Shadow of the Beast Longplay (C64) [50 FPS]
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- Developed by DMA Design and published by Ocean in 1990
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I saw the trailer for the PS4 reboot/remake of the Amiga classic, Shadow of the Beast and I was left quite optimistic by what I saw. I then remembered that I'd recorded a longplay of the C64 version way back in 2012 when I first started this channel and that the video quality was pretty rubbish, so I decided to do a new recording with improved video quality and do a review at the same time!
For those unfamiliar with the game, it was originally released for the Commodore Amiga computer and it was, for it's time, something of a technical marvel, with fancy graphics and superb audio. Sadly, the game was incredibly frustrating to play, possessing high difficulty and multiple dead ends where the player could reach the end of the game, only to find that they'd failed to collect a key or item right back near the start. Fun to play it was not.
Considering just how technologically advanced the Amiga version was, one has to wonder why anyone would bother trying to convert the game to a notably less powerful 8-bit system. Well, put your cynicism on hold, give the game a try and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!
Sure, the game plays very similarly to the Amiga version, so many of the gameplay criticisms with that version apply to this version as well. However, the fact that the player's starting health points are more than doubled from 12 to 25 is a huge improvement and you stand a much better chance of making it beyond the first boss.
Richard Swinfen did a really top notch job on the coding for this version. The game features multiple levels of parallax scrolling, much like it's more powerful sibling, which is quite an achievement given the disparity between the two machines. The game runs at a consistently solid frame rate throughout, without any noticeable glitches or compromises being made.
Most of the original Amiga content has been transferred to the C64 version in tact. In fact, the only omissions I did notice were the bouncing eyeballs (presumably the C64 was unable to reproduce the sprite squashing/expansion effects effectively) and the removal of the jet-pack shooting stage towards the end of the game. In honesty, I always though the change in gameplay from platformer to shoot 'em up to be quite jarring, so the C64 actually feels more consistent in terms of gameplay and feels the better for it's removal.
Whilst the graphics were never going to match the Amiga version, they're still very good and most of the enemy designs are present, if in a slightly chunkier, lower resolution format. Particularly impressive are some of the larger sprites, such as the bosses and flying dragons that proved that the C64 was still a capable machine.
Anyone who has played the Amiga version will be familiar with the awesome music by David Whittaker. Fredrik Segerfalk had the unenviable task of rewriting the tunes for the C64 and, by and large, did an extremely good job.
I think the reason why the game works as well as it does in large part due to the fact that the game shipped on a cartridge. Despite being frighteningly expensive (£20), it meant that the game loaded instantly and there was a complete lack of loading times between the various sections of the game. For someone regularly frustrated by rewinding multi-load tape games, this was a total revolution as far as I was concerned; not having to wait seven or eight minutes for a game to load was a rare treat!
If you could spare the cash then Shadow of the Beast on the C64 is actually a pretty darn solid conversion that plays better than the original Amiga version.
#retrogaming
![Shadow of the Beast Longplay (Amiga) [50 FPS]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/jTTGxkf8oAM/mqdefault.jpg)
![Shadow of the Beast Longplay (Amiga) [50 FPS]](/img/tr.png)
![Shadow of the Beast II Longplay (Amiga) [QHD]](/img/1.gif)
That music... From time to time I come back to this video just to hear the music from 9:32. Incredible tune and bass. Gives the game a great atmosphere.
Holy shit.... this conversion with the parallax effects looks so amazing great. C64 best machine ever!
DMA Design? To see that this port was developed by the same studio that later brought us all the GTA Games, Red Dead Redemption, Max Payne 3 and other games... Wow! I never knew that. I played this game in the mid 90s before the first GTA. So my first Rockstar Game was this. :O
Looks quite decent on the C64, actually.
Rockstar North proved early how good they were. After this they made Lemmings. And see where they are today. with GTA V and RDR2. Funny how things evolve.
Good job indeed, and GREAT tune rendition with the SID.
I want this soundtrack on vinyl. I know the Amiga version got a release but I honestly believe this one is so much better it is unreal. Demonstrates the SID chip so well and amazingly emotive. I have been coming back to this for almost 10 years, anyone else want a press?
I have a new recording of the C64 version I'll be publishing at some point, which was done with the 8580 SID - it sounds a lot better and less scratchy than the 6581 version in this video 🙂
@@AL82RetrogamingLongplays That sounds amazing thank you for your work!
@@AL82RetrogamingLongplays any news on this or did I miss it?
@@blandcore2773 Just play the Amiga version, it shits all over this crap port. Even the C64 music pales against the superior Amiga version.
@@mrkirk4944 nyah I know and played the amiga version, much prefer the music on this port
10 year old me core memories unlocked! Wow that music has stuck with me for decades.
They spelt PSYGNOSIS wrong on the scrolling text !
A thing of beauty! thanks!
Priceless, subbed and liked. I'm probably the biggest fan of the original game on most versions (amiga, genesis, pc engine) I definitely want to play this one.
Thanks for subscribing and I'm glad you liked the video - I've done videos on other versions of the game, so be sure to check them out :)
A good effort. The blocky graphics (even then) were not easy on the eyes, but the SID rendition of the music is absolutely brilliant. SID rules the 8Bit sounds.
I did a newer longplay a while back which uses a better SID revision, which sounds far less scratchy; should come up in a channel search
The ending of the game can be summed up with one Michael Rosen quote
"There's rats! And they're nibbling my toenail!"
Shadow of the Beast Longplay (C64) [50 FPS]: A new and better quality video showcasing this surprisingly accomplished conversion of the Amiga classic!
Read the video description for my review!
PYSGNOSIS PRESENTS...? How did that spelling mistake in the scroll text not get noticed....
Great game but especially the soundtrack is absolutely a masterpiece
it's incredible how much better aged the c64 sid music than the original amiga.
like a fine wine.
Hardly
Prefer the Amiga one. Chiptune is all and good but artists like David W. really knew how to make the amiga sing.
What? :D
Pysgnosis
I'm one of those weird people who prefers to play it on the C64 over the Amiga for some reason. Think it's cos the soundtrack sounds beautiful coming out of the SID chip. Plus I always found the controls a bit tighter
It’s like the c64 is crying
The cid cheep give the c64 a soul which is so amazing back time
This generation will never understand this
As soon as that 1st level music swoops in like an eagle its fucking gold from here on in
The very first game I ever finished. Remember it fondly.
come on guys, it`s an ok port to the c64 with good music. That`s about it. I know the human mind is susceptible to hallucinations. If you think that either sound or graphix are anywhere near the quality of the amiga version (which still is a showpiece of amiga`s capabilities today), you have completely lost your mind.
Yep, i've read a few posts recently where they think the music is better than david whittaker's amiga original. The amiga version is miles ahead in all areas, c64 version not a bad port though.
Yes. I just don’t get why they made tre sky black when c64 has a blue that is much closer to the Amiga version. Eludes me
If only the main sprite was a bit better and those mountains didn't look like a giant pile of s**t...
thats the magic of the c64 if those games run smoothly they do like on no other machine ! Its beyond butter smooth and the paralax under the beast is just in a state of pure BrAg !!! Great. This comes from an atari st user
Best 8bit version!
Are the controls improved compared to the Amiga version?
I remember there was a delay when changing direction on the Amiga.
+alex76gr The C64 version does have this problem as well but it's not as bad as the Amiga because the character turns more quickly (less frames of animation) :)
Al82: Retrogaming Longplays & Reviews
Nice! :)
'How sad be the Fatso' was the cheat code for invincibility
An impressive conversion. The game itself was shit, but so was the Amiga original: all style and no substance. Nevertheless, this port does a remarkable job at retaining the atmosphere that made the Amiga game stand out. Quite a feat on a C64!
I liked the SID soundtrack in this, but I feel the Speccy version had both better graphics and gameplay
love it
Memories !
How they did make parallax with trees? Sounds like they are doubled combined sprites, but I strongly doubt it as there are even 3 of these on the screen
A pretty decent port
Why in the world the sky is BLACK??! Surely something about the limit of 16 colors on screen...
I quite like the black sky - it makes it look like it's set at night; quite atmospheric 🙂
Just as well Maletoth had toenails :)
Could those graphics look any uglier?
If only those mountains didn't look like s**t...it could have been a perfect conversion.
I thought those were trees when I was a kid 😂
Great port!
One of the sound channels is way off! Ruins the music totally! :/
+Martin Nielsen yeah, I noticed that as well, thought it was my aging bose speakers though.
+Martin Nielsen My understanding is that real SIDs were not all created equal and they will have variations in sound between the various batch numbers. I went through most of the SID revisions within the emulator before recording the video and they all have a distinct sound. Certain parts of the music sound clearer with different versions, but overall sound flatter. In the end, I decided to just use the same settings I've used for every other video.
Al82: Retrogaming Longplays & Reviews Ah, i forgot about that fact.
Actually the animation is a tad bit smoother than the Amiga's
Beside the graphic and the soundtrack ( and the amazing atmosphere ) never understood, what made this game becoming so famous through the years, enemies are awful ( even in the Amiga version ) and really awfully designed ( the bosses are amazing , but only them ) ... gameplay so boring in my opinion, anyway i like somehow C64 version more than any other
Agree, however as you said graphics, soundtrack and athmosphere brought C64 and Amiga to high levels. Layers of parallax are amazing both on C64 and Amiga
PYSG-NOSIS? :D lol, that's huge mistake