Defender of the Crown (1986)
I dug out the legendary Amiga game Defender of the Crown, in which the player seeks to conquer Britain in the early Middle Ages. It was the first release from the renowned Cinemaware, and it occupies a special place in Amiga history as a showcase for the computer’s groundbreaking multimedia capabilities. Audiences accustomed to 8-bit machines were astonished by such impressive graphics in the mid-1980s. The music was equally novel, based on samples and making use of four-channel sound. Defender of the Crown, like Cinemaware’s other productions, was guided by the idea of interactive movies. There are no video sequences, which only became common in games during the 1990s, but the concept is reflected in the scene-by-scene narrative and the game’s dramatic atmosphere. Defender of the Crown is a strategy game, although its strategic depth is fairly limited. The game relies heavily on randomness, and victory is by no means guaranteed.
Roguecraft DX (2026)
In early February 2026, a deluxe version of the Amiga game Roguecraft was released, roughly a year and a half after the original. Roguecraft is a retro-inspired, accessible and smooth dungeon role-playing game focused on fighting monsters and collecting gold. The game’s graphics and soundscape made a strong impression on me — even more so in the DX version than in the original release. I am pleased to have new commercial-quality software to play on my A500 Mini. In this blog post I discuss both versions, as they are largely similar, while the improvements introduced in DX will naturally become clear.
The Curious Expedition (2016)
Released in September 2016 by a small German studio, The Curious Expedition has held me captive for nearly sixty hours. There is a thin line between enjoyment and compulsion, and the game is built precisely around that tension. It combines irresistible repetition with the thrill of discovery. Anthropology, archaeology, hunting and trade come together under an opportunistic spirit — and a proper explorer does not shy away from risk. Randomised events ensure frequent surprises.
Shadowrun: Hong Kong (2015)
The third standalone entry in the Shadowrun Returns role-playing series arrived in late August 2015. It continues the legacy of the previous instalments with confidence. The story, setting and characters are all new, and there are new elements in character progression, yet the broader game structure and strategic depth remain recognisable. Shadowrun Hong Kong is a top-tier indie title — if one can still call it that; it is polished, mature and extensive.
7 Grand Steps: What Ancients Begat (2013)
Diverging from the usual focus of this blog, 7GS: What Ancients Begat is not an adventure game. It is a historical simulation that resembles both a board game and a coin-operated machine. The goal is to ensure that one’s bloodline prospers across the ages. The experience was strange, addictive and mechanical at the same time. I was suffering from (probably temporary) adventure-game fatigue, but this title hit the vein of a game addict.