[#7] Alt-ernately A Gr-eat Game!

Review by windchimera734 on Sunday, February 22nd 2015

A review of Alt Gr, by 0minutes.

*Introductory*

Hello again loyal readers. Shiftry here, with a game that�s a real blast from the past! For a couple of my �reviews in progress�, I will be travelling back to the featured games that were the current trend during my first stages on this site. And, with a more advanced knowledge on the games present here, I wish to review a game that defines a genuine featured shooter.

*Initial Expectations*

When I first played this game, I had never really got the techniques required to progress in Classic Shooters, but I was willing to give this game a shot. 0minutes is an extremely well-known member who has produced over a dozen of top-notch games that we can�t get enough of. This older game is no exception; but I never knew that at the time now did I? I had an open perspective when it comes to games back then, so I was ready for some inspiration. Now let�s begin our �voyage dans le pass�...

*Analysis and Evaluation*

From a retro perspective, the game looks incredible. The first sequence left players in a dazzled trance. �You can�t move� was the thought going through your head upon your first test-run of this game. You are locked in place, surrounded by a quad-barrage of mortars, that would pummel your ship if you fail to trigger the escape. Although I did indeed get past this first sequence, I unfortunately cannot work out how it was made. 0minutes is a wizard.

Once you escape your first test, you can explore the narrow, but beautifully crafted corridors. Most enemies are concealed, thus you must make use of your arsenal. I feel that the game has a good balance of threat, whilst giving the player room to compose yourself. This game was the first Classic Shooter that I actually wanted to play again and again, until I beat it.

The story of Alt Gr interests me. It seems to be military oriented, but it�s still pretty vague. I always saw the player as a test subject that malfunctioned, or deliberately chose to disobey commands. Were you scheduled to be terminated? Was that what the beginning sequence was about? Anyway, once you progress you will find a lot of loose paths that have blockages, or doors that you must open. The game features an explorable map, so the player can navigate and explore to a certain extent.

Traps and enemies are placed tactically, to force the player to improvise, instead of manoeuvring between enemy ships with guns blazing. Not a lot of Classic Shooters have this much strategy involved. To this day, nobody has a place on the scoreboard. I, myself dedicated a lot of time trying to figure the game out, but there�s one puzzle that I have yet to master. For now, I must judge with what I experienced and wonder what I have missed.

*Pros and Cons*

- Incredible level design

- Enforces Strategy

- Clever mechanics/puzzles

- May be a broken game?

*Scores*

*Final Comment*

Definitely a feel-good game, if you can get further than the beginning. This game is incredible (although not revolutionary) and it�s a shame that it got such a low reception for the content it possesses. I hope I did some justice by creating this overdue review. For now I will assume it to be impossible to beat, but there�s no doubt in my mind that I�ll return to beat it somehow. I�ve never played a game so much before.

Thanks for reading. ~ windchimera734/Shiftry

9/10