Colorado
| Developer: N/A | Graphics: |
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| Publisher: Silmarils | Sound: |
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| Year: 1990 | Difficulty: |
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| Genre: Action | Lastability: |
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| Number of players: 1 | Rating: |
4/10 | |
Like its British neighbour, Psygnosis, and to a proportionate extent, the French studio Silmarils produced visually stunning titles with easily identifiable atmospheres. However, when it came to ergonomics? Speed? Those were mere afterthoughts!
They also had a tendency to recycle their sound effects a bit too much for my taste.
In any case, among the long list of mediocre games I’ve had the pleasure of revisiting, Silmarils’ titles held a certain charm and occasionally innovative ideas that make them unforgettable. Don’t ask me to actually play them, though. I suppose this is exactly the kind of goods that YouTube’s Let’s Plays were invented for…
Colorado presents itself as a reimagining of Targhan set in the land of the Native Americans. You steer a lone trapper (much as you would a dump truck) searching for a legendary gold mine hidden deep in the wilds of the American West.
In this perspective, you go back and forth, weapon in hand, from left to right, or right to left (sometimes taking a side path in the background). One gets lost easily, but that’s the point of a game with an “exploration” component. It is advisable to draw a map.
If anything stands in your way, raise your right hand and say: “Ugh!” or just hit it. The second option seems marginally more effective.
Occasionally, pick up various objects to barter later on, and lift barriers.
This would all be perfectly fine if the character had a bit more responsiveness. It’s incredibly frustrating not being able to dodge attacks or ending up with your back turned to the enemy. The lack of precision in controls, coupled with sluggish execution, makes one want to scream.
Nevertheless, let’s note the rapids descent sequences in a canoe, which are particularly well-executed. These are the kind of original discoveries that leave a strong impression, despite the deal-breaking flaws.
Yet another fascinating game to adorn my shelf.
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