A very quick open and closed case.
Alpha Omega’s Orpheus game of the same name was actually intended to be released back in 1984 by Sterling Software, but it seems the company may have collapsed before it got out.
However, Steve Bak seems to have sold the game on to budget label Alpha Omega about a year or so later – so it did eventually see release.
It is likely that the games are identical, apart from copyright changes and loader. It would be good to find an original to compare though!
Well… in June 2020, Neil Collins did just that and has a copy – confirming that the game was actually released (in very limited numbers).
The game has been confirmed to be exactly the same as the released version later on by Alpha Omega.
Case closed!
Contributions: Neil Collins
Supporting content
Gallery
Just to add on to this, the original Zzap review for the release by Alpha Omega has Gary Penn noting he saw the game previously two years before, so it must have gotten out for him to have seen it.
http://www.zzap64.co.uk/cgi-bin/displaypage.pl?issue=020&page=150&thumbstart=0&magazine=zzap&check=1
Good spot Mat!
I also have a copy of this original game by Sterling software. Any idea how much it would be worth?
Just been reading up on the programmer – Steve Bak. He was responsible for many cool 8 & 16-bit titles including James Pond, Dogs of War, War Machine, Gods & Heroes, Various Cuthbert games, Lands of Havoc, Spitting Image, Goldrunner and lots more. Steve was quite a prolific and talented programmer, who went on to do a lot of Disney titles on other systems.
Sadly Steve passed away last year at the age of 66 from complications with diabetes according to his son Philip. Another legendary programmer gone too soon.
I sit here with Steve’s game from 1984 in one hand, and a cold cider in the other. It’s been an incredibly hot summers day here in Wales (which is pretty rare!), so what better way to cool down and raise a glass to Steve Bak. Thanks for all the games Steve. Your work is still appreciated 36 years later. Rest in peace buddy.
Another GTW case solved, and another title added to the retrocollector records.
It’s always a good day when a little piece of C64 gaming history is discovered and archived.
Thanks for that Steve.