Fatal Labyrinth

[Melf]

Want to see an action/RPG that falls flat on its face? Check out our review of Fatal Labyrinth, courtesy of our own VinnyT, and have some fun!

[nathanallan]

I have to disagree with Vinny, I love FL.

I have to say that I have played a lot of roguelikes and they're a personal favorite. I have to compare this game to Larry Linzell's Dungeon Crawl, and it seems like a perfect graphical twin.

Not only are the levels random and yes they come back sometimes, but your state and the number and type of your enemies are also random. You don't see your actual stats, like Strength, Wisom, Dexterity, but they are there and affect how you play. This is the kind of randomized stuff I love.

With this game, getting killed and starting over is actually part of the fun, as if you die at an early level, you see your funeral with one person there, if anyone. When you get killed at a high level, you have a bunch of people mourning your passing. I have no idea how many people actually get there at the highest of levels, but I am sure there will be a few.

I highly disagree that this could be called "stinker," though. The only complaint I have is the method of using items and the button scheme. But that's it, my only complaint. That could have been better by far.

Nathan

[Aarzak]

I briefly played this at a friend's house years ago. We both LOL'ed at the game just from its first couple of minutes; he never played it again. No wonder I saw this in so many used Genesis game bins back in the 1990's. Oh yeah, don't know if Vinny mentioned it..........NO BATTERY SAVE.

[TmEE]

I have a cart of it which I intend to sell...

[acdc]

if you love dragon crystal on the mastersystem
then you gonna love this one

[nathanallan]

I thought the same thing about Dragon Crystal, acdc. They even have a lot of the same bad guys.

Tim, I'd get that one from you but I have a boxed copy already. Chuckwagon it.

Nathan

[Iced Snowman]

The final time I played this atrocity was approximately 17 years ago. After many failed attempts to finish this muddle of dungeon floors I decided to dedicate 3 grueling days in order to complete the 30 levels. With no save feature to speak of other than the pause button and constant juice from the basement standard two plug wall outlet, I began my quest for victory. My breaks consisted of venturing to the bathroom, 3 square meals a day, a short television break with my family from time to time, house chores, and 8 hours of sleep. The rest of my time was solely dedicated to this cart and its terrible game play. I knew it was a poor decision to sludge through this thankless adventure, but being it was a gift from my Father I felt that nothing would give me more pleasure than to inform him of finishing it. The sooner it was completed would result in an instant trade-in to Electronics Boutique. By Noon on the 3rd day I had arrived to level 28. I was feeling extremely confident in conquering this game within the next few hours, so I began to take my final break. I paused the leech and moved my hand across the coffee table to turn off the television. I paid it no mind that I accidentally lightly grazed the cartridge with my hand as I reached for the power button on the TV.

After devouring a satisfying lunch, I headed downstairs to finish off the monsters that required the D-Button to defeat. I turned the TV on, planted myself on the couch, picked up my 3-Button controller, and pressed the pause button. Then, with no warning in sight, tragedy struck. Nothing happened. Nothing. The screen looked like the worst painting I’d ever seen. What had gone wrong? Why is the game frozen? Questions like these raced through my skull with some hope that this situation could be fixed. Horrified at what happened, I looked at my Sega Genesis and realized what may have caused this calamity. As I stated earlier, I lightly touched the cartridge while the system was paused. I still have my original 1601 with no TMSS, and I can wiggle a cartridge in it while it’s powered on with no freezing. There were two conclusions that I mulled over. One was that 2 & ½ days of constant juice to this cart had made the connections fail when I had the mishap of touching it. The second was that the manufactured quality of this game was the same as its playability, which was utter rubbish. I had been beaten. My bloodshot eyes focused on Fatal Labyrinth, and with some mistaken glimmer of hope I pulled its undead carcass from the cartridge slot, inserted it again and pressed the pause button. Nothing. Having no knowledge of what to do next I hit the reset button, and the castle rose from beyond the trees.

A few years later I did indeed trade-in this vile entity along with many other games for a SEGA CD system. I probably should’ve traded them in for just another game, but we all have to learn from our mistakes. Don’t get me wrong, my Sega Genesis is the most treasured system that I own. However, there are parasites for every video game console and Fatal Labyrinth is one of them. It doesn’t matter that I had grazed it while it was paused or that its faulty electronic composition became apparent after hours of suffering mundane game play. What does matter is that it’s a horrible game. I have no regrets of not finishing it. I can only hope that this tale from my youth will warn others from putting their hand into the fire.

[VinnyT]

Wow....

Have you seen the Reader Roundtable?

[acdc]

The final time I played this atrocity was approximately 17 years ago. After many failed attempts to finish this muddle of dungeon floors I decided to dedicate 3 grueling days in order to complete the 30 levels. With no save feature to speak of other than the pause button and constant juice from the basement standard two plug wall outlet, I began my quest for victory. My breaks consisted of venturing to the bathroom, 3 square meals a day, a short television break with my family from time to time, house chores, and 8 hours of sleep. The rest of my time was solely dedicated to this cart and its terrible game play. I knew it was a poor decision to sludge through this thankless adventure, but being it was a gift from my Father I felt that nothing would give me more pleasure than to inform him of finishing it. The sooner it was completed would result in an instant trade-in to Electronics Boutique. By Noon on the 3rd day I had arrived to level 28. I was feeling extremely confident in conquering this game within the next few hours, so I began to take my final break. I paused the leech and moved my hand across the coffee table to turn off the television. I paid it no mind that I accidentally lightly grazed the cartridge with my hand as I reached for the power button on the TV.

After devouring a satisfying lunch, I headed downstairs to finish off the monsters that required the D-Button to defeat. I turned the TV on, planted myself on the couch, picked up my 3-Button controller, and pressed the pause button. Then, with no warning in sight, tragedy struck. Nothing happened. Nothing. The screen looked like the worst painting I’d ever seen. What had gone wrong? Why is the game frozen? Questions like these raced through my skull with some hope that this situation could be fixed. Horrified at what happened, I looked at my Sega Genesis and realized what may have caused this calamity. As I stated earlier, I lightly touched the cartridge while the system was paused. I still have my original 1601 with no TMSS, and I can wiggle a cartridge in it while it’s powered on with no freezing. There were two conclusions that I mulled over. One was that 2 & ½ days of constant juice to this cart had made the connections fail when I had the mishap of touching it. The second was that the manufactured quality of this game was the same as its playability, which was utter rubbish. I had been beaten. My bloodshot eyes focused on Fatal Labyrinth, and with some mistaken glimmer of hope I pulled its undead carcass from the cartridge slot, inserted it again and pressed the pause button. Nothing. Having no knowledge of what to do next I hit the reset button, and the castle rose from beyond the trees.

A few years later I did indeed trade-in this vile entity along with many other games for a SEGA CD system. I probably should’ve traded them in for just another game, but we all have to learn from our mistakes. Don’t get me wrong, my Sega Genesis is the most treasured system that I own. However, there are parasites for every video game console and Fatal Labyrinth is one of them. It doesn’t matter that I had grazed it while it was paused or that its faulty electronic composition became apparent after hours of suffering mundane game play. What does matter is that it’s a horrible game. I have no regrets of not finishing it. I can only hope that this tale from my youth will warn others from putting their hand into the fire.

that s why i love the game only one change to get your prize
1 live and that s it
i hope there are some more games like this
besides dragon crystal and fatal labyrinth i dont now any of these kinda games

and some rep for a good story

[CRV]

i hope there are some more games like this
besides dragon crystal and fatal labyrinth i dont now any of these kinda games

Familiarize yourself with the "roguelike."

[Iced Snowman]

Wow....

Have you seen the Reader Roundtable?

I am aware of the Reader Roundtable feature. I wish I had the time to set aside for this required writing as well as the obligatory review and feature each month. My career is spent on the road and in the air during the course of each year. I’m currently preparing for a tentative venture which may take me across one of the great ponds once again. It would dismay me to not be able to honor the contributor guidelines. Joining this forum was my first step in the right direction to share my thoughts on a pastime that is still alive and well. Do you know if one can solely contribute to the Reader Roundtable without any other obligation? If so, please notify me what the protocols entail. Thank you.

that s why i love the game only one change to get your prize
1 live and that s it
i hope there are some more games like this
besides dragon crystal and fatal labyrinth i dont now any of these kinda games

and some rep for a good story

I recently had the pleasure of viewing game play footage from Dragon Crystal via YouTube. The only savior that allowed me to keep my sanity during this incident was guzzling a 12 ounce Samuel Adams White Ale.

[VinnyT]

You don't need to do anything else other than send a submission to Melf around the end of each month.

[Iced Snowman]

You don't need to do anything else other than send a submission to Melf around the end of each month.

Thank you for the prompt response. I had previously desired to condemn the repulsive 2-Player known as WWF Super Wrestlemania, but decided not to after reading comments about it that represent my opinions.

I intend to visit this forum as frequently as possible to extol or castigate the games that have occupied my time. I shall not pass judgment on a game that I haven’t physically played on the Genesis/Megadrive.

Fatal Labyrinth was just the first of many games that deserve a thorough lashing.

I believe the Reader Roundtable is an avenue that I must partake in.

Unfortunately, my free time to post has ended for this week.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

[Kollision]

It would be nice if we could have a RR (or whatever feature possible) where we would all crucify the game we hate the most.
One game, one rant per person.

Of course everyone would have to get a prior approval for his/her game, because I'm sure there would be lots of people wanting to bash the same crap, like Dark Castle, Sword of Sodan, etc.

[VinnyT]

America's Most Wanted III: Peanut Gallery

I'm doing it!