Blake Stone: Planet Strike

A direct sequel to the last game this keeps a ton of the same game play but changes some elements around while adding new ones. The game is built using the wolf 3d frame work so graphics are limited by that. While not nearly as impressive as doom 2 that came out the same month. This game counters with more advanced game play. included in the new additions are crushers auto map is moved to the status bar with the option to zoom in. the game also features re drawn guard sprites instead of the human ones used in the last game. Also the game includes a new missile style weapon that can destroy doors and hidden actors. the level exit procedure is also changed instead of hunting for a red key card to operate the elevator you need to find a bomb on each level to destroy a security cube. kept from the previous game "reba" provides messages on attackers and other minor functions. the status bar is more cluttered than the last game. the only other thing that would detract is the fact that the game keeps score unlike doom witch dropped arcade style score keeping for mission stats. But this is still an excellent game to play. currently the game is sold by GOG.com and will be on apogees new store.

Word Rescue and Math Rescue

Both are Apogee's only edutainment titles and are one of the last of the old style of educational titles. put out in 1992 and built with the same engine that powered the Duke Nukem games. The plot centers around the Gruzzles witch steal either all of the numbers or words. In Word Rescue you match words to pictures by jumping over rectangles along the level witch plays like any other platformer to exit each level you must correctly match all words to complete the key to the exit. the game keeps a non violent feel by haveing you slime the guzzles makeing them go away instead of killing them.

Math Rescue plays much the same way you have to collect numbers and solve math problems to exit the level. Both alow you to play either as a boy or girl. both also split episodes in classic apogee fashion as seperate exe files. The low system requirements make it a exclent game to install on to an older computer to kive to a young child. the shareware episodes can be downloaded here

Word Rescue

Math Rescue

Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold

This is Apogee's followup to Wolfenstine 3d. Originally released December 5, 1993 one week before the more graphically impressive doom. While doom continued the basic run and shoot action of id last game Blake added new action elements to the concept some woul not be seen until quake and counter strike came out. One new game play element is the informants scattered across the levels these were randomly placed actors who insted of shooting at you gave you hints and items including an ammo clip and cedits for the vending units on the walls. also some guards would play dead before you killed them. other elements included being able to backtrack levels. some elements also appeared in doom like telepoting and automapping. the graphics are the same level of resulation as wolf3d so the game is not graphically impressive but it is still worth a play for any fps fan being made for a 486 makes it an excellent laptop game. the Free first episode can be downloaded here The full game can be purchased from this site. You can laso buy it direct from apogee sold as version 3.0 gog.com sells 2.10 R the only diffrence is an updated buy this section due to an price drop and a graphics error leaving the shareware ad in the corner of the menus. Both are stable final versions.


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Now playing: Bobby Prince - Aliens of Gold
via FoxyTunes

Wolfenstine 3D

This was basically the title that lunched the first person shooter. While Doom gets more press it was this game that started a new direction for gaming originally published by apogee 17 years ago. it is still an great play even now and carries enough of an legacy that id returned to it with a quake 3 remake and a coming up sequel to that remake powered by the doom 3 engine. the first shareware episode is a remake of the Castle Wolfenstine by muse witch this game was inspired by so much so that id legal had to dig for the rights to the name. The full version contains 5 additional episodes witch throw out WW2 realism in favor of killing Nazi mutants with pistols in there chests and Hitler in a mechanised suit. originally put out as a dos title it has seen bunches of retail issues leaving three copies of the current version "1.4". The version sold here by Apogee\3DR is version 1.4g. That version includes the apogee logo and graphics set including the old order info for the game. For a while GT interactive (now Atari) sold wolf 3d with the hint book included and removed the apogee logo (replaced with a GT logo) and order info this version also ended up in the gt distributed id anthology. the one sold on Steam and the last Retail copy put out by Activision is similar the the last retail 1.4 but uses a activision logo on the setup screen. all three are the same game apogee did sell for a short time a 1.4 without cheats so if you buy a old set of wolf 3d floppies online the cheat codes may be removed. The activision cd-rom is marked as windows compatable all activision did is include a windows installer that adds the game to the windows start menu only the steam version is windows xp/vista ready being wrapped in dosbox. if you buy any physical copy or buy the download from apogee download dosbox to have the game run properly. If you want the game to run without any fuss get the steam version. in all this is a must get game for any fps fan.
download the shareware copy here.



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Now playing: Bobby Prince - In the Dark
via FoxyTunes

Just up and running

I have just set up this blog to type my random thoughts and musings. i will be updating it occasionally. i plane to also review some of the dos games i have played in the past and post them up here. hope to post again soon.
Jeffrey