Today, i'm taking part in another game with medieval fantasy with title contains word "Legend". It's Atari Games Corporation (Midway)'s Gauntlet Legends (2000).
That's some pretty title screen especially with dynamic torchlight. Before we begin our conquest, i like to show you a bit about the first and the base of this game: Gauntlet made by Atari in 1985. If you're expert on old Arcade games, you should know about it already. If you don't know anything about it, here it is...
You will play as Warrior, Valkyrie, Wizard, or Elf depends on where do you take the player slot. It's (roughly) top down shooter where enemies come at you thick and fast. Enemies spawn from -what the game called- enemy generator. Those huts are the example of it. You can or rather advised to destroy said spawning vats to give you some breather. But with how fast the spawning rate, it isn't easy task but nigh mandatory nonetheless. It goes without saying that the game is relentless as other arcade game is. I hope i can finish Gauntlet someday provided there's no absurd nonsense on final stage like what generally American arcade games have. Anyway, there's prologue on Gauntlet Legends so there's some step up compare to the first game.
Some sorcerer summons a Demon Lord and later get killed by said demon because he refuse to do the sorcerer's bidding. Man! Why this bloke is as stupid as that villain in Tales of Phantasia? It's freaking logic that evil powerful entity most likely wouldn't bow to its summoner! What purpose of this dangerous yet foolish act? I guess we can't find out the answer because the sorcerer is already dead. Later, there comes another sorcerer and use the same rune circle that the previous sorcerer used to summon the Evil, to summon the hero which you can pick later on.
Here's the main menu and Midway like to show off the 3D stuff they can do right away! The menu selections spin as you switch around them. There's New Game, Save/Load menu, sound setting, and controller setting. What i feel unusual is 2nd player screen on the right which more appropriate for Arcade console. I have theory that the story progression will depends on 1st player memory slot, while the 2nd player only get the saved character.
Here's the hero class that you can choose which is derived from the first game albeit replace Elf with archer. Excuse my amateur picture edit but at least you get the information about each class on their level 1 and you can't see their stats before picking your character. For some reason, they all have the same health 400 and maximum health 500. Warrior has the most value proportion on power stats. Valkyrie has the most balance between 2 power stats and biggest armor value. Wizard has the highest shot power and magic. Archer is the fastest. You may frown upon Archer's shot power being the lowest among the other but her arrow is the fastest projectile plus her rate of fire is the fastest so she's still a force to be reckoned with especially in firing projectile department . Wizard's magic projectile is the second fastest and can pierce through enemies. While Warrior's, Valkyrie's, and Archer's projectile only pierce through dying enemies and only once. Besides changing the class with left or right on d-pad, you can also change the color of your character by pressing up or down on d-pad. For some, reason red player always blonde and yellow player always Egyptian.
After selecting your hero and pick their name, you get some briefing by the yellow sorcerer on intro. He wants me to seek obelisks and rune stones. Scout_yes02.wav
I decided to play as Red valkyrie because she looks like Viking opera singer. Plus i like balanced stats. I'm too late to notice that valkyrie has the highest armor value meaning she's most fitting one as "tank" role. It's really my nature to be "tank", huh? Anyway, the only warp portal that active is this one for now. To enter the portal, you have to stand still on it for quite long time.
Then, i'm greeted with these vicious orcs. Soldier_battlecry05.wav
"Destroy generators" said game and i shall do that. Moreover there's explosive barrel right near the generator/orc cave. Demoman_specialcompleted12.wav
One of the important item in Gauntlet game is key. You can use it to open locked doors and chests. My suggestion is you prioritize the key to open door first so you can make progress on level although i don't experience the moment where i'm out of key to finish level because i believe the game gives me enough key.
Across the bridge from the initial spot, you will find the first obelisk. Walk to the button to raise it and later you can touch it. Spy_quest_complete_easy_05.mp3
You can find power up from chests or barrel or even lies bare on corner of the level. One of the power up is "fire breath" that allow you to blow short-range fire from your mouth that replaces your standard attack. You can toggle on/off the power up that you collect by pressing "triangle" button (default). Some power up is limited by time duration and other is limited by the times you attack such as this "fire breath" power up.
You can also find scroll around the level that tells you game hint or even crucial information. So keep your eyes on these floating scroll!
When i test this game as Warrior,
i feel that throwing axe at enemies is cumbersome because how slow the axe
throwing and i wish that i can use the axe to crack their skull in melee
instead. But there's no button to do attack melee and i only have button to
execute ranged attack instead, which is "Cross" button by default.
But then i remember about the usual gimmick feature on first Gauntlet game where you push direction
toward enemies to do melee attack. It also works in here too and in better
mechanism, even. In first Gauntlet,
you just straight trading blow with enemies if you engage them in melee. In
here, the enemies also receive flinch/hurt animation besides damage so you have
safer melee combat here. You can expect enemies being stunlock with your melee
attack except for Archer and Wizard class that has slower melee attack speed
and obviously weaker melee attack.
Not all chests contain something good. This one contain poisonous apple. I don't have time for "Snow White" moment, i have tons of evil to slain! By holding turbo button (default: "square") and pressing shoot button, i can unleash powerful wave forward. Using said special move will drain Turbo bar on top part of HUD below and it will regenerate in time. This reminds me of magic bar on Magic Sword but you don't have to rely heavily on the power bar in this game.
Once i step into exit portal, i'm presented with some assessment here. As you can see i get experiences and gold in this level. Unlike in previous Gauntlet game, you will be rewarded with experience for killing enemies and not just for area security. It goes without saying that, if you gain enough experience your level will goes up, which will increase your overall stats thus making your character stronger.
Near the starter point, you will find unmanned shop. I miss that shopkeeper in Legend so much. The shops sells you power up, key, magic potion, and also meat to replenish your health by 100 points. This fire amulet seems not work in significant way even though it's drain over time when used. Maybe it adds fire element to my attack. Because there's other element amulet, i expect elemental affiliation in future.
On next level, i find this delicious looking meat just lies in here. Don't mind if i do. Unlike previous Gauntlet, this game has friendly pace. Food item can be found pretty easily and the enemies don't spawn in dozens number. Maybe it's because of the engine limitation or maybe they want to make the game much friendlier for home console. Either way, i like this game.
Sniper_jeers04.wav. Someone throw bombs at me from off screen while i can't open this door although i still have keys.
The floating scroll informs me that i have to shoot suspicious dirt mound like this one. Once it's destroyed, i find the button that unlock that door.
Arrrgh! Stop bombing at me, you maniac!
There! I killed the bomb bastard. Sniper_revenge01.wav
The game tells me to throw magic potion but i realize it too late. Sorry, game. This golem disguise as stone then suddenly surprise me good. He's tougher than other enemies so far but he moves pretty slow so you can outrun him easily.
"Avoid dangerous object" the game said but i step into this fire geyser. I'm a rebel and a fool.
I finish the level but i miss a runestone and there's sinister voice mocking me. He said "You wretched fool! Your foolishness pleases me.". I'm annoyed with that. I will replay this level but this time i don't leave no stone unturned.
Then i'm greeted with suicidal bomber. Arrrgh!
See this wall that have slightly different tone than the rest? If you shoot it, you will reveal a cave that hold said runestone. My discovery makes the sinister voice speechless. Who's laughing now, bastard?
Upon return to main hub zone, the yellow sorcerer from the intro put the runestone into that circle in the middle. I didn't know he's in this place whole time. I will go talk to him.
Oh my goodness, he gives me another session of info dump! From what he says, his name is Sumner and his young brother who summon the demon lord is Garm. While the demon lord is named Skorne. Anyone whose name resembles word "Scorn" is most likely evil person. That's our lesson.
Next level introduces us with scorpion enemy that i just stomped it to death. It cames from that pile of skeleton so i have to destroy that too.
I find this steel skin power up that makes me invincible for awhile. It seems i can't turn it off so i'm forced to use this temporary invincibility only in this occasion. Demoman_taunts11.wav
There's degree on the special move depends on how filled the Turbo Bar is. If it's filled to at least whole yellow area, i unleash this spinning slash instead of the big shockwave. While the special move for green-area filled bar, i only unleash single projectile that merely stronger than regular ones. You can move faster if you hold turbo button and then move. Obviously, it will drain the turbo bar in steady rate instead of a chunk portion of it. There's another way to use the bar: by holding turbo button and pressing magic button (default: "circle"), you will summon orbiting spheres that harm your enemies within your vicinity. But to be fair, i quite often forget to use this Turbo bar even though it's really damn useful.
I find this sparkling trap door not far from exit portal. What could it be?
It's portal to bonus stage! I have to collect these coins in this bonus stage that i assume for extra gold. Engineer_mvm_collect_credits03.wav
With 3 obelisk touched, Sumner has power to unlock next levels hub. But i decide to venture more level on Mountain Kingdom which is the first hub.
Oh no! They're the demons from original Gauntlet and they have very large teeth!
Actually they're quite pushover. They're fairly faster than orcs and fairly tougher than scorpion but that's all they got.
Oh, damn! This lava cavern is inhabited by orcish bombers too. Soldier_HatOverHeartTaunt02.wav
Some buttons in this level, will raise platform that fill the gap on some part of the level. This one is mandatory because it grants me access to that runestone and i don't want Skorne mocks me again after i finish this level.
On next level called "Mountain Cavern", i meet grim reaper! On previous Gauntlet, he can only be defeated by using magic potion. I expect some dazzling effect when he's defeated but no. He just goes "I must go! My people need me". By the way, the magic in this game is only send circular wave around you as opposed to screen clearing bomb in previous Gauntlet. But it's fairly useful when you're surrounded.
In this level, i find button that will activate lift. It's functional but in rather cumbersome way. They should put the stepping button on the lift for easier use like in Dark Soul.
That lift leads me to Rasha's Scimitar that thirst for the head of The castle's guardian. According to hint scroll that i found, that is.
Here's the last runestone on Mountain Kingdom. Mission accomplished! Do you notice that my sword looks broader? That's because i achieved level 10 before. Cosmetic change by leveling up seems unordinary to me but it's cool. There's no special jingle when you level up. So you have to check your level periodically to see if you level up or not yet. It's kind of tedious to do that. First you use L1 or R1 button to cycle the hud to your name and class and then use L2 or R2 button to cycle it to your level.
Next level is boss fight against dragon! And i'm dead. Look at his health bar on top! I barely make serious injury on him. The lethal move that i find it hard to dodge is the shockwave that he creates when he stomping his foot hard. It fills entire map! Maybe if i wear the wing power up, i can jump over it. You probably think that i need to level up more before fighting this dragon but i doubt it will work because there's hint that says "The Ice Axe sits in the castle's treasury. Find it before facing the dragon". So i have to find this axe on next hub level first. Fighting dragon before doing so is certain dead. Speaking of dead...
You get this scene for game over: Skorne grabs Sumner and drags him to infernal dimension. That looks quite harsh. Many taskmaster in other game just chills around while you fight to the death. But in this game, Sumner's life is also at stake besides yours.
Anyway, i will have my revenge on next part! Just you wait, dragon
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