Billy The Kid Returns (DOS)

Howdy, everyone? Hope y'all well. Why i speak like cowboy? Because today, i review a game with Wild West theme. It's Alive Software's Billy the Kid Returns (1996).

I believe that Billy the Kid himself on horseback there, riding on sunset in the middle of desert. That's wild west-y alright just like every ending in Lucky Luke's comic. Apparently, it's designed by another Billy. Good to know. The eye icon on left-top corner is Alive Software's logo. It's quite creepy, i know.

 

Just to be sure, you play as Billy the Kid himself. Yes, you got to play as the infamous outlaw not some anonymous cowboy who's tasked with capture the criminal and probably has hilarious personality like Guybrush Threepwood or anyone who's family-friendly enough. The game consist of 10 levels while in Demo version you can only play first 3 levels: Escape, Desert, and Oldman's mine. I will review 5 levels which is 50% content of the game. I start with Escape and as i press 'Enter' key on it...

 

...this menu pops up. We got (from top to bottom): Start the game, Help/manual, Top score list, Bit of option, Enter new name for top score (which is quite moot as you can enter your name should you get in top score), Show computer plays the game, and Exit the Game.

 

As i hit the Introduction, this screen shows up. It contain the control scheme but sadly you can't reconfigure it. There's also instruction and story on each level on the next pages. Oh, don't forget there's picture of The Desperado himself. Though, either his leg or his trouser is noticably shorter than average person. Or maybe he has lower waist than any man of his age.

 

Every level start with loading screen complete with (full) title of the level you select and its picture. You can tell from his face that Billy isn't happy in the prison. He doesn't like the food there that smells funny and the jailers constantly make bad noise. Let's get you out of there!

 

There's hanging rope which is used to hang the previous occupant himself. He left graffiti "Billy" on rightside of the wall. So he's my fans. Luckily, jailors only take care of his body, leaving this rope alone so i can climb up to this platform. Thank you, unknown admirer! You see girder on right? You can't pass through it but the sliced section on top part. That will takes me to the first step to freedom.

 

Or get teabagged by the first guard that i encounter. I can jump but it's difficult to avoid a man with gun and erratic movement. There's no cute attack method like jumping on your enemy's head a la Mario Bros. No. I need gun. So bad. 

If i climb down the ladder instead of passing it to next cell like before, i will arrive at this supply room and there's a gun on left shelf. These area is guarded by this dog but it's more stupid that Rantanplan/Bushwack. He only tracks me on most bottom plane. I forget to mention that Billy The Kid Return is side-scrolling platformer. You can move upper/lower plane provided you're not in single plane platform. We will see that later.    

Travel further the level isn't enough to warrant you with victory. You have to collect keys along the way. If you collect less than 10 keys before you reach the exit, you can't proceed to next level. So you're forced to backtrack if that happens. But some levels has point of no return. So you should collect any keys as early as possible.

Then i got double teabagged. Wonderful! [Obvious Sarcasm]. The game has 1-hit kill system even though there's health bar on the right HUD. It's actually serve as 'life' indicator. You will respawn at either the spot where you died or some fixed checkpoint. Although there's no definite respawn mark like other platformer.  

 

Thankfully, not all warden are brave enough to face man to man with me. Some use more tactical approach by camping nesting inside a barrel. They are more durable (need 2 bullets to defeat instead of 1) but they're easy target to shoot. Like shooting fish in barrel, am i right?  

 

Now here's section of pure 2 Dimensional platformer, complete with deadly spikes. You know the common issue with 'blind jump' in most of platformer? in this game you can mitigate it by looking further down the screen. To do so, simply holding directional down button.

There's climbing plant fence in here. It's sweet idea to decorate a prison with indoor plantation but some prisonner can climb it to pass through spike pit beneath. I'll gladly do the "test drive" for that. =P     

Demoman_battlecry01.wav. Someone's already break the bars in this window. Again, this is proof of warden's incompetency. Though it's clearly good for me. See ya later, suckers!

Next, i search for treasure! When i was a kid i thought the snake on right corner is mini T-Rex. "A carnivore dinosaurs guards treasure in Wild West. Cool!" young-me thought. Because of that, i pick this level to review next. But, still feels disappointed.

According to in-game manual, Captain Lightfoot is a pirate. To further prove that theory, there's small Jolly Roger flag here and in other spot on this cave. I wonder what's red swirling thing on right. I keep calling it shuriken but the probably most correct answer is: starfish, given Captain Lightfoot is a pirate and it's quite sensible he train starfishes to be able to breathe air and deadly to touch. They could be pirate's best pet/minion. At the start of this level, everything but wall is dark, until i collect a torch (which also act as score pickup). I mean you can still see yourself, the level layout and enemies. But they're blackened.

 

Goddamn it! I didn't know that the log has side-job here beside in the arenas.

Do iguanas can be trained as guard animal? Somehow i doubt the usual pet lizard can be act as one. I mean i don't think they have the potential. Sharp claw? Yes, they probably have. But they have peaceful demeanor thus barely threatening. But again, i don't know much about the lizard. Here's some bit risk and reward mechanic: bombs are lethal to touch but you can shoot them for score and extra security but you have to sacrifice a bullet. Safe, barrel and crate can be destroyed. Sometime score item or key can be found inside of them. But some of them contain nothing or an enemy even! Though they're not random. Therefore you can memorize which one is safe to break and which one is not.      

 

I don't know whether he's the Captain Lightfoot or another bandit treasure hunter like me. The human enemy in this game always drop their gun and put hands in the air when defeated. While animals and i hit the ground lifelessly when defeated. Strange design choice if you ask me.

Usually i play the game fair and square without any hunch to exploit glitch. But this time, curiosity get the best of me. I was in lower floor right under the ladder. I try jump diagonally to left many time and i success to bypass the platform like this. Hooraay!

Shoot! I don't have any health left but my ammo is abundant. Maybe i can make it through to the exit.

Nope, i'm finished. If you look carefully this screen and 'Ghost Town' picture on mission title are the same. Except there's significant color different. Also, it's not 'game over'. It's 'end of game'. So we know Alive Software's creativity level.     

On second run, i manage to finish the level with a dozen of health and tons of bullet. This is common in this game. You most likely can't finish a level on first run. But you will in second run or so. With better status (ammo & health) or feel much easier. So memorization is the important key to finish a level in this game.

 

As soon as get out of the cave. Apache tribe ambush me! I think that Amerindian cross-legged sit on top of his horse. He must have strong butt to keep him stable like that. Ok, Hiawata or whoever your name (probably Iron Rump)! Show me you and your friends what you got!

Hmm, okay! Well played. That goes to the one who run in the tight corridor not the one who "camping" on top screen. Again, enemy who stand still is highly predictable while the mobile one is really hard to deal with. If the mobile enemy is in tight place like this, his move is limited but you can't go around him. I believe you notice that the game change into top-down shooter but actually your move/control remain the same with the platformer level. Yes, you can jump in top or bottom direction to avoid attack. As there's no shadow under you, it's hard to predict whether you're airborne or not. So you have to kind of image your jump trajectory should you jump in vertical direction.

You see that cute rabbit that stuck beside cactus over there? It's health restoration item, implying Billy The Kid won't hesitate to eat a hare alive. He's desperados, afterall. Besides the rabbit, you can add your health by collecting stew on cooking pot and whole grilled chicken. Small food items like canned foods or fruits only serve as point item.

The Amerindian come out thick and fast. I manage to defeat the horse rider but i got trampled by his fellow. There's also the one on boat which reminds me of another Amerindian in Blood Bros. Unlike their walking fellow, each of them need to be planted by 2 bullets before resign. By the way to teleport proceed to next sub-level, you have to walk cross the river. There's no indication of it, beside it's wide dead end. Again, strange design.

 

This time i got trampled by buffalo. The Amerindian and the buffalos cast aside their enmity to kill the infamous Billy the Kid. You can see that there's golden gun near my body. It serves as other non-golden gun in term of functionality. It gives you 50 scores and 6 ammo when picked. It should net more score. At least it has contrast color so you can't miss it unless you accidently shoot it. Yes, the pickup can be destroyed by your bullet. So you should be careful about it when in the middle of gunfight. But not only that, enemy gunmen can pick it up even though they have unlimited ammo by themselves! The cheeky sods.

No, not again! This time they charge at me from 2 direction. Bastards!

 

Finally exit and i'm at my last live. While i go on a rampage, i steal their riches, potteries, and keys. That's why you don't mess with Billy the Kid, jerks!  

 

Ghost town has different loading screen picture from level selection. There's ghostly appearance. Booooo! I'm not scared.

Oh! Cartoonish bedsheet ghost. 3 of them. Still, i'm not scared. As you can guess that bullet will pass through them without make harm to them. So you have to avoid them. This level mandates you to avoid enemies more than other level.

Yet my reflex want to shoot the ghost even though it's pointless. There's also zombie cowboy who serves as gunman type enemy here. By the way, this ghost town seems abundant with riches, like money bags and gems besides me. The only reason why this place become ghost town: Amerindian's curse or the citizens kill each other over the riches and it ends up with tie (everyone killed). By the way, there's roasted piglet that can replenish your health. It only appears in this level.

We can assume that this level defines genre 'Survival Horror'. Most of the time, you have to dodge enemy while conserving ammo and health. Use gun only when necessary. Although, the enemies and the setting aren't that scary. It's "the pressure to survive and get good" that haunts you, you see. I'm done this level with good amount of health and ammo. That's because i already played this level before.   

And now the final level: Pat Garret's Revenge! What a remarkable thick mustache you have there, sheriff. It doesn't surprise those who know Billy the Kid's history, that Pat Garret is real person and he indeed have captured the desperado and some of his men. So, can  i avoid the harsh law of wild west safely?  

The real enemy of Billy the kid is neither Pat Garret nor his marshals. It's his own unpreparedness. At the start of level you choose, you have quite stock of ammo except for the first level obviously. But here, no bullet at all. Luckily you can find a gun at the first section of level, in this 75% built warehouse. Seriously, why there's no wall on front side of this building, huh?

This is really funny. A bank that stores some of its deposit outside of the building! Maybe it's Pat's tactic to lure me to grab those money so i become easier target. There's one of his marshal above me and another one ready to snipe me from window on the right. Also careful to not "stuck" your leg inside that bottom "wall".

In this level only, you can shoot wanted poster of yourself for score. No, it doesn't make your notoriety lower. This is not Assassin Creed, kiddo! Also silver key can "camouflage" to grey wall like here. You can't see it? It's on the second left window.  

Ugh! What a ugly horse.

 

Ouch! My heel! It's almost like story of Achilles. This is definitely my mistake, i try to avoid sniping from below by jumping. The jumping is fairly float-y but significantly slower than running straight. Therefore you should just run pass through the snipers and don't stop until you're in safe spot. 

Oh, look! Beer and peer! Hahaha...i know. I know. I should move on.

Dagnabbit! I was taken down by Pat Garret and his marshal. On top of that, i almost reach into that stew. Pat Garret who wears black cloth and yellow trouser, have more constituent than his marshal by 1 bullet hit. It's the power of his majestic mustache you see. Although he can be defeated, he is more than one will appear more than 1 occasion.  But he's still barely boss enemy or sort like that. I still have 1 more life, i have to be more careful and...

...Nope, i'm really goner. More over in almost same spot. Damn snipers! Unlike their fellow. They can't be dispatched no matter how many bullet you waste on them. There's sound effect of 'Pop!' when your bullet hit something that are defeatable. While sound 'Tzziiing!' occur when your bullet hit floor, wall, or other thing that's not meant to shoot. The thing is when you hit them (or at least window where they camp), former sfx can be heard therefore misinforms you that they can be defeated but actually not. This is intolerable!     

 

Finally! After several attempts, i reach the exit which is another ugly horse. Look at those bullets! Man, i'm really lucky. It's quite what you expect that the final stage will be the most difficult. But it's not in unfair quality or so i feel. This level consists of 3 sub-level. I advise you take 2-3 keys in first section and more on later section. Keys in latest section are much easier to obtain and more in quality.

...until Billy get shot dead by Pat Garret in the middle of the night. The bloodlust git. I know should not say that. Pat is the good guy and Billy is the bad guy, afterall. I say that because i'm too immersed as the desperado. It was my act of empathy. Moreover, Billy has been sentenced by death penalty but he escaped before the execution. Later, Pat executes Billy by himself, which i reckon is sensible course of action.

 

There's 2 opinion about Alive Software's Billy the Kid Returns (1996): 1) kid me thinks: it is awesome 2) A year ago me thinks: it is boring. Now, i have thinking of middle ground from those two. The "engine" of the gameplay can accommodate both platformer and top-down shooter, which i reckon quite revolutionary. On the other hand, the basic premise is repetitive: venture the layout of the level while collecting the keys and items, and go for the exit. And then there's the shooting part: it's quite troublesome to shoot moving gunmen (and they love to teabag your dead body) but at least the shooting trigger is responsive with good speed. There's also option 2-way shoot with slightly inclined and declined direction angle to offer you more strategic attack. You can also press both shot button to unleash proper 3-way shoot but -you know- it costs 3 bullets. Quite costly. While the jumping mechanic is probably not you can guess: if you face left or right, you will immediately jump toward the direction while you can't alter its direction once you're airborne. The camera moves pretty well. If you're in "2D" place, you can move the camera up or down by holding corresponding arrow key. The musics are quite nice. I think it's Midi version of old cowboy music. The graphic pretty neat for simple "engine". Even though you're in the infamous outlaw's stead, the premise is quite light as you only stay to survive the level or collecting scores. No bank robbery or murder act (though you can kill animals). Red Dead Redemption, this isn't.

So, i can recommend you to play this game, which is possibly my first anti-hero game feature role. If you want harder difficult or don't want to be bloodlust bandit, you can turn off the Gun Mode on option. So, yeah. Try it at least once! You can become the dangerous outlaw and wreck the wild west. What else you want? Better shoot-y action? I'm afraid you can't have that here. Sorry, pardner!