Here's the familiar Konami logo.
Hey! This isn't La-Mulana!
This is Knightmare II: Maze of Galious, an MSX game specifially cited as an inspiration for La-Mulana. I thought I might take a quick look at it before getting into the main LP, to see what the later game takes from the earlier. On screen we see Popolon, the hero of Knightmare. Just like in La-Mulana, there's a vitality and an experience meter at the top of the screen. Unlike Mulana, there's a second set of meters for a second character, Aphrodite. In the first Knightmare, a vertical scrolling shooter, Popolon rescued Aphrodite. In the sequel, an exploratory platformer, both characters are playable. There are also counters for subweapon ammo, money, and keys, all of them at 000 at present, and a box that will display which subweapon I have selected once I find one.
Pressing F1 brings up the item menu, which resembles that in La-Mulana but also allows you to choose between the two heroes. Pressing F2 brings up the pause screen, showing Popolon taking a toilet break. I think I like Lemeza's curry bowl better.
I switch to Aphrodite. The obvious difference is the colour of her armour. There are other differences, though.
The jumping physics resemble those in La-Mulana - you can change direction, but only at the apex of the jump, and you can't go backwards in the middle of a forward jump, you can only slow down. Aphrodite can only do a full-height jump, no matter how briefly you press the button. Popolon can do short jumps if you tap and higher ones if you hold.
I head left one screen and pick up the halo. This is a very useful item that I'll show off in a little bit.
For now, though, here it is in my inventory.
I switch back to Popolon and head to the right. Note that Popolon breaks rocks in fewer hits than Aphrodite. This particular rock drops a Great Key, which opens the path to the first world (sublevels in the game) and increases Popolon's vitality.
I carry on to the right, passing through a vegetated area and picking up a coin drop from a rock. This gets me ten coins, like in La-Mulana, and I get another from an enemy that's not shown here. I head down a screen but find the path blocked by a door I don't have a key for (the red thing just below Popolon in the last screenshot).
One of the rocks in the room holds the arrow subweapon. I pick it up and select it, but I haven't got any ammo yet so I can't use it.
With a locked gate down below, I break out the Halo. Pressing enter on the options screen teleports Popolon to a different room. Actually my using it now has nothing to do with the gate. I hadn't noticed that picking up the arrow subweapon didn't give me any ammo for it, and I was trying to select it again to get it working, which is why it flashes briefly on the item screen before I'm teleported.
The door on this screen leads to Demeter, who gives me a password. Now I can recover my very minor progress! Actually, I don't know where to go to enter a password, so maybe not. Heading out, I drop down a pit.
I fall through the next screen and land on the one after. Breaking a rock scores me 50 arrows.
Press M to use subweapons.
For whatever reason I then use the sword instead of arrows to take out this skeleton. I like the multiple sprites for how injured it is. Too bad I put Popolon on top of most of them.
Heading down from the skeleton takes me back to the starting screen. From there I go down again and right for a few screens, taking out some worm enemies along the way, and find myself on the other side of the locked door that stopped me a little while ago. I head down the hole in the floor.
As I head right, a wall comes down behind me, blocking retreat.
On the next screen I manage to take a hit from what is essentially a stationary enemy before proceeding further downwards. Once again the return path is blocked, the ladder disappearing as Popolon steps off it.
On the next screen something emerges from the water to wave a tentacle and blow bubbles at me. I retreat into the doorway.
It turns out to be a shop. I spend most of my money to get this magnifying glass, which I equip. Apparently this lets you look at gravestones, but I don't think I've found any.
On the next screen, disaster strikes. I misjudge a jump and Popolon falls in the water. He's in poor health already and can't swim, so quickly drowns. Popolon out!
Aphrodite subs in, and quickly starts taking hits. She also falls in the water, but can swim (even in all that armour) and so doesn't take damage. But I don't want to be down there with the octopus, so I teleport back to the password screen.
I head back to the opening screen and go left twice, finding a room full of skeletons and a heavy door. Going through, Aphrodite climbs a ladder to reach World 1. Aside from the main castle, Maze of Galious has several smaller levels, called worlds. It seems it's a big game.
I take the lower path from the first room of World 1, finding a map which is visible on the inventory screen. Dropping down the shaft in the second room I land on a plant and die. Game over.
And that's it for Maze of Galious! We now return to your scheduled LP in progress, La-Mulana. I hope you've enjoyed this diversion into what seems like a pretty cool game. I even thought briefly about abandoning my La-Mulana plans and doing this game instead. If you're interested in playing, there is a remake available for free. I haven't tried it, so I don't know how accurate/good it is.
Map:
Next Time:
Part 02: Beginning
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