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Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story – Review (Steam)

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  • TITLE: Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story
  • PUBLISHER: Digital Eclipse
  • DEVELOPER: Digital Eclipse
  • PLATFORMS: Nintendo Switch, PS4 / PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC
  • RELEASE DATE: March 13, 2024 (It’s out right now!)

We had been looking forward to Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story for a while, so when the opportunity presented itself to take the Yak’s game for a spin, we weren’t going to say no!

Right off the bat, this second release in Digital Eclipse’s Gold Master Series ticks all the boxes, including very importantly, the nostalgia inducing and retro gamer boxes. If you are unfamiliar with Jeff Minter, that’s fine, this title will acquaint you (or reacquaint you if you had forgotten) who Jeff Minter is, and what this Llamasoft business is all about. For anyone that’s a Gen X’er, we’d be quite surprised (Ed: and appalled) if you hadn’t heard of the Great Yak and/or played any of his games over the years!

With the pedigree of Digital Eclipse, it was never in doubt that they would create a treasure-filled archive of Jeff Minter’s body of work in their uniquely interactive documentary, just as they did with their amazing titles, The Making Of Karateka and Atari 50.

The gameplay in Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story offers a unique and engaging experience that allows players to delve into Jeff Minter’s creative evolution and explore his extensive catalogue of games. Players can play through 42 Llamasoft games released between 1981 and 1994, providing a comprehensive look at Minter’s work. And before you ask, no, the Atari Jaguar game, Defender 2000, is not included in the list of playable titles. Neither Jeff nor Atari own the rights to Defender, which is a shame. Oh yeah, for those with superhero hearing, you may also notice that Llamatron 2112 sounds a tad different. Again, this was due to a couple of things, one, certain sounds had to be replaced due to licensing, and two, there were multiple versions of Llamatron 2112, each with differing sounds and effects.

This interactive documentary game not only showcases Minter’s classic games but also contextualizes them with archival material, video interviews, photos, quotes, and magazine articles. By playing these games chronologically, players can witness the evolution of Minter’s design skills and creative process in real time.

The gameplay experience varies depending on individual preferences and familiarity with retro gaming, but the controls do feel like second nature. Players can expect to encounter a diverse range of titles, from career-defining hits like Iridis Alpha to more experimental and creative games that reflect Minter’s unique style. The game offers a mix of short and longer gameplay experiences, catering to different levels of interest in gaming history.

Overall, Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story provides an unmatched journey into the mind of one of gaming’s most distinctive figures, offering a blend of entertainment, historical insight, and appreciation for Jeff Minter’s contributions to the gaming industry.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – If you are a Jeff Minter fan, then this is a MUST HAVE title!

 

Disclaimer: Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story Steam review code supplied by Digital Eclipse

Heart of Neon: A Life Inside Video Games

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You’ve either heard of Jeff Minter or you haven’t. If you have, then that means you know he creates high-octane, psychedelic retro-style shoot’em up video games, usually with a camel, llama or some other ungulate. Perhaps you don’t know Jeff, but you have played Tempest 2000 on the Atari Jaguar, arguably Jeff’s best known game. It’s mind blowing to think that Tempest 2000 was released 25 years ago, when Jeff was already a decade plus into his game development career, which is still going strong today, with the impending release of Minotaur Arcade Vol 1 on the PlayStation 4.

A story of one game designer making video games for four decades deserves to be told. That’s the mission of Paul Docherty, a filmmaker who himself used to work as a graphics designer in the early days of video games. Paul is now making a feature documentary called HEART OF NEON, which centres around Jeff and Llamasoft. He talks about the documentary’s goals in more detail here.

Paul is currently raising funds to help put Jeff’s legend out into the world, and he’s gratefully accepting crowdfunding pledges right now!

You can follow everything about the Heart of Neon documentary on Twitter, Facebook, Twitch and Instagram.

image source: Paul Docherty – Heart of Neon

 

Tempest 4000: The Tube Shooter Comes of Age

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In the beginning there was Dave Theurer’s tube shooter, Tempest. Then came Jeff Minter’s Tempest 2000 on the Jaguar, a psychedelic take on Dave’s masterpiece. This was then followed by Tempest 3000 on the defunct Nuon and finally the contemporary take on Tempest for the PS Vita, the awesome TxK. And now we have the imminent release of this iconic tube shooter, Tempest 4000, again coded by Llamasoft’s Yak (Jeff Minter), which means the franchise is still in great hands!

Strap into your Claw peeps, cause the adrenaline-pumping Tempest 4000 will be available on your PlayStation®4 and Xbox One systems on July 17, 2018 for $29.99!

The original Tempest was one of the first videogames to use 3D vector graphics, securing itself as one of Atari’s hallmark titles and one of the most popular arcade games of all time. It has been featured prominently across pop culture, including Ernest Cline’s dystopian Ready Player One novel.

Developed by legendary game designer Jeff Minter, Tempest 4000 remains faithful to the fast-paced gameplay of the arcade original, while adding brand new features and visually stunning graphics.

As in the original game, players are in control of the Claw, a powerful spacecraft equipped to destroy deadly creatures and other obstructions with rapid-fire shots on vibrant geometric prisms. With three game modes to choose from and 100 levels to conquer, players must eliminate all enemies as quickly as possible to survive, aiming for the coveted spot at the top of the leaderboards.

Additional Key Features Include:

  • Arcade Style Shooter: Hordes of enemies will test players’ reflexes in this fast-paced arcade style shoot ’em up;
  • Visually Stunning Graphics: Revamping the look of the original arcade game, Tempest 4000 features vibrant graphics in sharp 4K resolution;
  • Multiple Game Modes: Three different game modes will push players’ skills to the limit, including Classic, Pure and Survival:
    • Classic: Equipped with three lives, players battle through enemies until all lives run out. Players can begin their next playthrough from the last completed stage with their previous high score.
    • Pure: The classic arcade mode, Pure gives players three lives to start from the beginning and progress as far as possible.
    • Survival: A brutal challenge, Survival gives players eight lives to survive as long as possible.
  • Level Up: With 100 unique geometric levels to progress through, players must equip themselves with various weapons and power-ups, earning upgrades through bonus rounds;
  • Global Leaderboards: Players can duke it out for the top spots on leaderboards for all three game modes in the quest to be recognized as number one;
  • Retro Techno Soundtrack: In true retro space shooter style, the game features a thumping soundtrack inspired by early 1990s techno;
  • Old School Gameplay: Nostalgia is here to stay with the traditional gameplay of the original Tempest with enhanced graphics on current generation consoles.

We can’t wait to EAT ELECTRIC DEATH!

image source: Tempest 4000

TxK: The Killer App

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TxK_topFormat: PS Vita
Year: 2014
Developer: Llamasoft
Cost: $10.35

I am going to go against the grain here and write about a current gen video game. It’s no ordinary game, it has it’s roots in the arcades dating back to 1981. The game I speak of is TxK. What praises can be written here that haven’t already been lavished on this beautiful game by the great Yak, Jeff Minter (Llamasoft).

TxK_Level-select

For starters, this is no ordinary update on Dave Theurer’s original arcade smash hit Tempest, or Jeff’s own Tempest 2000 on the Atari Jaguar. TxK brings Tempest well and truly into the 21st century. This tube shooter captures your attention and gobbles up a lot of your free time, not just the PS Vita battery. Words like mesmerising, sublime, frantic, nail-biting and intense come to mind when describing TxK.

TxK_playfield

For those that have just arrived on this planet, TxK is a tube/web shooter, where your ship is attached to the top edge (rim) of a web playfield, shooting at enemies approaching from the background into the foreground. Your mission is to clear each of the 100 playfields and not allow the enemies to shoot you down or capture your ship. To assist you in getting further into the game, each level provides power-ups that can unleash screen-clearing bombs or provide you with an AI Droid which is handy in clearing enemies that have jumped up on the rim.

TxK_blast

Coupled with the gorgeous psychedelic visuals, Jeff Minter has also thrown in some catchy, rave-inspired soundtracks. With an ingenious save system and modes of play, TxK is clean, perfectly designed and bristling with high energy.

Verdict: If there is one game that will convince you to buy a PS Vita, it is TxK. It has ‘killer app’ written all over it.

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