Gareth Hood II - Kweepa

The game is set in Nottingham, 1186 AD. You play Robbin Hood some bloke called Gareth, who has been waging Holy War in lands afar. He returns home to find some form of medieval socialism has taken hold in his absence thanks to the 'evil' Prince John, (an early ancestor of Diane Abbot perhaps?) 

In any case, we are to assume Gareth is not happy that money that could be spent on the industrial military complex is being wasted by profligate socialists intent on using the cash to feed and educate the peasant folk of fair Olde England.

Paradoxically, Gareth is equally unimpressed with the bourgeois lifestyle of a certain Maid Marian, who he is determined to liberate from her pampered lifestyle, and force her to live in a soggy trench. So the man has something of a complex moral compass, and political sensibilities that are 12 parts Neo Liberal, and 8 parts Bolshevik. Dr Zhivago he aint!

There is no loading screen, instead the game loads into a menu screen, where you can either Start the game or Redefine the keys. 

Gareth Hood can shoot, jump and grab.

When Gareth shoot upwards he can create a grapple line, that he can climb to get to a platform above.

A castle level!

The game it's self if very competently made using Z88DK (An development kit originally developed for the Cambridge Computers Z88 - yes, really). As such the game moves smoothly and runs quickly. Almost too quickly, as trying to climb a ladder can easily shoot you up too far and get you killed if you're not careful.

The baddies are stationary guards that periodically change the direction they are facing. If they see you they will shoot you, so you have to think carefully about when to make a move.

The red barrels and be picked up and moved around. You can stand on the barrels, but you can also shoot them causing an AOE explosion.

I won't spoil the game play as there is a puzzle element. Where is Maid Marion? And when you find her, how do you free her, and take her back to your soggy forest trench.

Every time you rescue a maiden you move to the next level, which is bigger than the previous one. It's actually quite addictive, and I enjoyed trying to figure out if I could complete each new level. There is a random element to the design, and Kweepa could not assure me that every level is completable.

I did it.

Final thoughts

So is this game crap? Well, no, not really. There are definitely a few bugs. In addition to the speed Gareth moves, you can jump in a certain places that causes the game to glitch graphically, without crashing. 

Another issue is that there is a random element to the level design. I'm sure this sometimes makes the levels incompletable. Although, maybe I'm just not very good at the game!

However, the game is well made and has nice graphics. I mean crickey! this is an actual game. It has multiple levels/screens, and a nice strategic/ arcade puzzle elements. This is one that will give Cocaine Bear a run for its money, and one you should certainly play, here.