Rastan

STORY / GAMEPLAY
Rastan, a barbarian warrior is on a quest to find and slay an evil dragon. Rastan must fight hordes of enemy monsters based on mythical creatures like the chimeras and the harpies. Your lives are limited while your health bar will decrease easily as long as you come in direct contact with enemy bodies or their firing. The game consists of six different levels, each divided into three areas. There are several bonuses and jewels to collect (like potion bottles that will restore or decrease your health) and also a variety of weapons and power-ups which can be equipped only for a limited amount of time. The gameplay scrolls all over the place as you climb up and down ropes, jump over pits of fire and explore underground caverns. Just watch out for flying limbs!

GRAPHICS / SOUND
The graphics on this conversion are fine and quite close to the original (arcade) version. The Apple IIGS has up to 32-colors on-screen, the sprites move quite smooth in all eight-directions and the action is fast though the screens scroll a bit jerky at times, which is rather awkward. The outdoor scenes are nicely drawn, with broad landscapes and daylight changing effects! The game's sound is equally good, featuring the original (arcade) music and several sampled sound effects.