Bernard the Bard
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This is the first game I ever played in MZX. I think that was sometime in the year 1999 when MZX was still for DOS and I was using a AMD K6/2 450 mhz. Ah, the memories... Anyhow, if it wasn't for this game, I probably would have never gotten so intrested in MZX.
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Last modified 2012-05-17 00:17:05
This game is a classic. Wonderfully entertaining graphics and animations, well-designed boards, fun playability, cool music-the list goes on.
If you haven't played this one yet, go play it. If you have played it, play it again and make sure you get all the possible stories.
It's definately worth the download.
If you haven't played this one yet, go play it. If you have played it, play it again and make sure you get all the possible stories.
It's definately worth the download.
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Posted date unknown
A classic MZX title with some nice graphics, impressive programming and effects, a few different paths through the game, and tons of secrets. Definitely worth playing, only problem I can think of is that there are some frustrating areas (the sewer maze, and side scroller being some). Still a great game.
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What can I say about it that hasn't been said? This classic is one of MZX's most unique games. The graphics are exceptional, the sounds are atmospheric, the gameplay is top-notch, the whole setting is immersive, the story's awesome, and it even has branching paths for replayability! I honestly have nothing but praise for this game.
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blah blah blah best MZX game ever ffffffffffff
Hmm, well. Maybe I should tread new ground and review this game for people who actually don't know about it already.
Bernard the Bard has been the Gold Standard of a good MegaZeux game since it came out in 1998 (only matched in reverence by Demon Earth when that came out several years later). It's easy to see why. For quite a while, the game has been one of the best introductions to MZX games in general, because it's a solid game with diverse gameplay, good graphics and a quirky sense of humor.
The plot follows a well-worn formula, where a character wakes up on a seemingly uneventful day which turns out to be quite the opposite. This time, it's Bernard the Bard waking up and finding out that large portions of the townsfolk are missing something. The plot can follow various branches from there, but ties into the gameplay quite well and keeps a humorous tone throughout (I wanted to cast BUTTCHEEKS OF DOOM and the game wouldn't let me :(). All paths eventually converge into a solid ending.
The gameplay is the most exemplary thing about this game. While, like Lamar's previous game Talon's Tale, there's a core of default MZX gameplay, there's quite a lot of deviation in this title. The standard MZX shooting is very well-implemented; the game mixes default MZX enemies and Robots, and the bosses are very well-programmed and often have inventive patterns and attacks. (There's certainly no lack of bosses either, especially near the end.) Bernard the Bard can also use his lute to affect many of the enemies. The inventory puzzles are mostly concentrated in the beginning of the game, and generally well-done and with a few alternate solutions. Lamar was dedicated enough to provide a "flub" animation for the items - using the plunger, for example, has Bernard take a short look at it and then stick it over his head. On top of the standard MZX shooting action and the well-worn inventory puzzles, there are several (several) minigames and sidegames. There's a short timing game, a graphical puzzle, a wack-a-mole game, a 3D maze (implemented far, FAR better than pretty much any other attempt) and many other little trinkets. The best part is that one definitely won't see all of this in one run, as Bernard the Bard branches out in several spots. While the biggest forks are near the beginning, there's enough variety to last near the end.
The game looks and sounds very nice, considering when it was made. One or two color choices are questionable, but it's very rare, and there are smatterings of good ANSI art (for example, the game over screen). Graphically, the game is solid, with smart application of overlay and plenty of character animation. (Most things are 1x1; Bernard, most townspeople and a few other things are larger.) The music is a fitting group of songs, a few being remixes of much older MODs. (For those of you who remember the original BtB demo, the music there could induce aural bleeding, and I'm beyond glad the next demo and the full version didn't keep that music.)
The main problem with this game is its difficulty. In fact, most MZXers who openly praise this game have never beaten it. The biggest problem is ammo (and as a result of this, currency). The default MZX shooting and bombing actions are inherently wasteful of ammo, considering how quickly most enemies move, and BtB is relatively spartan about providing supplies. The game is perfectly beatable even without saving; Lancer-X did this through necessity when he speed-ran the game, though with fewer than five shots left! One can resort to saving frequently at the random prize booth if needed, but after a certain point in the game this becomes impossible.
In short, if you're a new MZXer, you need to play this game, and if you're a veteran MZXer you need to actually complete this game. Full marks. What else can I really give this?
Hmm, well. Maybe I should tread new ground and review this game for people who actually don't know about it already.
Bernard the Bard has been the Gold Standard of a good MegaZeux game since it came out in 1998 (only matched in reverence by Demon Earth when that came out several years later). It's easy to see why. For quite a while, the game has been one of the best introductions to MZX games in general, because it's a solid game with diverse gameplay, good graphics and a quirky sense of humor.
The plot follows a well-worn formula, where a character wakes up on a seemingly uneventful day which turns out to be quite the opposite. This time, it's Bernard the Bard waking up and finding out that large portions of the townsfolk are missing something. The plot can follow various branches from there, but ties into the gameplay quite well and keeps a humorous tone throughout (I wanted to cast BUTTCHEEKS OF DOOM and the game wouldn't let me :(). All paths eventually converge into a solid ending.
The gameplay is the most exemplary thing about this game. While, like Lamar's previous game Talon's Tale, there's a core of default MZX gameplay, there's quite a lot of deviation in this title. The standard MZX shooting is very well-implemented; the game mixes default MZX enemies and Robots, and the bosses are very well-programmed and often have inventive patterns and attacks. (There's certainly no lack of bosses either, especially near the end.) Bernard the Bard can also use his lute to affect many of the enemies. The inventory puzzles are mostly concentrated in the beginning of the game, and generally well-done and with a few alternate solutions. Lamar was dedicated enough to provide a "flub" animation for the items - using the plunger, for example, has Bernard take a short look at it and then stick it over his head. On top of the standard MZX shooting action and the well-worn inventory puzzles, there are several (several) minigames and sidegames. There's a short timing game, a graphical puzzle, a wack-a-mole game, a 3D maze (implemented far, FAR better than pretty much any other attempt) and many other little trinkets. The best part is that one definitely won't see all of this in one run, as Bernard the Bard branches out in several spots. While the biggest forks are near the beginning, there's enough variety to last near the end.
The game looks and sounds very nice, considering when it was made. One or two color choices are questionable, but it's very rare, and there are smatterings of good ANSI art (for example, the game over screen). Graphically, the game is solid, with smart application of overlay and plenty of character animation. (Most things are 1x1; Bernard, most townspeople and a few other things are larger.) The music is a fitting group of songs, a few being remixes of much older MODs. (For those of you who remember the original BtB demo, the music there could induce aural bleeding, and I'm beyond glad the next demo and the full version didn't keep that music.)
The main problem with this game is its difficulty. In fact, most MZXers who openly praise this game have never beaten it. The biggest problem is ammo (and as a result of this, currency). The default MZX shooting and bombing actions are inherently wasteful of ammo, considering how quickly most enemies move, and BtB is relatively spartan about providing supplies. The game is perfectly beatable even without saving; Lancer-X did this through necessity when he speed-ran the game, though with fewer than five shots left! One can resort to saving frequently at the random prize booth if needed, but after a certain point in the game this becomes impossible.
In short, if you're a new MZXer, you need to play this game, and if you're a veteran MZXer you need to actually complete this game. Full marks. What else can I really give this?
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Last modified 2025-05-19 14:47:57
Aaaagh, I'm just constantly running out of ammo in this game!
In my first playthrough, I had to look in the editor several times to do the first sewer region... The scene transitions happen so fast it makes it almost impossible to memorize the possible combinations of turning left, right, or continuing straight and do process of elimination...
I wound up still having to constantly load saved games just from having missed too many shots. I only managed to beat the final boss with around 10 health and 0 ammo left... and using up a 'Taco Lunch' I had been saving in my inventory since almost teh start of the game. The insane difficulty made that finish memorable.
On my second playthrough, I made sure to bulk up on ammo using the targets minigame since that's when buying ammo in bulk is possible at the best conversion rate... wound up selling 28 gems and getting over 1400 ammo by the time it was time to go to the castle in the east, since the fortune teller (from my first playthrough) warns that that's a point at which the town will not be the same, coming back. That fortune teller is actually useful!
I've reloaded different saves from different points in the game just to see all the different branching paths-- at time of writing I've seen everything except the main route in Ned's Quest in the first branching path... wanted to finish the fight with Dr. Generic, but I got the aliens instead. >.,>
The music feels like it lasts just the right amount of time between each series of boards that share the same song. I think my favorite is the woods to the west... even though that's probably the shortest song in the game! The main town theme is also a very good choice.
Probably the thing that the most impresses me about this game is the animation... that and the characters appearing in the game world in different places (and then disappearing again) depending on time of day. This comes close to maxing out the amount to put in a single MZX game at once that was possible at the time of version 2.51 being the last full version of MegaZeux to be released... and just kind of gives the impression that any other MZX game that doesn't do as much with its programming, animation, and so on isn't reaching its own potential. Bernard the Bard really sets the bar.
The only softlocks in this game are if the player doesn't stock up enough on keys, bombs, ammo etc. which means it's not up to programming errors. The game also rewards the player for using their head in little details, like boulders that can be bombed but have to be bombed from just the right distance to get chests behind them... or that one pouch that the player has to jump off of a Turtle Tot to reach-- that's the only part of this game I have to temporarily turn the speed down from Speed 4 to Speed 8 to get.
The only thing I can really complain about is... the ammo management. For the incredibly unpredictable and, at times, inconsistent movement of the enemies-- especially that of the "Goobers" towards the end of the game-- the ammo provided could've been double and it would've been good. Otherwise, I'm having to take damage in exchange for lining up my shots... not something I want to have to do when trying to beat the game without losing a life. ^.,^; It's beatable without losing a life! but it takes lots of ammo and lots of saves, and I hate to have to choose one or the other. ah, but I suppose having to use up more lives counts as part of the gameplay. not going to knock it down a star just for that.
In my first playthrough, I had to look in the editor several times to do the first sewer region... The scene transitions happen so fast it makes it almost impossible to memorize the possible combinations of turning left, right, or continuing straight and do process of elimination...
I wound up still having to constantly load saved games just from having missed too many shots. I only managed to beat the final boss with around 10 health and 0 ammo left... and using up a 'Taco Lunch' I had been saving in my inventory since almost teh start of the game. The insane difficulty made that finish memorable.
On my second playthrough, I made sure to bulk up on ammo using the targets minigame since that's when buying ammo in bulk is possible at the best conversion rate... wound up selling 28 gems and getting over 1400 ammo by the time it was time to go to the castle in the east, since the fortune teller (from my first playthrough) warns that that's a point at which the town will not be the same, coming back. That fortune teller is actually useful!
I've reloaded different saves from different points in the game just to see all the different branching paths-- at time of writing I've seen everything except the main route in Ned's Quest in the first branching path... wanted to finish the fight with Dr. Generic, but I got the aliens instead. >.,>
The music feels like it lasts just the right amount of time between each series of boards that share the same song. I think my favorite is the woods to the west... even though that's probably the shortest song in the game! The main town theme is also a very good choice.
Probably the thing that the most impresses me about this game is the animation... that and the characters appearing in the game world in different places (and then disappearing again) depending on time of day. This comes close to maxing out the amount to put in a single MZX game at once that was possible at the time of version 2.51 being the last full version of MegaZeux to be released... and just kind of gives the impression that any other MZX game that doesn't do as much with its programming, animation, and so on isn't reaching its own potential. Bernard the Bard really sets the bar.
The only softlocks in this game are if the player doesn't stock up enough on keys, bombs, ammo etc. which means it's not up to programming errors. The game also rewards the player for using their head in little details, like boulders that can be bombed but have to be bombed from just the right distance to get chests behind them... or that one pouch that the player has to jump off of a Turtle Tot to reach-- that's the only part of this game I have to temporarily turn the speed down from Speed 4 to Speed 8 to get.
The only thing I can really complain about is... the ammo management. For the incredibly unpredictable and, at times, inconsistent movement of the enemies-- especially that of the "Goobers" towards the end of the game-- the ammo provided could've been double and it would've been good. Otherwise, I'm having to take damage in exchange for lining up my shots... not something I want to have to do when trying to beat the game without losing a life. ^.,^; It's beatable without losing a life! but it takes lots of ammo and lots of saves, and I hate to have to choose one or the other. ah, but I suppose having to use up more lives counts as part of the gameplay. not going to knock it down a star just for that.