Death Stalker (ZXS)
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Death Stalker is a hack-and-slay adventure.
Your objective is to pass some big dungeon. On your way, you need to pick up items (up to five) from the floor, mostly to open doors and recover, but also to release prisoners (most of whom will leave you one more item) and help you fight several kinds of opponents (defeating them also opens a few doors).
The screen displays only sections, items and creatures that the protagonist can see from where he stands (not only the direction he faces). Everything else remains black until he moves closer, and becomes black when far away. However, the Spectrum graphics reviewed as indistinct, and the movements are so glitchy that even the ending apologizes.
Contents
Screenshots
Music
On a Spectrum 48K, you will hear three sound effects. They were possibly made by Tony Warriner, considering how interleaved they are with his game code.
But with at least 128K, you will hear four songs and 16 sound effects (six unused). David Whittaker most likely still arranged by typing into his driver source code on an Einstein, a computer with the same CPU and audio chip as the 128K (and also Amstrad CPC). As usual, his 128K driver is tuned two semitones too low.
Unfortunately, the Spectrum music often speeds up in-game. As suggested above, Warriner was challenged with graphics performance: While the game updates the screen, it pauses Whittaker's driver, and when it's done, it calls the driver twice in a row, trying to make up.
In-game, pressing CAPS SHIFT+T toggles between music and 128K sound effects. Your walk's sound effect plays always, and only on the loudspeaker.
Recording
All songs were recorded from the game in Fuse 1.6.0 with Spectrum 128K.
| # | Title | Composer | Length | Listen | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Theme | David Whittaker | 2:59 | Download | |
| 02 | Get Ready | David Whittaker | 0:02 | Download | |
| 03 | Game Over | David Whittaker | 0:03 | Download | |
| 04 | High Score | David Whittaker | 1:23 | Download |
Credits
- Ripper: Project AY
- Recorder: Professor Chaos
- Game Credits:
- Music By: David Whittaker
- Music/FX: David Whittaker
- Not Credited Foley Artist: Unknown
- Not Credited Programmer: David Whittaker
(Source: main menu, manual, code recognition.)
Game Rip
Audio Devices
After loading the actual game, the program detects your Spectrum model (by checking a byte in your computer's built-in ROM).
Music plays only on the 128K's and later models' built-in AY-3-8912 chip. Sound effects play on both the built-in loudspeaker and the AY-3-8912.
Releases
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Links
- mobygames.com/game/zx-spectrum/death-stalker - MobyGames.
- mobygames.com/game/zx-spectrum/quattro-combat - MobyGames on a 1991 compilation.
- gamefaqs.gamespot.com/sinclair/290576-death-stalker - GameFAQs.
- gamefaqs.gamespot.com/sinclair/225386-quattro-combat - GameFAQs on a 1991 compilation.
| Death Stalker | |
| Death Stalker |  • 
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| Notable Songs | Theme |
| Notable Personnel | David Whittaker |
| Notable Companies | Codemasters |
