Game: Powerslave (aka Exhumed)

PowerSlave (Exhumed in European territories and Seireki 1999: Pharaoh no Fukkatsu in Japan; the US title itself being a clear reference to the Iron Maiden album Powerslave which features Egyptian art on its cover), is a first-person shooter, developed by Lobotomy Software and published by Playmates Interactive Entertainment. It was released in 1996 in the US, for Sega Saturn, PlayStation and the PC. PowerSlave is set in an area around the ancient Egyptian city of Karnak in the late 20th Century. The city has been seized by unknown forces, with a special crack team of hardened soldiers sent to the valley of Karnak, to uncover the source of this trouble. However on the journey there, the player's helicopter is shot down and the player barely escapes. The player is sent in to the valley as the hero to save Karnak and the World. The player finds himself battling hordes of evil creatures including mummies, Anubis guardians of the dead, scorpions and evil spirits. The player's course of action is directed by the spirit of King Ramses, whose mummy was exhumed from its tomb by these evil creatures. Throughout the game, gameplay follows a standard first-person shooter formula. Familiar elements from the genre, such as collecting keys to open doors in a level, are present. As the game progresses, the player picks up a number of artifacts which in turn gives himself new abilities. Such abilities include being able to jump higher, levitate, breathe underwater, walk in lava, walk through force fields and jump further to reach previously inaccessible areas of the maps. In a similar fashion, there are a number of key symbols (Power, Time, War and Earth) that can open sealed doors in previously visited areas. Each map is connected together by a world-overview map in a similar manner to Super Mario World. File:Exhumed map.png Game world map (PC version) It should be noted, however, that this non-linear system only applies to the console versions. The PC version of PowerSlave is quite different compared to the console versions. These differences are noticeable by playing the two versions. Here is a list as follows: The PC version is running on the Build engine, licensed from 3D Realms. The version used is a slightly earlier version, written sometime before Duke Nukem 3D. The HUD interface is different. Players have usable Mana energy that can cast spells once the spell has been acquired (e.g. collecting a torch allows the player to use energy to illuminate dark areas). Ammo is not universal. Instead of blue orbs usable for all weapons, separate ammo is needed. Some sprites are different (e.g. M60 machine gun). Audible words are used for the player compared to grunts in the console versions (most notably, the character shouts, "Son of a bitch!" when attacked.) Grenades are used instead of Amun mines. Mummies fire a "white skull" attack, or a partly-homing red one, that when hit, turns the player into a mummy momentarily, additionally with the most powerful weapon in the game (mummy staff). Checkpoints are placed throughout the level by indication of golden scarabs. Red spiders are used instead of blue scorpions (also known as Terranians). The light sourcing from the Slavedriver engine is not used; the Build engine's own light sourcing is used instead. Levels are conducted in a more linear format rather than the free progression of the console editions. Players can save their progress after completing a level, and can replay previously completed levels, but later stages may only be played after completing the level prior. The Manacle of Power fires a lighting cloud above the enemy, rather than firing lighting bolts from the player's hands as in the console versions. Most of the artifacts from the console versions are not present in the PC version.
Each game uses different controls, most DOS games use the keyboard arrows. Some will use the mouse , "Alt" ,"Enter" and "Space bar".