If there is a title that I remember with love from my beloved Spectrum that is, without a doubt, Myth . Although his full title was Myth: History in the Making , we have always known him as Myth (not to be confused with the Bungie game ).
Launched in 1989 by System 3 (later renamed Studio 3 Interactive), it was striking for its argument: Dacio , our character, is a true heartbreaker and the most popular boy in a typical Yankee film institute , but oddly enough brain and bookworm, endowed with a superhuman intelligence that also believes strongly in the classical gods, defending that his study contains the keys to the understanding of Humanity.
Because of this particular idea, the gods entrust Dacio with the incredible mission of ending Dameron , a god who, with the help of the Titans, is manipulating History to make the entire Humanity disappear. The gods cannot stand up to Dameron according to a Supreme Law that prevents them from acting to change the course of History, so the responsibility of the future and the past of Humanity will fall upon us.
Talking about Myth and its versions is a very difficult mission but we will try. The complicated thing is that of the developed versions ( Amiga, Amiga CD32, Commodore 64, Spectrum, Amstrad and NES ), each and every one has its distinctive characteristics, to the point of making them almost unique. Amiga and Commodore have better graphics and more phases than in Spectrum or Amstrad, but in these they are much older, while the NES, entitled “Conan: The Mysteries of Time”, stars Conan himself .
Personally I consider the best version of Spectrum, although we lose the scroll (scrolling of the stage) having to advance screen to screen, something on the other hand typical of the Spectrum, but as we have said before the levels are of greater proportions. Its duration was four levels plus the final confrontation, each inspired by a different historical era with its enemies and its gods (Hades, Classical Greece, Scandinavia and Ancient Egypt).
We had to find some objects that activated a Master Icon to be able to advance our journey by knocking down different types of vulnerable enemies only to a certain type of weapon, including the final boss . With the selection button (space bar) the action was stopped and we could select the desired object / weapon.
The first phase is perhaps the most adventurous, with various objects to use to reach the magical spheres (for example, heads of enemy skulls). Also the last level, that of ancient Egypt, is complicated because when developing within a pyramid it is already complicated and deadly in itself: moats, traps, mummies, slabs, platforms … An exercise of tenacity and resistance worthy of the gods we are going to slaughter
The fifth and final phase (except in Amstrad) is a side-scrolling shooter as if it were a Parodius / Salamander against a gigantic Dameron. An incredible finishing touch for such a big and difficult adventure.
The animation of the characters is a delight, with an incredible use of color with some details such as rain to take off the hat. The version for Amstrad could be called a direct port if it were not because, inexplicably, it loses the final phase as well as some problems with the speed of the game and the control (the keyboard could not be redefined).
It is in the sound section where he irretrievably loses: without music and with some sound FX the sea of singles that meet and period. Contrast even more if we compare it with the graphics. Also negative is the fact of not disposing in any way to continue the adventure where we want, if not we should always start from Hades. The Spectrum version , in any case, is one of the best games created for this endearing machine.
The other installments for Amiga and Atari ST exchange the main character of a successful young student for a hairy barbarian. Although the argument remained the same, they also changed in that the phases had lateral displacement. Although in the background they were almost almost different games, the essence remained: thematic levels based on different ages, legendary final enemies, very well adjusted difficulty curve and fun, lots of fun. The covers were very different in these versions, as well as the poor game for the 8-bit Nintendo released in 1991 starring Conan, which although being similar in development and levels, had a really painful control that diminished the entertainment possibilities.
Such is the memory that is saved from this game that even a remake of the Commodore64 version was made in 2008, respecting the original and adding new levels.
Myth: History in the making is one of those games that are still fun today. It is with this kind of videogames when we stop talking about aging and talk about the hearth , when the machine / fun performance is really exploited and taken to the limit, when a game is made with passion and dedication by and for the user … Do not stop trying it . It would be an unforgivable mistake and Dameron would appreciate it.
