Lobotomy developed the first person shooter, PowerSlave, and Playmates Interactive Entertainment published it for the PC port in 1997. It has an ancient Egyptian attraction, featuring characters from Egyptian lore, and a lot of color to keep the gamer’s interest.
Set near 20th century Karnak in Egypt, PowerSlave revolves around the plight of the city. A mysterious force has overrun Karnak, and the hero is sent to investigate, accompanied by a squad of elite soldiers. However, the helicopter bearing the would-be heroes is shot down over the desert, and the player manages to escape and carry on to Karnak.
Lobotomy developed the first person shooter, PowerSlave, and Playmates Interactive Entertainment published it for the PC port in 1997. It has an ancient Egyptian attraction, featuring characters from Egyptian lore, and a lot of color to keep the gamer’s interest.
Set near 20th century Karnak in Egypt, PowerSlave revolves around the plight of the city. A mysterious force has overrun Karnak, and the hero is sent to investigate, accompanied by a squad of elite soldiers. However, the helicopter bearing the would-be heroes is shot down over the desert, and the player manages to escape and carry on to Karnak. On the way, the hero must battle many Egyptian themed baddies, including crab-like scorpions, mummies, and an Anubis styled guardian of the dead. The spirit of King
Ramses, whose body was taken from its tomb by these evil creatures, spurs the hero on.
As play progresses over the shoulder of the hero, the user will see many features common to most first person shooters. As the screen scrolls forward, players must navigate the hero toward oncoming keys in order to open locked doors. There are also eight pieces of a radio transmitter that must be collected in order to reach the immortal status. Players can also upgrade their shooter by acquiring better weapons, such as the Ring of Ra or the Cobra Staff, both of which shoot projectiles at oncoming enemies.
Some notable differences between other shooters and the PC version of PowerSlave include non-universal ammunition. Appropriate ammunition is needed for whatever weapons the hero is using. There are also checkpoints throughout each level in the form of golden scarabs, encouraging players to save their games often. There are also noticeable audio differences. Instead of just shots, explosions, and grunts, there are real sound effects and voices in this game. (Note: The hero does actually curse when struck, and the wording is quite discernable…a cautionary statement to those with small children)
Overall, the color and graphics are mediocre, and the game play is fairly smooth. The audio is almost too good in places and the plot is easy to follow and interesting. The levels do get increasingly harder, but there is just not a lot of difference in them, making them tedious. Still, this is worth a look. It will provide several hours of blasting entertainment.
