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Let's Play: Richard and Alan's Escape From Hell!

zenbitz

Scholar
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
295
So, I had completely forgotten about this game until I heard that Dante's Inferno was coming out... and I said to myself:
"Self... Didn't they already make this game?"

Indeed.
ss3.png


I played this (a cracked copy, prolly) in college on an IBM-AT in monochrome, 20 years ago. I didn't even know that it was based on the Wasteland engine... Turns out this game faded into obscurity so fast that it doesn't even have a Wikipedia page.

However: this dude http://members.chello.at/theodor.lauppert/games/escape.htm had a page, and there's a walkthrough... and another note on it here: http://www.homeoftheunderdogs.net/game.php?id=377

Plus you could get it from abandonware, and it runs under dosbox... so epic win.

This is mostly a test post to see how the screen shots come out... I have about 40 more I will upload in a, you know, actual LP as opposed to a teaser.

Enjoy my Nostalgic descent .... INTO HELL!
 

Cranioclast

Novice
Joined
Mar 5, 2010
Messages
15
Was this the game with Hitler wielding an rocket gun?

Anyway, good choice for an lp, will be awaiting this one.
 

zenbitz

Scholar
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
295
And we off we go... plot exhibition!

ss6.jpg

ss7.jpg

ss8.jpg

ss9.jpg

ss10.jpg


I guess that's our Mission. Save Allison from Hell.

... followed by the bane of renegade 80s gamers everywhere... the COPY PROTECTION SCREEN...

ss12.jpg


Now remember, we didn't really have the interwebs then so you had to actually get a photocopy of the manual from someone... heck, they didn't even really have scanners.
Truly hellish.

Basically, there were 15 lowres graphics of "Tormented" in hell scattered throughout the manual (I did say it was annoying, right?). Each "thing" has a Name, Place, Sin, Profession, Favorite Torment, and Cause of Death.

For example, the one cap'd above is:
Name: Jill Lowkey
Place: Gotham City
Sin: Weeks of Lust
Profession: Actress
Favorite Torment: Getting Old
Died: 1983

No. I don't get it either. But hey, I type in "Jill Lowkey" and continue on...

Now this is just a joke, you can d/l a gif file with all the answers.

And then, BANG, we're in hell.

ss14.jpg


You interact with stuff by just bumping into it. Using the number pad to move in 8 directions. Hilariously, I am playing this on my mac book pro, so I have to have a mental picture of a number pad in my head if I want to move diagonally (otherwise arrow keys work). Good times.

The chest is empty. WTF.

The phone booth says:
ss16.jpg


The sign says:
ss15.jpg


We are pretty much railroaded at this stage. You cannot get through the mountains or the flames.

To speed things along, there are some Stench Beasts just north of here that attack if you hang out. They don't wait around - I actually got the following screen shot before the other ones.
ss13.jpg



I am sure not going to fight these dudes now... since they are at range "L" and I have a knife. I choose "R" for run, they do some stinky damage to me with their nasty breath. Sorry no screen cap for that.

We'll fight more late... but for now... on through the gate!

And I know this is short... more later!
 

zenbitz

Scholar
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
295
I head south through the gate:

ss18.jpg


The skeleton is blocking the way south:
ss19.jpg

Hmmm... Guess I go to the city.

Wandering around is a Moaner, or "1 Moaners" in the local linga franca...

ss20.jpg


Well, that's pretty useless. Maybe if I kill the skelly he changes he tone...

Oh, and a Hell Guard (other icon) inform me:
ss21.jpg


Well, into the town - excuse me "The City on the Edge Of Eternity". Is that a Star Trek reference?
ss23.jpg


Pretty much the same interface, just a different scale.

There are a couple of "Hell Privates" (he said "Privates") standing guard. The banners say "It's the Devil's Banner". The funny grey things are computer terminals. They all tell me (identically):

ss24.jpg

... where it hurts so good.

I guess Masochists do go Hell. But wait...wouldn't they be punished MORE by going to heaven? So maybe, Masochism ISN'T sinful at all! You just get your just rewards in hell! And they say video games don't make you think.

Seems as good time as any to introduce ... the character system!

If you hit F1, you get the following screen (F2, F3.. are for the other members of your party).

ss25.jpg


Wow. Level 0. Clearly this system was written by a computer scientist. I have some stuff. The "E" means equipped. You can only hold 10 things, and if you drop something or Give it... it's gone. Forever. Which is kind of like Loot gathering Hell in it's own right.

Info gives me my stats:
ss26.jpg


This is the 2nd game I started in the modern era just to remember how to play a little, and my stats were exactly the same. Not sure if that makes this a "true RPG" or not. On the one hand, "no build"; on the other -- you are supposed to "Richard" not whomever you like. I like how my Piety is 1. You'd think getting transported to Hell might cause me to rethink that score pretty quick, but maybe it's a plot point or something.

Passive skills.
ss27.jpg


Whoa! That was NOT what I remembered high school being like at all. I guess Richard is from a Southern state. Ironically "Passive" skills are all combat-related. Even Acrobatics "Enhances Melee Combat in General"

Richard has Active skills too...
ss28.jpg


Well, sort of. According to the manual:
"These skills are necessary in a particular situation. You'll know when; trust me." I guess we use them from this interface.

OK, let's press some flesh here and see what's in this one Hellhorse town. Three directions, left, right, or straight ahead? Let's head right and work our way around...

Down in the corner we find some PLOT EXPOSITION... sorry, we find three thugs

ss29.jpg


They thoughtfully inform us:
ss30.jpg


OK... Minos... bullet proof suit... Capone's city. Actually it's a good thing that I am taking screen shots, because this game doesn't have automap or a journal or any of your other mid-90s adventure/rpg innovations. I think we used to take notes "on paper" using a "pen or pencil". Weird, wild stuff.

Heading back "north" we find an Evil Woman (Santana soundtrack sadly missing)

ss31.jpg


Well, let's talk to her.

ss32bewbs.jpg

ZOMG. BEWBS! Remember the days before video games could be Rated "M" for mature. That was awesome.

And on that note... I will take a break here. Oh, she has blue circles animated out of her head. I don't know what that means. I think she may be warning us about something... but whatev.

BEWBS!
 

ghostdog

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Dec 31, 2007
Messages
11,079
This looks like great fun. I had spotted this game a while ago and thought about giving it a try, but now I'll just read this LP.

More.
 

Flatlander

Liturgist
Joined
Aug 11, 2009
Messages
242
Location
Paradise Valley
Wow, I love the graphics. I remember seeing an review of this back in some games magazine, ISTR it got something like 78/100.

It seems to use the same engine as Wasteland..?
 

Sinestris

Novice
Joined
Feb 7, 2010
Messages
44
Location
The Forensic Lab from Hell
Well, this game is already about 200% better than Dante's Inferno. (Good GOD I hate that game so goddamn much what did they do to my classic literature? *scream* It's a sad, sad day when the Dante from Devil May Cry has better characterisation than the Dante from Dante's Inferno!! FUCK!)

*ahem* Onwards my friend! Weird shit awaits!
 

zenbitz

Scholar
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
295
OK, stunned by awesome mammaries, we head to nearby buidling.
The sign reads "Office of Redundancy".

That's kind of worrysome. Shouldn't it be "Office of Redundancy Office". I get worried when my games blow obvious jokes like that.

Any way the building interior looks like this:
ss34.jpg


Actually, a few of them look like this. If you talk to the "1 Moaners" ("Brad") he gives you a laptop. Actually, he gives you as many laptops as you like. However, I am sure one is enough. That's all there is there; the furntiture says "Not for the liviing" and you can search the various shelves for stuff (just bump into them, but that's it).

We head back north, and find the Post Office. It looks prety much like the Office of Redundancy. The sign out front says "Post Office of HELL! It doesn't rain, sleet, or snow here an mail never goes though". I think that was a lot funnier when I was 19.

There is a computer terminal out front with a cryptic message:
ss36.jpg


Hmmm... I go into the post office and am immediatly attacked!
ss37.jpg


So, a skeleton at short range, and 2 Hell Guards at medium range. Again, all I have is a knife... and that skelton looks like he got a giant black lolly pop o' doom.

As an aside into the combat "system", each member of your party can (A)ttack, (D)efend, or (H)ide. If someone (R)uns, you all do. (S)tatus checks your equipment and the like.

What's the difference between Defending and Hiding? The manual isn't particularly clear, but "Defending" seems to reduce damage done to the character, while "Hiding" just lowers the chance of being hit. I am not sure if (D)efending allows you to do (reduced) damage to the enemies, but if you (H)ide, you don't attack at all. The game recommends (H)iding a character if he cannot act at the given range.

Anyway, 3 on 1 and me with a knife? I run. I take some hits, but get make it to the door.

My suspicion is that, I Richard, am the Public Enemy #1 referred to in the computer terminal, which is why they attacked on sight.

In any case I save and quit the game, mostly because I could show you the exit screen:

ss38_exit.jpg


I dunno, it just seemed so quaint. Interesting about save/load in this game, I quote the manual:
"Get into the healthy habit of saving your game when you are in good shape & in a safe place (Control-S). Every time you lod the game, all of the monsters are restored to life, so you don't want to save the game immediately after killing them"
(emphasis mine)

Whoa. My mind is completely blown. I am sure this will come into play huge later.

Pressing onward, back in the center of the map I see:
ss40.jpg


The sign says:
ss41.jpg


Again, infinite gold bars by reading the sign, but it's not like you can spend them in hell.
For some reason I (zenbitz) am spooked by the firepit -- we'll come back later. I head back North and East to see what out there...

ss42.jpg


Uh... I don't know WHAT that is... looks like it has Giant Boobies though. I'll talk to it.
ss43.jpg


Oh, my bad.

The building next store has a sign the reads "Capitalisits for a Free Hell". The building interior is the same as the others, but there is a large pile of buttons which read "Capitalist for a Free Hell". You can "use" them, but I have no idea what for. But the "Moaner" looking guy is actually....

ss45.jpg


Stalin! Oh, but how wacky! Now's he's a Free Market Capitalist. But hey, so what. He has a nail gun (15 uses) -- a medium range weapon, a Heavy Raincoat for defense, and a "16" steal skill. Plus, it's not like we have an option of not having him join the party.

Welcome to the team, Comrade Stalin.

Around back we find another "Monk" but not a Satanist. Instead...
ss46.jpg
.

Not sure if this is a plot point or a cheesy joke. Kinda hard to tell in this game.

Further north there is a building with a sign saying it's the "6th Court of Minos".
If you take a ticket:
ss47.jpg


Heh! Get IT!!! Because Buerocracy is HELLISH!!! Ahahaha!.... yeesh.

Here's a piece of the interior of the 6th Court; it's actually quite large:
ss49.jpg


The Moaner there trys to warn us again...
ggpht.com/_JoiC0vGwW3o/S5G4altf8cI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/t59lKSquDEU/s400/ss48.jpg[/img]

I think this is what the Evil Woman (bewbs!) was trying to say too. Unfortunatley, I thought the pink thing on the SS above was the receptionist, so I dodge that only to talk to the WRONG PERSON

ss50.jpg


And now I am in a fight, as 2 Hell Guards attack! I try to run, but I am pretty much trapped in the Courthouse (Choice & Consequence):

ss51.jpg


Both Stalin and I have taken some hits trying to run, so now we just stand and fight!
I don't have the screen shots (not that it's anything but text) but I'll try to catch some later. Stalin impales one in the brain with his nail gun, and I gut the other with my knife. 100 XP each! I do end up losing 1/2 my HP, but it heals you every time you move. In fact, If I may quote the manual yet again:

Dr. Faustus' Quick Cure If you party has just taken a severe licking from overzealous Hell Guards, you probably would like to be able to heal those wounds a little faster... by holding down the spacebar on your keyboard you can make time pass more quickly, & thus heal faster. If your party is close to death and needs to heal over 100 Hit Points, put something heavy on the spacebar key, and come back later. Of course, you will want to do this in a safe place, otherwise you're just standing around waiting to be attacked.

Hmmm.... what an intriguing game mechanic! I am sure it would never be abused!
Srsly. +Boggle+.

Anyway, threat neutralized, I press on, exploring the Courthouse, I meet a thug:
ss52.jpg


Look, some beefcake porn for the ladies as well! Truely an enlightened era in the game industry!

Oh, and as a matter of a fact...

ss53.jpg


I give the thug a light, and he tells me I need a Hell Badge and something else (which I didn't write down or screen cap... so I hope it's not super critical) to enter level two. Plus, he gives me a Pistol! So good deal for matches.

Nearby there is a Divine Telephones Incorporated phone... but all it says is "Withouth knowledge of a valid number, it's useless. Even 911 doesn't work".

There is another Evil Woman here... prolly the first one's sister, and you know what that means...

ss56.jpg


Oh yeah....

Oh, database... that's probably the laptop.... I didn't even realize that until typing up the post. I will go back and give it a try. I guess I was distracted. Actually I have a 20 year-old memory that laptop != database... but I'll probably try it anyway since I can always go back and get another laptop. (Remember, giving a NPC an item is permanent, even if it's not the one they are looking for)

Sitting on the couch is...
ss57.jpg


He's something of a bad ass, at least at this stage. He has a broadsword, garbage can lid shield, and a 19 archery skill (but no bow).

Now I have a full party... and actually have to get back and play the game some more.

Until next time... keep the home fires burning!
 

LusciousPear

Savant
Joined
Oct 22, 2009
Messages
722
Location
SF
MCA Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Shadorwun: Hong Kong
This is really engaging. I'm impressed.

I've tried many times to get into Wasteland... it's too unstructured for me. Maybe I need to man up.
 

lightbane

Arcane
Joined
Dec 27, 2008
Messages
10,156
Sinestris said:
Well, this game is already about 200% better than Dante's Inferno. (Good GOD I hate that game so goddamn much what did they do to my classic literature? *scream* It's a sad, sad day when the Dante from Devil May Cry has better characterisation than the Dante from Dante's Inferno!! FUCK!)

Duur, what did you expected with so much hype and trolling? Also, tell me that at least you didn't paid for it...
 

zenbitz

Scholar
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
295
Non update - update. Well, I my 'puter crashed in the middle of a game and I lost a bunch of play + screen shots... I don't save a lot becuase of the... you know whole monster respawning thing.

I will try to do 1 update / week or so...
 

zenbitz

Scholar
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
295
OK, I have a massive update of about 64 screen shots all uploaded. I just have to compose plus witty commentary them into ye mighty post when I find an hour or so online...

I guess I might as well get the page flipped as well
 

Cassidy

Arcane
Joined
Sep 9, 2007
Messages
7,922
Location
Vault City
Are there quests which require Lolbertarian Stalin and Genghis Khan to be in the party? Or are they just there for flavor?
 

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