Ken's Labyrinth

[486 player]

Developer: Ken silverman
Publisher: Epic Megagames
Published in: 1993
system Requirements: AT, 536 kB conventional memory (550 for sound card), hard disk
Sound: Pc Speaker, Adlib, Sound Blaster, MPU-401
Controls: Kb, mouse, joy
Disc space: 1,24 MB
Price: Freeware
Parent advisory: 15+: horror (reviewer's own)
Other: 3D accelerated version available

Aliens are looking for intelligent life for entertaiment and finds that dogs are smartest species on Earth. But because humans call themselves as dog's masters, they abducts thee and thy dog Sparky and drops to testing labyrinth. There are 2 ways out: to prove that humans are intelligent and to return Earth or to become fuel of jelly machines.

Labyrinth has 3 parts. In 1st, mission is to free Sparky, 2nd is played with him, but strangely he isn't seen in 3rd. In start of each floor there's a small description, but because it's only shown once, saving's recommended just before steppin' on stairs. To see how smart test animal is, aliens has given to it money, heals, keys, onehand bandits and shopping machines and other things, even illusion and shootable walls everywhere into maze. Doors doesn't close automatically, so they can be used as land marks. There's a certain bug in game, which makes it almost impossile to die. Because cloaks gives points, player tooks everyone. Point is that their duration lenghtens with each taken.

It's not enough that animal finds it's way to next stairs. Labyrinth is full of other hostile species and far too big poolballs. Sometimes a room has nothin' else than 'em. It's especially dangerous to fight against 'em when there are holes on floor. Walkin' ones are very mean trick. There are also even enemy creatin' pictures and nests which cand be destroyed. Which from Descent veteran is more than happy about, or would be, unless game's main point wouldn't work.

Continous getting lost, lack of automap (maps on walls are lucid) and boring but harassin' music makes thee feel that thou'rt really in animal test and aliens are lookin' behind a screen. There comes a walktrough with game (Thank God!), but it doesn't allways work. The feel is so strong thath it stays an hour after playin', which even The Clockwork Orange couldn't do. 56

Only thing that amuses in game, are its graphics. Flat textures or enemies like these aren't in any 2D game. Drinkin' pool is sort o' paint patch that's its depth is impossible to measure, as in example. But only afterwards. In play corners of mouth doesn't rise even a pixel. 70

Ken's Labyrinth is first person survival horror game which atmosphere isn't created by blood or multible camera angles and it isn't meaned to normal fps players.

60

[Kittie12]

I liked this game I played like well I cant count anymore but It just got boring after playing it so much.

7/10
HELLO Dogbreath and EMMEZZE let me back in this forum I Promise I will just post nicely and do everything right like I should

[DosReaper]

Well, I have to say I used to play it when...-Let's just say a while ago...

I got to the (6th?) level and i couldn't beat it, Oh well... :Angry: (STUPID GIANT BALL ROLLY THINGIES!!!)

But HELL YEA it was fun, graphics were average, sound above par, and animation of the mosters was quite creepy (especially the spiders or when one of those big pink giants come around a corner .)

There were a few bugs, as mentioned in the README.

But overall it was a fun time...

I think it was the first shooter i ever played if i'm correct (that or doom, or duk nuke'm)