Home Alone

Home Alone description

Game incarnation of the famous "family Christmas" American film of the 1990-year "home Alone" is a bright proof that even kinolitsenziyam you can make great and original computer games.

But first a few words about the story – in case someone did not see this the same tape. This position is presented in three images in the introduction to the game: a big and United family MC Kalantarov, going on vacation abroad, accidentally forgot her youngest child, eight-year-old Kevin. Unfortunately, the departure of the family becomes known to the two bandits, burglars, Harry and Marv, who have conceived for the occasion to Rob a huge mansion, – "unfortunately" for themselves, for the young Kevin learned about their intentions, firmly decides to act on the basis of the principle "my house – my fortress". So for the would-be burglars confrontation one boy of primary school age turns into a series of serious injuries and other occupational injuries...

But where Harry and Marv will be able to fully take revenge on his young tormentor is created by Iwan manly and his colleagues in the computer game. At least, in versions for the IBM and Amiga, which was released in 1991 and is a remarkable originality, combining elements of arcade (run, jump, and even shoot will always have), and logical puzzles. We have, of course, for Kevin, is displayed on the screen with the side view and moving through the numerous rooms and corridors of his mansion (as a rule, one screen will not fit).

The gameplay is clearly divided into two parts. Phase 1 is to prepare the house to adopt intruders to collect the room all sorts of objects that can serve as traps, and place them in the right positions, play the hours game time (8 to 9 am) or about six and a half minutes real time. Items such only have 26 pieces – for example, a sack of flour, which can be hung from the ceiling, or the hose that leaves while using big puddle on the floor. Special items of this number are tarantula from the collection of the older brother (which is her catch and release, not sitting in one place, and moves from room to room by itself) and a BB gun.

To use it will have in the next part of the game, in the "Phase 2", which comes is arrow hours to reach the nine (or, if you managed to prepare all the surprises ahead of time, the time can be scrolled by pressing N). Now our task is to lure both bandits (penetrating into the house in different ways and moving away from each other) in the traps (most do not fall into their hands). The trick is that the further Harry and Marv are from Kevin, the higher the chance that the trap will not work – should they find themselves in the nearby and even more in the same room as our hero, as they forget about everything in the world and serve as easy prey to await their irons and fire extinguishers. However, Kevin then you have to behave very carefully in order to have time to get away, not after letting a robber to yourself too close. And that's not to mention the fact that there is a considerable risk to fall into the trap that – harm we no not get but one meal for the guests we have will be less. In stock at Kevin's in store and a couple of secret ways to move around the house, inaccessible to Harry and Marv (for example, the path from the window of the attic in the tree house), which gives us a downright strategic.

Each of the two bandits initially have 50 points of "health" that we should make every effort to spoil: getting into any of the traps, costing them five points. In addition, it is extremely important turns out to be a BB gun – the only thing that we keep in inventory, since the first phase: firstly, it is possible to shoot once in each of the robbers, causing them to harm a single size in the same five points; secondly, although after the first use of these weapons ceases to be so formidable and repeated salvo have no damage does not cause, he is still able for a few moments stop walking to us of the enemy, which gives us precious seconds needed to escape. And thirdly, just using the shots, you can activate some traps, the number hanging from the ceiling or on the jamb of the open door.

It is easy to calculate that in this scenario, forces will need to successfully install and activate at least eighteen traps of twenty-five, not counting the shots from a gun: the task is not trivial and requires considerable ingenuity for the correct placement of traps in the first Chapter, in the light of all possible future trajectories of the movement of Harry and Marv's mansion muck-Kalantarov and more agility at the second Chapter skillfully to jump over their own traps and cunning to lure them into its antagonists. Be ready to see the "Game Over" screen from getting Kevin into the arms of the robbers have not one or five times before you manage to capture in the final table players winning score of 100 points.

I should add that the graphics in "Home Alone" looks very good. In addition to the main Windows overlooking the current location, the screen also displays the status of the two visitors – the right and left above: in the first Chapter there appear to be simply portraits of Harry and Marv closeup, and the second – they are moving towards us figures (staying in contact with the trap). The Central upper part of the screen is occupied by notebook Kevin: initially displays the name of the room in which we are, and taken but not yet placed in places objects for traps (take their are allowed three pieces at a time), as well as the current time and the number of already prepared surprises. In the second part of the game to this last is added, and counter damage caused each of our opponents. Also gladdens sound effects of the game with its music, requiring for their sound cards AdLib or Roland LAPC-1 / MT-32 (Sound Blaster officially supported, but as a separate item in settings doesn't appear; much worse will be the sound when you select a device as the Tandy or PC Speaker – in the latter case the music only in the Intro).

But the implementation of control in the game – perhaps the only thing you can complain about. Kevin moved with the arrow keys – left, right, up, – if in the depth of the current location of a window, door, stairs, etc. (the validity of such movement is always indicated by the appropriate signature on the "Notepad" in the center top). Keys to "jump" and "shoot" is the only one that is allowed to configure (by running ha.exe with the key "r" or through a separate executable file haconfig.exe), – and then only four possible options to choose from ("0" and numeric keypad "+", "0", the numeric keypad and the Enter, Tab and Space or Z and X). Enjoy often, especially the jump, without which Kevin can't even take many of the highly placed items, so choose the most convenient combination. However, even worse is that the following three teams firmly tied to the function keys F1, F2 and F3. In the first phase, with their help, we raised respectively available items (invitingly flashing when approaching them), choose one of the two or three available in the inventory, and set itself in the right place. On the screen of potential places to use taken and the currently selected object are displayed by crosses, and when approaching him – an arrow "HERE!". The F3 key allows and just throw an item in any other place, but then to use it again will need to pick up. Finally, in the second phase of the game by pressing F2, you can scroll through the names of the installed but not yet activated traps, and F3 remind you of their location.

Still, even this is not the most convenient operation, to play "Home Alone" is interesting, difficult and unusual. Unique gameplay, skillfully balancing between the tasks on speed and quickness, nice graphics and fun protecting your home from burglars – what else is needed for full happiness the lover of old games?

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Source: Archive.org, Mobygames.com