Difference between revisions of "Commander Keen IV: Secret of the Oracle"
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[[Image:Commander Keen 4 - DOS - USA.jpg|thumb|256x256px|US box art.]] | [[Image:Commander Keen 4 - DOS - USA.jpg|thumb|256x256px|US box art.]] | ||
− | '''''Commander Keen IV: Secret of the Oracle''''' is an action platformer game developed by [[id Software]] and published by [[Apogee Software]] for [[DOS]] in 1991. Although it is numbered as the fourth game, it's actually the fifth game in the [[Commander Keen (Universe)|series]]. | + | '''''Commander Keen IV: Secret of the Oracle''''' is an action platformer game developed by [[id Software]] and published by [[Apogee Software]] for [[MS-DOS]] in 1991. Although it is numbered as the fourth game, it's actually the fifth game in the [[Commander Keen (Universe)|series]]. |
− | + | I first encountered this game because a special shareware version was included with the [[Gravis GamePad]] I bought around 1992. It had added support for the four-button controller making the game much easier to play than with the keyboard or a two-button controller. | |
==Status== | ==Status== | ||
− | I own the special Gravis release of Keen IV on 3.5" floppy, and have beaten | + | I own the special Gravis release of Keen IV on 3.5" floppy, and have beaten every map on easy difficulty, except the secret map. |
==Review== | ==Review== | ||
* '''Overall:''' 5/10 | * '''Overall:''' 5/10 | ||
− | * '''Best Version:''' DOS | + | * '''Best Version:''' MS-DOS |
===Good=== | ===Good=== | ||
+ | * The game is both fun and challenging. | ||
* The graphics and animation are well-drawn and the music and sound effects are great. | * The graphics and animation are well-drawn and the music and sound effects are great. | ||
− | |||
* The story is pretty funny. | * The story is pretty funny. | ||
* The game is quite large with a lot of levels to play. | * The game is quite large with a lot of levels to play. | ||
===Bad=== | ===Bad=== | ||
− | * Like most DOS games, the EGA colors were way out of date compared to the consoles of the day. | + | * Like most DOS games, the [[Enhanced Graphics Adapter|EGA]] colors were way out of date compared to the consoles of the day. |
− | * Large sections of the maps, indeed a couple of the levels entirely, are not needed to win the game and only exist for increasing the player's score. | + | * Large sections of the maps, indeed a couple of the levels entirely, are not needed to win the game and only exist for increasing the player's score. This was poor design. |
+ | * Movement with the pogo stick is pretty clunky and difficult to control, especially if you're using the keyboard. | ||
− | ==Ugly== | + | ===Ugly=== |
* Nothing. | * Nothing. | ||
− | ==Box Art== | + | ==Media== |
+ | ===Box Art=== | ||
<gallery> | <gallery> | ||
Commander Keen 4 - DOS - USA.jpg|Since this episode of the game was released as shareware, there aren't any professionally made boxes for the game. Instead, we see various cheap covers like this, with just a screenshot. | Commander Keen 4 - DOS - USA.jpg|Since this episode of the game was released as shareware, there aren't any professionally made boxes for the game. Instead, we see various cheap covers like this, with just a screenshot. | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
− | ==Maps== | + | ===Maps=== |
<gallery> | <gallery> | ||
Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Shadowlands.png|Shadowlands. | Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Shadowlands.png|Shadowlands. | ||
Line 50: | Line 52: | ||
Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Isle of Fire.png|Isle of Fire. | Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Isle of Fire.png|Isle of Fire. | ||
Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Well of Wishes.png|Well of Wishes. | Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Well of Wishes.png|Well of Wishes. | ||
+ | Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Pyramid of the Forbidden.png|Pyramid of the Forbidden. | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Videos=== | ||
+ | * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKHUOKVzo0Q youtube.com/watch?v=iKHUOKVzo0Q] - Longplay. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==Download== | ||
+ | Commander Keen is still being sold, but this episode is a shareware release. This archive contains shareware and demo releases for versions 1.0 to 1.4 for both EGA and CGA graphics. | ||
+ | |||
+ | * [[Media:Commander Keen In Secret of the Oracle (All Versions).zip|Download]] ([[:File:Commander Keen In Secret of the Oracle (All Versions).zip|Info]]) - All versions. | ||
==Links== | ==Links== | ||
* [http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/commander-keen-4-secret-of-the-oracle mobygames.com/game/dos/commander-keen-4-secret-of-the-oracle] - MobyGames. | * [http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/commander-keen-4-secret-of-the-oracle mobygames.com/game/dos/commander-keen-4-secret-of-the-oracle] - MobyGames. | ||
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander_Keen_in_Goodbye,_Galaxy en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander_Keen_in_Goodbye,_Galaxy] - Wikipedia. | * [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander_Keen_in_Goodbye,_Galaxy en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander_Keen_in_Goodbye,_Galaxy] - Wikipedia. | ||
+ | * [http://www.shikadi.net/moddingwiki/Commander_Keen_4-6 shikadi.net/moddingwiki/Commander_Keen_4-6] - Modding Wiki. | ||
[[Category: Games]] | [[Category: Games]] | ||
[[Category: Video Games]] | [[Category: Video Games]] | ||
+ | [[Category: DOS Games]] | ||
[[Category: Action]] | [[Category: Action]] | ||
[[Category: Platformer]] | [[Category: Platformer]] | ||
− | |||
[[Category: Games I've Beaten]] | [[Category: Games I've Beaten]] | ||
+ | [[Category: Humor]] | ||
+ | [[Category: 4-bit Color Graphics]] |
Revision as of 15:19, 22 June 2018
Commander Keen IV: Secret of the Oracle is an action platformer game developed by id Software and published by Apogee Software for MS-DOS in 1991. Although it is numbered as the fourth game, it's actually the fifth game in the series.
I first encountered this game because a special shareware version was included with the Gravis GamePad I bought around 1992. It had added support for the four-button controller making the game much easier to play than with the keyboard or a two-button controller.
Contents
Status
I own the special Gravis release of Keen IV on 3.5" floppy, and have beaten every map on easy difficulty, except the secret map.
Review
- Overall: 5/10
- Best Version: MS-DOS
Good
- The game is both fun and challenging.
- The graphics and animation are well-drawn and the music and sound effects are great.
- The story is pretty funny.
- The game is quite large with a lot of levels to play.
Bad
- Like most DOS games, the EGA colors were way out of date compared to the consoles of the day.
- Large sections of the maps, indeed a couple of the levels entirely, are not needed to win the game and only exist for increasing the player's score. This was poor design.
- Movement with the pogo stick is pretty clunky and difficult to control, especially if you're using the keyboard.
Ugly
- Nothing.
Media
Box Art
Maps
Videos
- youtube.com/watch?v=iKHUOKVzo0Q - Longplay.
Download
Commander Keen is still being sold, but this episode is a shareware release. This archive contains shareware and demo releases for versions 1.0 to 1.4 for both EGA and CGA graphics.
Links
- mobygames.com/game/dos/commander-keen-4-secret-of-the-oracle - MobyGames.
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander_Keen_in_Goodbye,_Galaxy - Wikipedia.
- shikadi.net/moddingwiki/Commander_Keen_4-6 - Modding Wiki.