

Sci-fi 3D animated adventures on the Amiga CD-32 and the Amiga: Darkseed (by Cyberdreams), Beneath a Steel Sky (by Virgin) and Universe (by Core Design).
I've been a fan of science fiction ever since my father took me to see Star Wars when I was a wee tot. Since then, I moved through Alan Dean Foster, Douglas Adams and J.R.R. Tolkien (for fantasy) in elementary school, learned to role play in junior high and got into computer gaming as I entered high school. Interplay had just released the groundbreaking title, Neuromancer, and I had gotten the game and novel (by William Gibson) within a short amount of time of each other. So, I learned about this "new" genre known as Cyberpunk and promptly found out how ahead of its and my time my fascination with it was. 
	That was the late eighties and, by now, cyberpunk is a standard in the gaming world. The genre has taken many forms, been stretched on a whim and there is more than a little speculation as to what qualifies. On the Amiga and, more specifically, the CD-32, I found three titles that cover aspects of the genre in different ways. All three games were done in the "Sierra-style" and all three are better than pretty much anything Sierra ever did with the Amiga.
	DarkSeed, by Cyberdreams, was originally released way back when in 1992. It was the company's first project and it was exciting stuff. Using the dark, disturbing biomechanical artwork of H.R Giger, DarkSeed creates a dual, completely intertwined and horrific universe to explore. Playing the role of writer-wannabe, Mike Dawson, you find yourself racing through a nightmare plot to save not just your own alien implanted skull, but the Earth as well. The game suffered criticism because it (like virtually every game in this genre) was very linear and many parts were stubbornly time-based. The main problem with the game was the fact that some of the puzzles could only be solved through fatal trial and error, as opposed to intelligent, clue catching trial and error (the jail puzzle, for instance, requires you to leave certain items under the pillow, but the game barely hints at what to do). Regardless, I liked it then and I still do. The game is involving and has a very cool storyline that mixes elements of horror and very dark, cyberpunkish sci-fi.
	Unfortunately, the CD-32 version looks just the same as the old ECS version from 1992 did, especially noticeable in the awful close-up of the librarian (she looks like an alien). Overall, the 64 color scenes still look very good, due to the subdued color schemes--especially when you get to the monotone-grey Giger-scapes--and DarkSeed's innovative use of digitized actors is still remarkably good. What has been added to the game are voices. When originally released, DarkSeed had an unheard of amount of digitized voice within its floppy disks, but on the CD version the main character narrates everything. Also, the game has multiple save game slots. DarkSeed is still a good title, overall, though not for everyone due to its ahead of its time tendency for rather horrific, violent screen images. 
	Next up is Universe, by Core Design, and it's probably my favorite of the three titles. The game tells the story of the Adventures of Boris, a kid who gets transported to a strange, technologically based, governmentally repressed universe. The graphics are all hand painted, displayed in 256 colors and look very good. The music is moody and well done and sound effects are suitably atmospheric. The game plays like a cross between Flashback and Monkey Island (Universe is very icon based). You have direct control over Boris' basic movements with the control pad (double tapping in a direction makes him run, for instance), but more complex actions, like item manipulation, jumping, and attacking require icon use. Universe's main flaw is that it is a little too icon based. There are so many different ways to manipulate objects in the game that it can get frustrating at times to figure out how exactly an item must be used. More simplistic controls would have been a real boon for solving some of the game's many dilemmas. While the CD version doesn't have much in the way of CD enhancements (not even voice was added, unfortunately), the game is involving because the main character is very likeable, the dialogue and story are good and the sense of humor the game keeps is done properly. Its visual presentation is also very appealing. Universe only allows for one game save, however, and the CD-32 version has a lock-up glitch when you try to talk to the robot on the second screen of the first city-scape at the beginning of the game (take a hint, there's no reason to talk to the robot, so don't. Instead investigate the air ducts in the first city screen (try push/pull)). A very enjoyable game with all sorts of atmospheric alien and cyberpunk touches.
	Virgin's Beneath a Steel Sky at times takes on a truly dark, gritty and violent cyberpunk air, then, without warning, switches to a sci-fi comedy show that tries and sometimes even succeeds at capturing the same absurdist and irreverent style of Douglas Adams'. And overall, if the game could have decided which way it wanted to go and stayed there it might have worked better. As it is, this story of a man trying to find his way home, while solving the mystery of what happened to him in the first place is interesting and entertaining. Steel Sky plays in the standard Sierra style, and doesn't break any new ground in playability. The game does advertise its "Virtual Theater" system which supposedly innovates the game play over others of its genre. Suffice to say, the game plays easily, but is more than a little particular about cursor placement. Also, it only accepts input from the CD-32's second port (the mouse port), even though all other games in existence traditionally use the first port. Steel Sky also supplies passwords at certain parts of the game instead of actually saving to memory.
	Like Universe, the game graphics are hand painted, displayed in 256 colors and look great. The very cyberpunkish world of Sky is its main attracting point. The game's many eccentric characters are entertaining to watch and listen to--especially given that everyone talks and some of the dialogue is very humorous. Also, the puzzles are challenging and generally entertaining.
	All three games are recommendable to gamers looking for this style of play. While none of them are in any danger of breaking new ground or being called state of the art, they are entertaining, attractive and interesting. Universe is directed more toward straight science fiction, as opposed to cyberpunk. Steel Sky was marketed as a cyberpunk adventure and has that distinct Blade Runner-ish cityscape that has become the archetype for the cyberpunk setting--more so than Universe. DarkSeed is definitely directed more toward the horror genre, with its nightmare sequences, Giger biomechanical imagery and disturbingly weird small town atmosphere.
