When the game Doom hit the markets back in 1993, it was an exclusive experience reserved for PC owners. The Amiga Commodore, a popular home computer at the time, was left out of this fun as programmer John Carmack deemed it lacking in power capacity to run the game. As such, Amiga owners had to settle for mediocre imitations from various developers, which, despite their efforts, couldn't quite match up to the real thing.
Fast forward to today, and we see the gaming landscape changing. Notably, a game company by the name of Pixelglass Games is hard at work to deliver 'Grind', a thrilling Doom-like game designed for the Amiga 500. Their goal? To provide Amiga owners the Doom experience they've waited decades to receive.
Grind, an exciting fusion of Steampunk and Lovecraftian elements, came into existence thanks to John 'Tsak' Tsakiri. Initially, the game began as a project called 'Dread', garnering much acclaim for its superior use of full-screen resolution, high-quality textured walls and smooth frame rates. However, when its original coder, Krzysztof Kluczek, had to step away due to other commitments, the project had to pivot.
Kluczek kept the title 'Dread' and continued development on his own, whereas Tsakiri took the reins on a new project using the robust engine from Dread, thus giving birth to Grind.
In a nutshell, Grind gives players a unique twist on the Doom universe. The game’s description puts it best: "Imagine a universe where Doom wasn't released for PCs in 1993 but several years earlier on the humble Amiga 500! Grind is a new fps game powered by the amazing Dread engine: a mind-blowing achievement which showcases what was really possible with Amiga's original hardware!"
Although still in its development phase, Grind promises a tantalizing experience for Amiga owners and retro gaming fans alike. A demo of the game, called 'Darkenward East’ v0.3, is now available on the company's Patreon. The demo is designed to showcase the game's graphics, art direction and gameplay. In addition, a 4-minute video of this level is available for preview on an a1200, running with fast RAM at around 25-30FPS.
Pixelglass Games' initiative is a remarkable example of how gaming innovators are breathing fresh life into retro gaming platforms. It's fascinating to see the evolution of gaming and how far developers can push the boundaries of vintage hardware. Their creativity and dedication bring forth opportunities for gaming enthusiasts of all ages to experience and appreciate what these classic systems could truly offer.
While the final release date for Grind is yet to be announced, fans and patrons of the project are eagerly awaiting its launch. With the waves it's making in the retro gaming community, Grind is bound to be an impressive addition to any Amiga owner's gaming collection. In their mission to bring the Doom experience to Amiga, Pixelglass Games are not just creating a game; they're making history.
You must be logged in to post a comment!
