Squid and Let Die (15.2Mb)
Despite the odd sounding name, this is a cool, in fact gem of a game where you collect dots in a maze while avoiding being shot by sentry bot laser cannons around the perimeter that home in on you. It’s actually partly based on an old Spectrum game called ‘Transversion’.
The key to succeeding is to note that individual cannons cannot re-fire while a laser shot from that cannon is still on the screen, so if you can trick them into firing and quickly dodge out of the way, it can leave a safe zone for a short space of time. Provided that you don’t dodge into oncoming fire from another sentry bot!
‘Arrow’ keys to move; and you get to the next level, as in Pacman, by clearing all the dots. ‘Esc’ key to quit the game. You get one life per level.
Corner dots are tricky to get but it is generally quite easy to dodge the laser beams. I do find the comparatively slow movement and response to the keys annoying in Win 7. It would be absolutely brilliant if the player could move fast, the sentries homed on quicker, and the laser shots moved faster, but that said it’s still a good game. It’s actually moderately difficult to complete levels!
It plays better if you hold the arrow keys down while moving. Watch out for the orange tracker beams, and don’t let laser shots get too close or they might lock on and you’ll have to restart the level. You have to follow white grid lines for some patterns of dots on the screen.
It plays full-screen in XP, Vista and Win 7. It may play faster in XP!
You can find the game’s home page HERE but I’ve given an alternate download link below as the home page asks you to pay what you like (donationware) for a bundle of a few games.
The graphics and sound are excellent and there isn’t really much more to say about this game except -give it a try, and play it!
Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzdpWSVYUsg
Download HERE - - - - (Click on the download mirror link on the download page for the free download!)
