Espial Longplay (Commodore 64 Version)
4Espial Longplay (Commodore 64 Version) -
Espial is a vertically scrolling shooter originally released in arcades in 1983 and later ported to various home systems, including the Commodore 64. The game puts players in control of a spaceship, tasked with defending Earth by taking down waves of alien enemies. The arcade version includes boss fights at the end of stages, but the core gameplay revolves around surviving increasingly difficult waves of enemies.
As for the C64 version, I find it rather lackluster. Visually, it falls short—the graphics lack the vibrancy of the arcade original, and the smaller sprites make it hard to follow the action, especially when the screen gets crowded. The real problem, though, is the limited space to maneuver. Even with good reflexes, there are moments where it's impossible to avoid getting hit because there’s simply nowhere to go.
The sound design doesn’t help much either. It’s basic and repetitive, with no real atmosphere or memorable soundtrack to enhance the experience.
In the end, the C64 version of Espial doesn’t make much of an impression. While some might appreciate having an arcade-style shooter on the system, I find this version inferior, falling short of what the C64 is capable of—especially when compared to much better shooters available on the platform.
#retrogamingloft #espial #c64games