First Person & Third Person Games: 1988 (Super Mario Bros. 3, Blaster Master, Exile, Guardian Legend, Golvellius (SMS), Last Ninja 2 and Ys II are released)
1984|1985|1986|1987|1988|1989
Star Cruiser (X1/PC-88, 1988/X68K, 1989/MD, 1990)(fan translated)
Subgenre: 3D Action Adventure/Space Combat Sim
Perspective: FP view
Other: No jumping, Space flight but no flight within a planet's atmosphere
-Mini-map (indoors) and enemy radar (outdoors) but no maps?
-Save pretty much anywhere?
Playthrough (PC-88) - Video Review - Mini Review
Dark Side (AMI/ST/C64 etc., 1988)
Subgenre: 3D FPS/Maze Shooter
Perspective: FP View
Other: Linear? (destroy certain targets in a specific order), Time limit, Jetpack but no jumping
Compass but no map?
Save feature
Playthrough (ST) - Video Review - Mini Review
Total Eclipse (PCs, 1988)
Subgenre: 3D FPS/Maze Shooter w/ Adventure elements (item inventory, basic switch puzzles)
Perspective: FP view
Other: P&C+Keyboard controls, Crouching, Can look up/down
Thirst mechanic
Flashlight (gives a limited FoV in dark rooms)
Destructible walls and pillars holding up objects
Some doors are shot open
Compass, No map?
Save feature
Unusual health system (as you take damage, your heart rate speeds up. If it beats too fast, you suffer a heart attack and die; resting and collecting treasure lowers it)
Playthrough (AMI) - Video Review - Mini Review
SpellCaster (SMS, 1988)
Subgenre: Platform Adventure/Graphic Adventure Hybrid (FP View, a few TB battles here), One Vertical Shoot 'em up segment (the finale)
Perspective: SV/FP view hybrid
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Outliers:
The Colony (Mac, 1988)?
Subgenre: FPS/Maze Shooter
Perspective: FP view
Other: 256 degree turning, Fairly smooth framerate and convincing fake 3D
-Teleporters
-Forklift (moves certain objects)
-Elevator
Manhunter: New York (Multi, 1988) - ? Graphic Adventure/TD Action Adventure Hybrid
Rocket Ranger (AMI/PC, 1988) - Adventure/Strategy/Action (Shoot ‘em up, Beat ‘em up) Hybrid, Side View/TP View Hybrid, Hub map, No platforming
Interactive Dialogue w/ voice acting
Dispatch and give orders to troops, Infiltrate factories
WW2 theme
Star Cruiser (X1/PC-88, 1988/X68K, 1989/MD, 1990)(fan translated)
Subgenre: 3D Action Adventure/Space Combat Sim
Perspective: FP view
Other: No jumping, Space flight but no flight within a planet's atmosphere
-Mini-map (indoors) and enemy radar (outdoors) but no maps?
-Save pretty much anywhere?
Playthrough (PC-88) - Video Review - Mini Review
Dark Side (AMI/ST/C64 etc., 1988)
Subgenre: 3D FPS/Maze Shooter
Perspective: FP View
Other: Linear? (destroy certain targets in a specific order), Time limit, Jetpack but no jumping
Compass but no map?
Save feature
Playthrough (ST) - Video Review - Mini Review
Total Eclipse (PCs, 1988)
Subgenre: 3D FPS/Maze Shooter w/ Adventure elements (item inventory, basic switch puzzles)
Perspective: FP view
Other: P&C+Keyboard controls, Crouching, Can look up/down
Thirst mechanic
Flashlight (gives a limited FoV in dark rooms)
Destructible walls and pillars holding up objects
Some doors are shot open
Compass, No map?
Save feature
Unusual health system (as you take damage, your heart rate speeds up. If it beats too fast, you suffer a heart attack and die; resting and collecting treasure lowers it)
Playthrough (AMI) - Video Review - Mini Review
SpellCaster (SMS, 1988)
Subgenre: Platform Adventure/Graphic Adventure Hybrid (FP View, a few TB battles here), One Vertical Shoot 'em up segment (the finale)
Perspective: SV/FP view hybrid
- Mostly linear structure (very linear at first besides being able to go back to Kizumo for healing, can only go to the next location in the sequence at some points, some sidetracking for optional items)
- Can exit an action segment where you entered it to go back to the previously visited Adventure/non-hostile location, Can only move between connecting locations in the Adventure mode (selected from a menu), Can't revisit cleared action segments unless the story takes you there (happens a couple of times)
- Temporary flight spell (only non-key tool used for traversal/exploration besides the war hammer used for some breakable blocks in one area and arguably the x-ray glasses which are used to find things in the ocean during one of the Adventure segments)
- Password save (long), Checkpoints are placed only at the beginning of action segments but you can respawn at the beginning of boss fights
- No maps besides a basic layout map during the ocean segment (vague world map in the manual, one big maze level)
- AP, HP & DEF upgrades
- Two HP restoration points (Izumo, Chizu Sea), Healing spell (mars)
- Some puzzles
- Can examine some things but generally not things that aren't relevant to your quest
- Various death pits
- Can get stuck at one point if you take too long to beat a certain boss but it's unlikely to happen (Thunder God, gives you a key item)
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Outliers:
The Colony (Mac, 1988)?
Subgenre: FPS/Maze Shooter
Perspective: FP view
Other: 256 degree turning, Fairly smooth framerate and convincing fake 3D
-Teleporters
-Forklift (moves certain objects)
-Elevator
Manhunter: New York (Multi, 1988) - ? Graphic Adventure/TD Action Adventure Hybrid
Rocket Ranger (AMI/PC, 1988) - Adventure/Strategy/Action (Shoot ‘em up, Beat ‘em up) Hybrid, Side View/TP View Hybrid, Hub map, No platforming
Interactive Dialogue w/ voice acting
Dispatch and give orders to troops, Infiltrate factories
WW2 theme