The Bear Essentials Longplay (C64) [50 FPS]
97Developed by Graham Axten and published by Pond Software in 2016
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Game Download Link: http://csdb.dk/release/download.php?id=188645
For today's video, I decided to check out a brand new C64 title - it's remarkable to think that, even today, the C64 has a fan-base still developing games for this iconic computer from the early 1980's!
The Bear Essentials is a flick-screen platform game where the player controls the titular Bear on a mission to stock up his larder to make sure that both he, and his family, have enough grub to see them through the winter. The game begins with Bear and his wife standing outside the family cave. It's evident who's wearing the trousers in this relationship since Mrs. Bear makes it perfectly clear that poor old Bear isn't coming in until he's been out and collected all those apples!
The game itself is divided into a series of themed zones containing a set number of screens. Each screen contains a number of apples to collect, most of which can only be reached by jumping between platforms and across various obstacles.
While the game starts our simply enough, things start to get tricky the further you progress. Some apples are positioned such that they can be collected only by falling in from a screen above at precisely the right spot, and some screens are designed in such a way that, if Bear falls from a platform at the top of the screen he has to back-track through a number of other locations just to get back again.
As if this wasn't enough, all manner of insects, frogs and other beasties are out to make Bear's scrumping activities all the more difficult. Bear has no means to defeat these enemies, but he is an athletic sort of chap, able to leap over his adversaries to avoid trouble.
Each zone is connected by a 'Rest' area that displays statistics about how many apples have been collected in each zone, as well as how many are remaining. It is from here that Bear can travel to other zones to continue his foraging exploits.
In terms of graphics, the quality of the artwork and sprite animations is great. I particularly like the incidental animations of Bear blinking and rocking out at the start of the game. The overall art style is reminiscent of Apex Productions' games (Creatures, Mayhem in Monsterland). In fact, eagle-eyed viewers should keep an eye out for guest appearances from Clyde Radcliffe, Nobby the Aardvark and some other classic C64 characters from Commodore gaming history.
As for audio, there are some simple, but catchy tunes that play throughout the game. Each zone has a unique theme tune, which adds some variety to the mix and keep things interesting.
I was very pleased to note that the game features excellent controls and gameplay that can be challenging, but never unfair or over-taxing. This is a game where just about every life lost, or mishap, is down to your own impatience, rather than the game being unfair.
For fans of the platforming genre, The Bear Essentials is a great title that is sure to keep you entertained, and keep you coming back for more. With quality on par with some of the best games commercially available back in the C64's heyday, The Bear Essentials comes highly recommended!
#retrogaming