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My oh my, now we're getting obscure, aren't we? :p

This is the definitive (in my opinion) version of the first game in a parody series created by Astral Entertainment. Their website is here:

http://astralent.com/

But, to avoid legal troubles, most of the games were eventually taken down; you probably can't order any of them now. However, some of them still exist as freeware/shareware, so go search for them if you're interested.

A request: If I understand correctly, all of the music in these games is borrowed from other sources. I assume this is true because I recognize a few obvious themes (ex. Under the Sea, FFVI Decisive Battle), but I'm not sure about the rest. If you know where any of them come from, or if they're actually original pieces, please let me know- I'm curious :p

Anyway, the gameplay is similar to Pac-man in that you navigate a maze collecting pellets while avoiding enemies. Big pellets act as ammunition that you can fire at enemies to remove them from the level permanently. Once you collect all the pellets and find the exit (sometimes automatic), you proceed to the next level. The game isn't very punishing- losing all of your lives will merely send you back to the previous stage.

To be honest, sometimes I just don't know what to say about this game- it can be quite absurd and random. You might wonder why all of the hidden powerups play laughing sound effects, for example, or why the enemies are called nasties (I think the documentation blames it on bad parenting). But, I've found that these games can be a very quick dose of fun every once in a while- something like a "So random it's enjoyable from time to time" kind of feeling.

So, in part 1, we rise from the grave?...If I remember correctly, it was written somewhere that Pac Guy drank himself to death because he thought no one cared (is this a reference to poor initial sales, or maybe being overshadowed by Pac Man? Bizarre...), then realized someone did, and came back to life, or something. Ugh, you know what, never mind.

Hope you enjoy, though I'm sure this is pretty unexpected.