SHMUPS!

Dead Moon - Studio Ducks

DEAD MOON
Welcome to the skeletal satellite of death!

Reviewed by Roger Post

Well, for once in a while a shooter comes up with a half decent story line. A comet crashes on the moon, and upon investigation a new, yet very controlling life form is found. Your job is to fly to the moon and play the part of the exterminator. The game's levels reflect the story line (which probably didn't take more than five minutes to develop), starting out in a city and moving to the moon and even the center of the bright space orb that revolves around the Earth.

The new race you are destroying has a bony theme, as most of them are skeletal, animal, or a combination. The game plays like a typical shooter: different color powerups for different weapons, a choice of options or missiles for secondary firepower, you know the deal.

One interesting feature is that the ship turns itself around as a boss worms his way behind you. So you can keep your plane of movement while the computer automatically corrects your stance.

Music is nothing to get excited about, and gameplay isn't bad......when compared to today's high powered shooters, Deadmoon pants for breath after the first lap, but any shooter fan can at least check this one out.

I don't think any cities are that densely populated...you couldn't fit anything between those buildings.

Most of the bosses are all skin and bones. Maybe it should have been called Super-Model Moon?

I like the green weapon the best, a huge wave shot.

From Earth to space, level two midboss tries to put an end to your shmup career.

Level two boss must be a snapper turtle. Watch out for the fire...

And afterwards the shell bounces about.

Looks a bit like a pea and tomato pie now.

End of every level, the ship heads off to where the next one is, here it flies towards the moon in the background.

Watch out you don't shoot a confused and wandering Buzz Armstrong (or was John Glenn the first? I forget.....)

Someone, somewhere is launching bombs from the background. They don't go away..be careful.

The ship turns around and faces the boss, rather than make you wiggle around again. This must have been a kangaroo, because it jumps all over the screen.

Level four midboss, now we're back to fighting metal, not calcium.

Aaagghh.... must.... avoid..... extended..... neck......

After flying into the stream in the background, your quest continues underwater.

The midboss keeps disappearing on you.....very annoying.

Now THIS is how Darius should be done (hehehehe).....This bonefish fires waves out the top and bottom, and tries to ram you. He's quick, and can get ya as you fly above and below...He was tough at first, even with a formidable laser like this.

What's this? The final boss just a pair of hands? I think not.

After the hands come the rest of the body. Gee, a skeleton, who would have thought.

What are YOU laughing at? I didn't expect this. This thing is so huge you hardly have room to dodge...stay in between skulls when they fly off at you.

The four rotating fly at you, with just enough room to dodge. Shakespeare would just love this part.

Anyone who can whip up a better ending, I'd be glad to have Malc post it here.

Studio Ducks eh? I wonder why we haven't heard much more from them? Because they maybe were encouraged to go into a different line of business after this effort, eh Rog? :)

Still, I do like the premise, all skeletony and stuff, but I keep thinking how much more could have been done with it! Not a bad game, but not a particularly good one either eh? A stocking filler game, squeezed between the gold foil coins and the orange at the bottom - Malc

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