A blatant rip-off of Vigilante, Guardian Angel (or Freddy Hardest in South Manhattan to Spanish readers) puts you in the shoes of a red-bereted Guardian Angel (surprise!) as you walk the streets taking out the bad guys, who attack from the front and behind, until you reach the end of the level. The graphics are very detailed – perhaps too much so, as the sprites often become hard to distinguish from the background – a problem made worse by the game’s immense lack of colour. Also, the sound effects are bad. And on top of that, the game’s far too hard; you just can’t get past Ricky ‘Death Star’ Chan in his forklift truck on the second level!
See also: Freddy Hardest.
Watch a YouTube video of this game by:
ChinnyVision.
Guardians
(Loriciel, 1991)
Anyone who doesn’t like puzzle games should steer clear of this game. The aim here is to place coloured tiles next to each other so that they form squares or rectangles. On each level, you must achieve a certain number of points to complete it, and you only get one chance. However, there are some areas of the screen that you cannot use, and on higher levels, you must think carefully about how best to fill the available space. Don’t spend too long thinking, though, as there are one or more balls bouncing around the screen and draining your time limit at the same time! There are fifteen difficulty levels, each represented by a guardian which you select on the menu. The graphics are very pretty, but the gameplay is a bit repetitive.
J. T. Gamber is an ex-special forces soldier. The economic crisis has plunged society into poverty, from which a new power has emerged. The citizens live in fear, but J. T. Gamber is already fed up with the criminal gangs and has decided to take the law into his own hands. Now it’s time for you to control him and punish the bad guys. The graphics are colourful but not too detailed, although this doesn’t mean they’re bad. The loading screen is very good. The scrolling is very smooth and fast, and there are both sound effects and a great tune which plays during the game. The gameplay is great with fast-paced, non-stop action; the game sometimes feels like Navy SEALs. The difficulty is well balanced, but the game is not big; you will probably complete it after a few tries.
Guerrilla War is a conversion of a coin-op by SNK. The name of this arcade machine in Japan was Guevara, which is self-explanatory with regard to the plot of the game. You have to choose between being either Che Guevara or Fidel Castro and must make your way from the coast on the first level to the headquarters of your enemy on the last one. Guerrilla War is a faithful version of the original game. The graphics are big and colourful, the sound and the music are also quite good and so is the scrolling. As a matter of fact, almost any fault and virtue in the CPC version can be found in the arcade machine. Fortunately, the game is easier on the CPC, which makes playing Guerrilla War much more appealing.
Watch a YouTube video of this game by:
Xyphoe.
The Guild of Thieves
(Rainbird, 1987)
The Guild of Thieves is legendary throughout the land of Kerovnia, and you want to join their ranks. But the Guildmaster has set a test for you, to see if you are worthy enough. You have to search an island and steal and collect every treasure that you can find! There are lots of places to explore, and many objects to be found, and some of the treasures aren’t obvious. There are also a lot of ingenious puzzles, and thankfully an inexperienced adventurer will be able to progress fairly quickly in the game. The plot and the landscape are more believable than the game’s predecessor, The Pawn, and the graphics are just as brilliant, if not better. Add some nice humour (spend some time reading all the books in the library and you’ll see what I mean), and you’ve got arguably the best text adventure for the CPC.
Guillermo Tell
(Opera Soft, 1989)
Guillermo Tell (or William Tell in English) was a Swiss hero from the 14th century, who famously shot an apple perched on top of his son’s head using his crossbow. In this game, Guillermo Tell must traverse the Swiss mountains to rescue the beautiful lady Brunegilda, who has been captured by the evil Sir Rudolph. However, his many henchmen are ready and waiting to ambush Guillermo throughout his journey. This game requires MHT’s Gunstick; unfortunately, it cannot be played using the keyboard or joystick. The graphics are beautiful and full of colour, but the game is let down by being frustratingly difficult. Your ammunition is very limited, and there are so many enemies and missiles on the screen that you are overwhelmed.
This colourful-looking game involves shooting ducks as they fly by. The hunters take it in turns to aim at the ducks; a direct hit allows you another shot at them. If your shooting skills are spot on, you control your loyal pet dog and collect the bird and take it to the basket. Sometimes the bird may fall on the other side of the river which means your poor mutt must brave the water and obstacles. The game ends when the timer runs out and the hunter with the most kills wins. An old game, with basic sound and graphics, that is fun for a while.
This is a really impressive game on the PC – but this is the CPC version and it can be filed in the drawer marked “too ambitious and needed more care”. It’s one of those games that wishes to simulate being part of a crew aboard a military vessel – in this case, the aforementioned gunboat. You can pilot the boat (which isn’t that fun) or you can shoot things (but please be careful not to cause collateral damage). There are various campaigns to take part in as you progress and practise options. The very small display is by design as the game wants you to feel the claustrophobic atmosphere of being on board such a small boat, but it makes play awkward. The bobbing effect is good and so too are the graphics representing your guns and pilot’s helm, but not the outside world. Whether you’re piloting or shooting, the game can feel a little awkward, which is a shame because there is a good game in here somewhere.
Watch a YouTube video of this game by:
XeNoMoRPH.
Gunboat
(Piranha, 1987)
Penetrate the enemy waterways in your gunboat and find and destroy four naval bases. The waterways are very heavily fortified and you will be subject to a barrage of hostile fire from warships, helicopters and gun turrets, and you must also watch out for mines. Your gunboat is equipped with a cannon, missiles, torpedoes and depth charges, and you’ll need to know which weapon to use against particular enemies. You won’t get many chances to use them, though, because your gunboat is bombarbed by so much enemy firepower that you’ll be lucky to survive for more than a couple of minutes! The gunboat is also very difficult to control properly, and with so many enemies attacking you simultaneously, slowing down to position yourself to fire at an enemy is almost inevitably lethal. It’s a terrible and immensely frustrating game to play.
You’re the Sheriff, and your town has fallen under attack from outlaws who have gained the deeds to several buildings. You must take out these criminals in the only way they respect – gun fights. There’s reward money, too, which can be gambled with or used to gain an extra life. Be careful with your gun, though, as you only have six bullets – your office has fresh supplies. I found this a simple yet acceptable game with simple graphics and sound. It can get a little repetitive, though, and there isn’t a horse in sight!
Watch a YouTube video of this game by:
Xyphoe.