Strontium Dog: The Killing
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| Strontium Dog: The Killing | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer | Channel 8 Software |
| Publisher | Quicksilva |
| Series | Strontium Dog |
| Platform | ZX Spectrum |
| Release |
|
| Genre | Action |
| Mode | Single-player |
Strontium Dog: The Killing is an action game developed by Channel 8 Software and published by Quicksilva. The game was released for the ZX Spectrum in 1984.
The game is based on the story of the same name from the British comic book series "Strontium Dog", which is published in 2000 AD magazine.[1] The game stars Johnny Alpha, one of the mutant bounty hunters known as "strontium dogs". He undertakes a dangerous mission on the alien planet Zed, located somewhere at the center of the Milky Way galaxy.[2][3]
The game begins with an introductory scene showing the dictators of Zed announcing the start of an annual ritual called "The Killing". During this event, the dictators sacrifice a victim and stage a contest between killers from every corner of the galaxy. The participants, who are criminals with bounties on their heads, must fight to the death in a city serving as the killing ground. The sole survivor of the contest is awarded a substantial monetary prize.[2][3]
Johnny Alpha enters the contest with the dual objectives of collecting bounties on the criminal participants and ultimately destroying the dictators of Zed to put an end to their brutal ritual.[1][2][3]
Gameplay
Strontium Dog: The Killing is an action game set in a large maze consisting of 256 rooms, arranged in a 16x16 grid. The player controls the main character, Johnny Alpha, as he navigates through the maze to find and eliminate alien killers. The rooms, also referred to as sectors, are relatively similar in design. The objective is to explore the maze, locate the enemies, and kill them while avoiding their attacks.[1][4][5]
The gameplay primarily takes place in two types of rooms: those with central passages and those serving as passageways to other sectors. In rooms with central passages enemies run down the sides of the room and fire energy bolts that bounce and travel in a diamond shape, making tighter loops before expiring. The player must dodge these bolts while attempting to shoot the enemies, which is largely based on chance. Character cannot move while firing.[2][4][5]
In passageway rooms, enemies can also appear and ambush Johnny, immediately opening fire upon spotting him. The game features a single difficulty level and is considered challenging due to its size and the ease with which players can become lost. To aid in navigation and ensure all enemies are found, players are encouraged to create their own maps of the maze.[1][2]
Johnny Alpha is equipped with a laser gun that has unlimited charges and three electro-flares. The player begins the game with four lives, and losing all lives results in a game over, returning the player to the intro screen.[1][5]
The game's display shows the current room and the main character, with a status panel located in the top left corner. This panel provides information such as the player's score in bounty points, the current sector number, the number of lives remaining, and the count of enemies still alive, which starts at 93.[1][2]
