Ain't nothing like the unreal thing

A year after Shadow of the Beast rewrote the definition of aesthetic, limitation-defying splendour, Ubi Soft gave Psygnosis a sprint for their money, unveiling the 16-bit-exclusive, jaw-dropping work of art, Unreal. In accord with Shadow of the Beast, it's set in a low-tech, sci-fi fantasy realm where swords, sorcery and feral monsters dictate the lifespan of its anxious inhabitants. Most significantly, where it deviates from its forebear is with the addition of third-person, 3D flying sequences. Whilst these blocky, low-resolution interludes can't hope to match the exquisitely illustrated landscapes showcased throughout the 2D platforming stages, they are nonetheless technically impressive given the era in which Unreal was released.

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Now if we make a stand, we'll find our promised land

The gnarly Shadow cast by Psygnosis' infamous Beast of Amiga origin spread far and wide to every conceivable system during the zenith of its beastliness. Peer outside your bedroom window on a sunny day and even now you'll see it creeping up the drainpipe to infiltrate your shiny new PlayStation 9, or whatever the current model is. So, that's one way of suggesting Shadow of the Beast has cultivated quite a substantial legacy over the years since its inception. Other alternatives are available I'm sure.

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Wrath of the Beast

Assuming you're a nerdy retrogaming Amiga aficionado, you may have spotted that Abstrax's 2D scrolling platformer, Wrath of the Demon (published in 1990), bears an uncanny resemblance to Shadow of the Beast developed by Reflections, unleashed by Psygnosis in 1989.

I conduct a thorough empirical analysis to discover what happens when you perform a complete teardown autopsy of each, forget to draft out blueprints and subsequently reassemble them. Turns out you end up with two identical games. Scientific proof enclosed, feel free to study and digest.

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