First Person Shooters (FPS) were not really a thing until the early 90s when Wolfenstein 3D released. Prior to that release there were indeed FPS games, but they were just not that popular. Maybe it was poor marketing, poor technology, or a combination of those and hindered development. No one really knows. What I do know is, Escape from PETSCII Castle is beyond impressive. I was not aware the Commodore 64 could do this.
Bare Minimum with Impressive Results
The first thing you may notice with Preview #3 is, the sheer speed that Escape from PETSCII Castle has picked up since we last looked at it. Not only that, there are now enemies, in a VERY minimalist style – they are basically color squares floating around in the level.
Those enemies do show off a bit of intelligence – they do not just run at you. They often hide around corners, waiting before making their move.
Capturing That Sense of Dread
Personally, I think Escape from ASCII Castle looks like it is full of dread. You are in a dank castle, rather than a modern looking one with pictures, tables, etc. There is absolutely nothing giving that inviting appearance or sense of familiarity.
That just drives the feel of dread higher to me. I like it.
The graphics being minimalist gives that appearance that this was released back in the mid-80s. I cannot imagine the work that went into making this happen though, I am eternally stuck with “Hello World” being the extent of my programming experience.
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What is your favorite FPS? Let me know in the comments below. I am partial to SiN or Shogo Mobile Armor Division, both on PC.