Quintic Warrior

The Good
Space shooters were quite popular back in the day; and among these was Quintic Warrior, a game similar to Gridrunner, released only for the Commodore 64. Not much to say about the plot, but basically you are given the “Quintic Factor” as well as four other attributes that give you supreme fighting power. This is put to the test when Zorinian Mutants try to attack the dome by marching toward it. If one of them reaches the top of the dome, the game is over regardless of how many lives you have left.

Like Gridrunner, you also need to be aware of your surroundings. Three defenses located on the edges of the screen destroy you when they align with your ship. If you manage to progress through each level, the Zed Ramer also appears and aids in the destruction of the dome.

The graphics are very good, with you fighting the Zorinians against a moving grid of dots, and you use these dots to align your ship with them so that you can get a clear shot. The three defenses are well designed. The sound is also good, and the skill level is selectable before the game, with each level presenting increased difficulty.

The Bad
The game is so difficult that I could not get past the first level. Because I have to keep moving around to avoid getting intersected and killed, this makes it difficult for me to get a clear shot. Furthermore, when you end up losing a life you respawn in the grid’s center, but the defenses are still homed in on you. Due to this, you are killed instantly if you don’t get out of the way.

The Bottom Line
Quintic Warrior is right up there with the aforementioned Jeff Minter game when it comes to gameplay. Players new to the game may be put off by its difficulty, but with a little practice the game can be mastered in no time.