Scallywag: Lair of the Medusa Demo Released

Dhruin

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A couple of days ago Shrapnel released a demo for their oddly-named indie "dungeon basher", Scallywag: Lair of the Medusa. Here is the press released:
Fun With Pointy Sticks And Special 'Shrooms!
Scallywag: In the Lair of the Medusa Demo For Windows Now Available!

Hampstead, NC, 09 August 2007

Monty Haulers, hack and slashers, and Deadheads of the world, rejoice! The official demo for Scallywag: In the Lair of the Medusa, the computer game that promotes eating strange fungi and killing everything you see (remember kids, don't try this at home!), is now available for download from Shrapnel Games. The demo features fifteen levels of monster whacking goodness, and even provides players with a sneak peak at the possibilities for mod making offered in the full game by allowing some basic modding experimentation to occur (the full game will allow much, much more).

Developed by UK-based Chronic Reality and published by Shrapnel Games, Scallywag: In the Lair of the Medusa is the upcoming fantasy game of dungeon exploration, mushroom eating, and lantern lighting for Windows based PCs. From now until August 26th it may be pre-ordered at the reduced price of $24.95 directly from the Gamers Front, the Shrapnel Games e-store. After August 26th it reverts to its normal retail price of $29.95. Pre-ordering will not only allow you to keep five dollars for yourself, but guarantees that you will be one of the first to own the game when it ships.

Scallywag: In the Lair of the Medusa is a single-player adventure pitting the player, as humble farm worker Rapius, against the forces of darkness that threaten his once quaint valley. Choose from four levels of difficulty, and battle your way through eighty levels of action amongst eight different worlds, growing in heroic power along the way. Each descent into the catacombs is randomly generated, so you'll never know if the next cavern contains a healing potion, or twelve feet and six hundred pounds of pure evil ready to suck the marrow from your bones.

Like any good dungeoncrawl Rapius can collect oodles of equipment to help him on his quest, many of which that can be combined to make even better items. Not only that, but dining on the local flora is strongly encouraged. Putting the "magic" in magic mushrooms, many 'shrooms mutate Rapius in beneficial ways. All told there are twenty different mutators in Scallywag: In the Lair of the Medusa that can affect the player, with a great number that stack for some truly wild effects. Drunk invisible werewolf, anyone?

If the scores of randomly generated levels populated with numerous monsters to kill, and all the cool lewt to snag isn't enough, Scallywag: In the Lair of the Medusa also ships with its own +5 modding utility, RAGe. RAGe (Random Adventure Game engine) allows anyone—you, your dog, someone's grandmother, the blind paraplegic flamenco dancer down the street—to mod the game. Modding can be as simple or complex as you want it to be. Spend a few minutes and drop in a new mystical weapon, or spend a few days and do a total conversion. In the demo you'll get a chance to experience a little of what RAGe has to offer. The full game allows much more complex mod-making, along with the ability to easily download and run user created content.

Enough talk, there are monsters to hack! Treasure to liberate! And the joy of mycology to discover! Download the demo from the following link:

www.shrapnelgames.com/chronicreality/scallywag/6.htm

To pre-order Scallywag: In the Lair of the Medusa head on over to:

www.gamersfront.com/xcart/product.php?productid=16179&cat=256&page=

Remember, through August 26th you can snag it for only $24.95. After the 26th it will sell for its normal retail price of $29.95.
If you give it a go, throw some comments in so we know whether to continue covering this title.
More information.
 
Joined
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Wow 15 levels, sounds good to me. About all I can stand usually with a lot of roguelikes is 10. This one looks good to me, shroom moonshine will it allow me to see in the dark?
 
Joined
Mar 17, 2007
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Tried it out and got to about level 3 before a bat got me. I hadn't yet found the catapult so I couldn't throw rocks at him. Combat was real time and sometimes I was challenged to find the mouse or bat or what have you before taking a few hits.

One sort of neat thing you can turn up or down the lantern and change how fast you go through fuel. Sorta cool - I dislike the "timer" effect the lantern gives the game. It is another dimension of play, one more thing to keep in mind and worry about.

Basic premise is get treasure and find the rope (read: key) for the pit to the next level. There seems to be one chest and one key on each level. The automap is nice, but it would be better if it showed you where walls were rather than just a box for each grid area you've seen. Make it easier to reveal the entire map, a goal the game tells you when you've completed it.

I'd say "yes" to the question of further coverage. Not sure if I'd spring $25 for it. Maybe - back to the demo I guess.

Look forward to more critiques.
 
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