Ghost Battle
{{Short description|1991 video game}}
{{use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Ghost Battle
| image = Ghost Battle cover.jpg
| developer = Interactive Design{{cite video game |title=Ghost Battle |developer=Interactive Design |publisher=Thalion Software |date=1991 |platform=Amiga |version= |level=Title screen |language= |quote=By Erwin Kloibhofer and Henk Nieborg, music by Jochen Hippel, produced by Interactive Design, (C) 1991 by Thalion}}
| publisher = Thalion Software
| producer =
| designer =
| programmer = Erwin Kloibhofer
| writer =
| composer = Jochen Hippel
| engine =
| series =
| released = {{vgrelease|EU|1991}}
| genre = Platform
| modes = Single-player
}}
Ghost Battle is a platform game developed by Interactive Design and published in 1991 by Thalion Software for the Amiga and ported to the Atari ST.{{cite video game |title=Ghost Battle |developer=Interactive Design |publisher=Thalion Software |date=1991 |platform=Atari ST |version= |level=Title screen |language= |quote=Converted to Atari by Michael Bittner}} It was developed by Austrian programmer Erwin Kloibhofer and Dutch graphic designer Henk Nieborg who were hired by Thalion after the game was published. Ghost Battle was influenced by Ghosts 'n Goblins, Green Beret, and various horror films.{{cite web|url = https://www.retrovideogamer.co.uk/rvg-interviews-henk-nieborg/|title = RVG Interviews: Henk Nieborg|work = at RVG|date=7 June 2018}} The pair later developed Lionheart (1993).
Gameplay
The game is a side-scrolling platformer that consists of five levels. Three difficulty levels can be chosen at the beginning: easy, normal, hard. The player is a barbarian that has wandered into an evil forest and witnesses a princess being captured. The barbarian can throw rocks and bombs at the enemies. Additional weapons are available that are guarded by monsters.
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| ASM = 4/12 (Amiga){{cite magazine |last1=Fuchser |first1=Dirk |title=Barbarisch |journal=Aktueller Software Markt |date=July 1991 |volume=6 |issue=7/91 |page=60 |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/a/ac/ASM_DE_1991-07.pdf#page=60 |publisher=Tronic-Verlag |language=German |quote=Preis/Leistung: 4/12}}
5/12 (ST){{cite magazine |last1=Fuchser |first1=Dirk |title=Konvertierungen - Ghost Battle |journal=Aktueller Software Markt |date=January 1992 |volume=7 |issue=1/92 |page=112 |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/b/b1/ASM_DE_1992-01.pdf#page=112 |publisher=Tronic-Verlag |language=German |quote=Gesamtnote: 5/12}}
| AmAction = 78%{{cite magazine |title=Reviews - Ghost Battle |journal=Amiga Action |date=August 1991 |issue=23 |page=90 |url=https://archive.org/details/amigaaction23/page/n91/mode/2up |publisher=Europress}}
| AmFormat = 69%{{cite magazine |last1=Webb |first1=Trenton |title=Screenplay - Ghost Battle |journal=Amiga Format |date=August 1991 |issue=25 |pages=82–83 |url=https://amr.abime.net/review_2185 |publisher=Future plc}}
| GX = 3/5 (Amiga, ST){{cite magazine |last1=Sharp |first1=Brian |title=Games Reviews - Ghost Battle [Amiga] |journal=Games-X |date=24 May 1991 |issue=5 |page=18 |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/c/c4/GamesX_UK_05.pdf#page=18 |publisher=Europress}}{{cite magazine |title=Games Reviews - Ghost Battle [Atari ST] |journal=Games-X |date=8 August 1991 |issue=16 |page=23 |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/6/65/GamesX_UK_16.pdf#page=23 |publisher=Europress}}
| rev1 = The One
| rev1Score = 77% (Amiga){{cite magazine |last1=Presley |first1=Paul |title=Review - Ghost Battle |journal=The One |date=July 1991 |issue=34 |page=64 |url=https://archive.org/details/theone-magazine-34/page/n63/mode/2up |publisher=EMAP}}
}}
Ghost Battle received generally average reviews from critics. Amiga Action recommended the game overall but didn't like the slow movement of the main character and the badly translated manual. Amiga Format praised the puzzles, graphics and soundtrack. Games-X compared the game to Horror Zombies from the Crypt (1990). Graphics and sound were praised, the gameplay was said to be uninteresting at first but getting better over time. The One found the music to be the game's best feature. Graphics were described as nothing special, gameplay as "largely uninspired", and controls as "very finicky".
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{moby game|id=/26006/ghost-battle}}
- {{abime|id=2721}}
- {{atarimania|id=9437}}
{{Thalion Software}}
Category:Europe-exclusive video games
Category:Side-scrolling platformers
Category:Single-player video games