Continuing in this week of Terror I would like to discuss the game Ghost Hunters for
the ZX Spectrum; one of my child-hood favourites.
Written by the Oliver Twins and published by Codemasters in 1987, this wasn't an exclusive
to the Speccy, with accompanying Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC releases emerging in the
same year.
All of these were budget releases with the Spectrum & Amstrad costing £1.99, whilst
64 owners were required to pay an extra pound for the privilege of their SID chip, although
with a 35% score in ZZap magazine, it probably wasn't worth it.
A 77% review in Crash meant the Spectrum version faired considerably better, describing the
atmospheric graphics and absorbing gameplay of roaming the house, just as I remember.
In any cases, all versions featured artwork which felt at odds with the game-play.
This looks more like Rambo meets The Munsters and loses his S**t, whilst the game-play feels
more exploratory and you certainly don't get the feeling of an aggressive commando type
from your quiff wielding protagonist.
Even in the C64 version he appears to be wearing some kind of Crop-Top.
Let's just call it creepy.
The game exudes creepiness from the outset.
After loading we're presented with our place of exploration, Nightmare Mansion, along with
a rather funky Mysterioso Pizzicato inspired riff.
The story goes that Professor Twilight, the owner of Nightmare Mansion, has offered a
reward for the eradication of ghosts within it's walls.
Chuck Studbuckle has taken up the challenge, but after 5 days still has not emerged.
As his brother, it's your duty to rescue him.
We can therefore presume that the artwork shows Chuck Studbuckle whose muscle has been
unable to stop fear from over-taking him, and we're just the brother, wearing a jumper
who doesn't give a crap....
although our name is actually Hunk Studbuckle, so I guess if the shoe fits.
Starting the game presents you with "Ghost Hunters" both on screen and actually spoken
though the Spectrum's speaker.
This isn't through the 128k's AY chip either.
This is generated using some kind of Witchcraft through the 48k's tinny little bleeper.
We begin at the base of the castle, and I guess I was wrong about the jumper, because
I think Hunk is actually topless.
Good lord.
Any way, at least we're prepared in other departments, with a trusty map to guide us.
This was probably my favourite screen in the game.
It was like a big maze, and although lacking in detail, if you extrapolate each room and
build it into a more detailed map, you can see everything belongs where it should.
The map itself is activated using the "P" key, but if you press the "P" key again to
exit, you actually quit the entire game.
Yep, gotta be careful there.
You actually need to press FIRE to return to the game.
This caused me no end of pain, and whoever designed that element needs to be hunted themselves.
You also get a chance to choose the in game colours.
Red is probably more appropriate, but it's harder to see, so we'll stick with blue.
The game is completely monochrome inside it's borders to prevent Spectrum attribute clash.
The first item we encounter is a Blood Goblet, which activates an accompanying lift, and
this is essentially how play continues, you find items, which activates a lift somewhere
on the map.
You do this whilst evading the munsters which appear to be packed wall to wall in this place.
Yvette Fielding would have a, errr, Field day.
Armed with the ability to walk left and right, whilst also jumping up and falling down, our
task is to search from room to room in order to find the items that will lead us to Chuck
(bless his heart), and it's here where we're presented with our first taste of fragile
machoism, because if you hang about for too long whilst surrounded by Terrors, your TerroMeter
will rise and subsequently your macho bar depletes.
Once depleted fully, the rescue is over.
Essentially you need to keep yourself occupied and stay away from the Munsters to stave off
the fear.
If you can't move away from them, then attack is the alternative option.
You do this by holding down FIRE, which allows you to take control of the latest sub-compact
anti-matter Phantom Splatterer, depicted as an on screen target.
You can move this target about as if you were playing a game like Operation Wolf, and once
you release FIRE you go back to controlling your character.
Even better, if you play the game with a friend, then player 2 takes exclusive control of the
gun, leaving you to move about.
This is really the best way to play, even when you're both cramped around the tiny Spectrum
keyboard.
My brother and I would pour hours into this mode of the game.
It's worth noting that there are 2 distinct types of enemy.
First you get the annoying critters which adorn each screen, but the second - and much
more fearful - type, are the demons, like this chap, who just appear on screen and eat
away at your Macho energy.
Thankfully you can indeed replenish this bar through bubbling potions found throughout
the castle.
I presume it's Irn-Bru or something similar...
maybe whiskey.
Whatever it is, you get to hear that amazing speech synthesis every time, so it's more
than worthwhile.
As a game now days, everything feels a bit sluggish, but yet you need to move fast so
that you don't get terrorised to death, either that or blast everything that moves.
Even then, the cross hair mechanic soon becomes irritating, especially with it's slow movement;
it feels like you're hauling a weight about on a piece of string.
But yet, when I was younger, this game was amazing.
Like a lot of games of that time, I didn't progress far, but just moving from room to
room, soaking up the atmosphere and imagining myself on this little ghost quest was all
I needed.
Even if this is a piss poor design for a castle.
And really it's a quest.
You're not really hunting ghosts.
You're trying to get out of their way, whilst rescuing Chuck, and when you do finally find
him, he's just lurking between some suits of armour.
I imagine he's lost his shoe, because once you pick this one up, he pegs it, leaving
you to find your own way out.
When you do get out, you're told you've freed Buster....
BUSTER?
Who the hell is Buster?
Are you telling me that I've got to go back in and get Chuck?
Screw that.