''Beast'' is a
text-based action game
An action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes a large variety of sub-genres, such as fighting games, beat 'em ups, shooter games, and platform gam ...
developed for
MS-DOS
MS-DOS ( ; acronym for Microsoft Disk Operating System, also known as Microsoft DOS) is an operating system for x86-based personal computers mostly developed by Microsoft. Collectively, MS-DOS, its rebranding as IBM PC DOS, and a few ope ...
by Dan Baker, Alan Brown, Mark Hamilton, and Derrick Shadel. It was distributed as
shareware
Shareware is a type of proprietary software that is initially shared by the owner for trial use at little or no cost. Often the software has limited functionality or incomplete documentation until the user sends payment to the software developer ...
in 1984.
Gameplay
The object is to survive through a number of levels while crushing "beasts" (represented by the character ├┤) with movable blocks. The H's are attracted to the player's position, represented by a "diamond-like" character ◄►, every move. The player can control the diamond-shaped character by using the arrow keys or the
numeric keypad to move around and/or push blocks. While the normal green block is movable, the yellow static block cannot be pushed or pulled. In the advanced levels, static blocks also become "explosive", which means that the player will lose a life by moving into one. The beginning levels have only common beasts ("├┤"), but more challenging "super-beasts", represented by "╟╢", appear as the player advances through levels. "Super-beasts" are harder to kill as they must be crushed against a static block. At even more advanced levels eggs appear that eventually hatch into "hatched beasts" (╬╬) with the ability to move blocks to crush the player. A two-player mode is also available in which the second player controls a character using WASD keys.
Reception
A review of ''Beast'' in the 1988 book ''Public-domain Software and Shareware'' noted that the game had "original concepts" but the author admitted that "I don't completely understand this game". In a retrospective review of "classic" ASCII games, ''
PC Magazine
''PC Magazine'' (shortened as ''PCMag'') is an American computer magazine published by Ziff Davis. A print edition was published from 1982 to January 2009. Publication of online editions started in late 1994 and have continued to the present d ...
'' described ''Beast'' as "so simple yet so replayable" and "stressful at times, but always fun".
In his book ''The Video Game Explosion'', scholar Mark Wolf noted that ''Beast'' resembled earlier block-pushing games like ''
Sokoban'' and ASCII text games like ''
Rogue
A rogue is a person or entity that flouts accepted norms of behavior.
Rogue or rogues may also refer to:
Companies
* Rogue Ales, a microbrewery in Newport, Oregon
* Rogue Arts, a film production company
* Rogue Entertainment, a software com ...
'', but advanced beyond both of those games by introducing "freeform, real-time spatial control" into a block-moving action game with "a level of fluidity that is unexpectedly effective".
See also
*''
Rodent's Revenge
''Rodent's Revenge'' is a puzzle video game created by Christopher Lee Fraley and distributed as part of '' Microsoft Entertainment Pack 2'' in 1991.About window of Rodent's Revenge, Christoper Lee Fraley, 1991 The player takes on the role of a ...
''
References
External links
Gameplay video*{{internet archive game, msdos_Beast_1984
1984 video games
DOS games
DOS-only games
Video games with textual graphics
Video games developed in the United States