Jacob's MatrixRogue-like as Twitch Game | Submitted by costik on Wed, 06/17/2009 - 15:53. |
Jacob's Matrix is a seven-day Rogue-like developed by Jeff Lait (of Fatherhood). It's also -- very un-Rogue-like, really.
Oh, it's a Rogue-like, all right; you're tooling around an algorithmically generated ASCII dungeon, moving in eight directions and fighting by running into things. But you're under time pressure: A song is playing, and if you don't finish the level by the time it ends, you lose. Maybe it's a "Musical Chairs-like."
Largely a remake of the much-loved Amiga game Defender of the Crown (later released for just about every platform available in the late 80s, including the NES), Heroes Live Forever updates the game with better graphics, fully digitized music, and a new gameplay element ("tactics" cards that give you special benefits during battles).
In Defender of the Crown, you play one of several great lords in England, attempting to unify the realm under your own rule. Conquering provinces produces tax revenues that you can use to increase the size of your army (but you have only one "army" which follows you, milord, about, and can purchase new units only at your castle, meaning you become vulnerable over time unless you return home frequently). Battles are fought out on screen; and joust and archery minigames can increase your "fame" (which allows you to earn more taxes and move farther distances). Conquering enemy castles requires (expensive) catapults.
