AlphaMan
DOS - 1995
Description of AlphaMan
Alphaman is a fun freeware "Roguelike" (i.e.100% ASCII-based) game written by Jeff Olson.
It is set on Earth's future, following a nuclear disaster. Similar to Electronic Arts' earlier Fountain of Dreams, you take the role of a mutated human who is struggling to save the planet from annihilation. In place of fantasy items such as magical artifacts of Rogue, Alphaman sports technological relics, e.g. high-tech weapons (laser pistol, flamethrower, various grenades) and other equipment (protective suits like the radiation suit, a microwave oven, which can be used to ripen berries, and a microcomputer). As with all other Roguelike games, it has an ASCII interface and takes place in a post-holocaust wilderness.
Despite its unconventional premise and easy interface, though, the game's feel is sparse, lonely, and unfinished. The AI borders on the idiotic (run-towards player, move randomly every once in a while), and the overall gameplay is shallow-- monsters and locations seem to have few distinguishing characteristics, and the plot hardly advances. To Olson's credit, Alphaman features many user-friendly options that ADOM and NetHack should emulate. The game remembers recent castle and lair levels, so remapping is no longer necessary. For example, most dropped items will still be there when you return to a place already visited.
Entering 'alphaman somename' will now generate a new character if the saved file somename.alf doesn't exist. There are separate "Halls of the Dead" for the different difficulty levels, and experience bonuses at the end of the game for each "subquest" successfully completed. The Main Map key (F5) shows regions where you've visited (useful for looking for Monoliths). A few new devices -- Flash Grenade, UV Helmet, Geiger Counter, Neutron Suit, Radar Detector -- have been added in version 1.1.
Overall, though, Alphaman doesn't offer enough complex gameplay to keep Roguelike fans satisfied. Recommended if you are new to Roguelike games in general, or want to try Rogue in a futuristic setting. Overall, a worthy attempt with discongruous parts that didn't quite gel together into an engrossing game. Worth a look, definitely, and fun for a while.. but don't expect it to be the next NetHack.
Review By HOTUD
External links
Captures and Snapshots
Comments and reviews
The Radioactivist 2024-02-11 0 point
A fairly recent game I am eying called Caves of Qud on Steam released in 2015 seems to be a cool spiritual successor to this. And both games are very obviously homages to the pen & paper TTRPG called Gamma World, which I have been playing since the 1980s. Well, not playing enough ... post apoc weirdness seems to be a hard sell for people who find dragons in dungeons to be more realistic ::eye roll::
Can't wait to try Alphaman again!
CK 2018-09-21 0 point
The idea that the "Big Boss" is Gilligan's Island, then the Addams Family, then Elvis makes this game a hoot. Some of the references are from the 1980's so if you are not up on 1980 pop culture you might miss many of the jokes. But if you are an older timer like me, Alphaman is very amusing.
admin 2017-07-10 0 point
@Martin updated the emulator recently, and the game does not work anymore. Disabled the page
Martin 2017-07-10 0 point
How come we can't play in the browser anymore? I was really enjoying this game? Please email at MartinCaleb86@yahoo.com
Boleros 2014-02-21 0 point DOS version
I downloaded the game and try It.
I am not a very regular player to roguelike games; I only played 10Rogue The Adventure Game and DoomRL, so I can´t speak about them like an expert, but in my humble it´s a good roguelike game, It has some nice add ons, like the use of radiation, the tech devices that you found in the landscape to help You, the invisible enemies!, and some more inovations, I like it.
When You get used to the keys You can see it´s fairly playable, You don´t die easily, You can choose in the start of the game 3 differents difficult modes, so, It deserves a try.
Zaphod 2013-05-17 0 point DOS version
Wow, nothing? This is a classic roguelike, in which you control your mutated character. You get random mutations each new game, and there are hundreds of different objects with which to interact: different sorts of melee, thrown, and ranged weapons; different sorts of armor, all of which can be improved and otherwise deteriorate from damage. There are berries and potions with different effects, tons of electronic and mechanical gadgets that can be taken apart and reassembled to create other items, as long as you're familiar with them. You get to fight Elvis! Who was a hero to most, but he never meant shit to me.
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DOS Version
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