disks.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

	Copyright 1994 Eyal Teler.  All rights reserved.

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