THE SEUCK VAULT
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THE SHADOW OF INNSMOUTH
By Anthony Burns
We're pleased to another Sideways SEUCK project by Anthony, based on the story of the same name by H.P. Lovecraft. Click the screenshot to download the game, or scroll down to read more.
Important notes:
This game uses a greyscale background graphics style that makes use of all three of the grey shades in the SEUCK palette. These will only show up correctly if your emulator is switched to a PAL TV-style graphics mode. If you use the default graphics mode (in CCS64, at any rate) then white and light grey will appear the same, obscuring some of the graphics.
Story:
Massachusetts, 1928 – The US Federal authorities have been receiving reports of bizarre activity in the old coastal town of Innsmouth, which is said to be in the grip of an unholy cult. Strange creatures have been sighted in the bay, and shipping has vanished in the area without trace. Federal agents have been deployed in two one-man submersibles to investigate Devil's Reef, discover what is at the root of these mysteries, and put an end to it.
Port One controls the Randolph Carter, which fires torpedoes. They are fast, but restricted to forward firing.
Port Two controls the Miskatonic, which fires explosive charges. They lack propulsion, so they travel slowly, but can be launched in any direction.
Avoid crashing into any solid scenery. Seaweed is the hardest substance your submersible can bear a collision with. Also, during the intro and end sequence, do not move your craft into the display window, or a life will be lost.
Be on the lookout for coins bearing the Elder Sign. Collect four for an extra life.
Enemy Guide:
Boats: The fanatical cult of Innsmouth will try to stop your mission by dropping depth charges. Shoot the keel of the boat as it passes by to prevent them.
Torpedoes: Fired from the cultists' boats, these move quickly; blow up on impact with your hull; and are small, elusive targets.
Ghouls: Lowly but dangerous undead creatures. They have an inconvenient habit of phasing in and out of reality. While phased out, they are immune from attack. When they phase in, they will strike at you with magic.
Sharks: Mutated by the evil influence of Cthulhu, these creatures will strike at you aggressively, and take considerable damage to destroy.
Jellyfish: More mutated sea life. They move fast, but always in one direction, and often attack in shoals.
Cluster Mines: The cult has laid a field of these to stop your progress in stage 2. Magnetism draws them towards you, whereupon they split into four smaller, indestructible mines (unless you can shoot them first).
Tentacles: Strange creatures lurking in Devil's Reef will try to seize you with their tentacles. Either destroy them, or time your passage through the narrow sections very carefully.
Deep Ones: Part-human aquatic mutations that serve Cthulhu. Aggressive, agile, and unpredictable opponents, they are especially inclined to ambush you from caves and crevices.
Polyps: Mutated colony creatures that rise in a long, waving strand. Indestructible, so move quickly lest they block your route.
Shoggoths: These hideous, amorphous, genetically engineered creatures take a lot of punishment, and attack you with magic.
Star Spawn: Despite their squid-like appearance, these small demons are true extra-terrestrials, and able magic users.
Bosses:
Dagon, Hydra, and Cthulhu.