From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

I played the much visually worse game of a different name, but the same
called "Death Sword" I think on my Atari 2400.

Here's a python remake you can play on a website if you feel like
"Yenk"-ing off some heads (shift+back arrow)
--
-Justisaur

ø-ø
(\_/)\
`-'\ `--.___,
¶¬'\( ,_.-'
\\
^'

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

Justisaur wrote:

I played the much visually worse game of a different name, but the
same called "Death Sword" I think on my Atari 2400.

Here's a python remake you can play on a website if you feel like
"Yenk"-ing off some heads (shift+back arrow)

Interesting. The Atari version was made by a polish developer? And
released in frakkin 1992. That's crazy.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Tue, 25 Nov 2025 15:26:19 -0800, Justisaur <justisaur@yahoo.com>
wrote:

I played the much visually worse game of a different name, but the same >called "Death Sword" I think on my Atari 2400.

There were two games called "Barbarian" released to PC in the late
80s/early 90s.

The first, developed by Melbourne House and released in 1989 under the Psygnosis label. It was a fairly standard side-scrolling
action/platformer; run 'n' hack your way through levels, whacking away
at monsters. It was unusual in that you used an icon-bar to select
your actions, including movement. There were keyboard shortcuts but it
was an extremely cumbersome way to play a game, especially since the
maps were littered with unseen traps. It did have some early digitized
speech (played through the PC speaker, no less!)

The second, released in 1988 by Epic (Palace Software Ltd was the
developer) was more akin to "Karateka", in that most of the combat
happened on the same plane and it was much more focused on the combat
than the exploration. AFAIK, the PC version only released in CGA, long
after EGA was the common standard (versions on other platforms were
more colorful). This game was also released as "Death Sword". It
received a sequel in 1989, alternately called "Barbarian II" or "Axe
of Rage", depending on where it was released.

Here's a python remake you can play on a website if you feel like
"Yenk"-ing off some heads (shift+back arrow)

Where?

Here's the Apple II version of "Deathsword", playable on archive.org https://archive.org/details/a2_asimov_deathsword

And the Psygnosis version of Barbarian for PC https://www.myabandonware.com/game/barbarian-lm/play-lm



Take the two games, mix 'em together, add ten years of technological improvement, and you get "Die by the Sword" ;-)




--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On 11/26/2025 9:30 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

On Tue, 25 Nov 2025 15:26:19 -0800, Justisaur <justisaur@yahoo.com>
wrote:

I played the much visually worse game of a different name, but the same
called "Death Sword" I think on my Atari 2400.

There were two games called "Barbarian" released to PC in the late
80s/early 90s.

The first, developed by Melbourne House and released in 1989 under the Psygnosis label. It was a fairly standard side-scrolling
action/platformer; run 'n' hack your way through levels, whacking away
at monsters. It was unusual in that you used an icon-bar to select
your actions, including movement. There were keyboard shortcuts but it
was an extremely cumbersome way to play a game, especially since the
maps were littered with unseen traps. It did have some early digitized
speech (played through the PC speaker, no less!)

The second, released in 1988 by Epic (Palace Software Ltd was the
developer) was more akin to "Karateka", in that most of the combat
happened on the same plane and it was much more focused on the combat
than the exploration. AFAIK, the PC version only released in CGA, long
after EGA was the common standard (versions on other platforms were
more colorful). This game was also released as "Death Sword". It
received a sequel in 1989, alternately called "Barbarian II" or "Axe
of Rage", depending on where it was released.

Here's a python remake you can play on a website if you feel like
"Yenk"-ing off some heads (shift+back arrow)

Where?

Oops? I posted it in another thread along with syndicate.

https://cthulhu28.itch.io/barbariantuw

This seems harder than I remember. Maybe because it's a remake.


And since I'm mentioning it again here's Syndicate

https://classicreload.com/play/syndicate.html

Man I forgot how bad the pathing is. I lost one agent because he
decided to walk onto the tram tracks when I was trying to extract -
which were way off to the left of where I clicked.

I had another on another mission somehow wander off and get trapped on a
roof, I was able to get him to go down the ramp, but I had to click so
he'd go in straight lines only, or he'd go in circles if I clicked
anywhere on the ground.

Not sure I'll keep playing, even after only playing less than a handful
of hours. I already did the fun stuff I remember by mission 7. Gather
a hundred persuaded including enemy agents, and use the miniguns to blow
up cars and enemy agents. It's not holding up well due to the pathing.

The rest of it is pretty good. Obviously the graphics are very very
dated. It's too bad even it's sequel didn't feel anywhere near as
enjoyable and no one ever made anything quite like it with improved QOL
like pathing.

Here's the Apple II version of "Deathsword", playable on archive.org https://archive.org/details/a2_asimov_deathsword

And the Psygnosis version of Barbarian for PC https://www.myabandonware.com/game/barbarian-lm/play-lm

Take the two games, mix 'em together, add ten years of technological improvement, and you get "Die by the Sword" ;-)

Ah, Die by the Sword. It felt like it was trying to be a VR game, long
before VR. I enjoyed it, but it took me putting it away after the first
short attempt and saying "neat idea, execution is trash." And coming
back to it many years later.
--
-Justisaur

ø-ø
(\_/)\
`-'\ `--.___,
¶¬'\( ,_.-'
\\
^'
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action

On Wed, 26 Nov 2025 20:01:52 -0800, Justisaur <justisaur@yahoo.com>
wrote:

On 11/26/2025 9:30 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

Take the two games, mix 'em together, add ten years of technological
improvement, and you get "Die by the Sword" ;-)

Ah, Die by the Sword. It felt like it was trying to be a VR game, long >before VR. I enjoyed it, but it took me putting it away after the first >short attempt and saying "neat idea, execution is trash." And coming
back to it many years later.

Yeah, it had that unique 'move mouse to emulate sword swing' mechanic
that /sounded/ neat in concept, but in practice was rather a pain to
use. Those who mastered it said it was a rather good game, but the
mechanic alienated a lot of more casual uses and the game never really
caught on.

There were a number of melee-focused action/dungeon crawlers released
around that time. "Deathtrap Dungeon", "Rune", "Blade of Darkness"
(a.ka. "Severance"), and the previously mentioned "Die By The
Sword"... it was quite a crowded field for the time.

Later games like "Chivalry" and "For Honor" always remind me of those
older titles. You can see some of the ideas of the older games coming
to fruition in the newer.



--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2