Hands On with MacSoft's Lode Runner 2 
 
            Hands On with MacSoft's Lode Runner 2
            by Peter Cohen, pcohen@macgaming.com
            February 17, 1999, 10:30 am ET

             Growing up in the era of Apple II's, I remember the original Lode 
            Runner: a classic arcade-style action game from Douglas E. Smith in 
            which you ran up ladders, jumped from platform to platform, and 
            collected treasure. MacSoft's Lode Runner 2 retains much of the 
            charm and fun of that original title, while updating the game with 
            modern sensibilities. The game has a very futuristic look and feel 
            to it. High quality techno ambient music and impressive panning 
            stereo sound effects have also been incorporated. The game was 
            developed by Presage Software (check out our interview with Presage 
            for more details about the company). 
            In Lode Runner 2, you assume the title role. You're on a quest to 
            recover gold from five separate, surreal worlds comprised of 
            ladders, platforms floating in space, teleport pads, monkey bars, 
            and various other obstacles and challenges. The goal is simple 
            enough: you must collect all the gold distributed on a given level. 
            After you've done so, an exit portal will appear and you can 
            progress to the next level. All the while, the locations you're 
            traversing are guarded by monks of various colors. Some monks travel 
            the same path over and over again; some monks will chase you if they 
            catch sight of you; others will actively hunt you down and stamp you 
            out. You're not totally defenseless against these mad monks: by 
            collecting bombs and powerups, you arm yourself with increasingly 
            powerful and sophisticated shaped charges and special powers which 
            can be used to blow up the monks, clear obstructions and make 
            yourself invisible or impervious to enemies. 
            Five different worlds populate this game: Jungle World, Wacky World, 
            Gear World, Industry World and Mona World. Although the physics and 
            mechanics are the same in each world, each world sports unique 
            layouts and environments. Levels get increasingly difficult to 
            navigate: after the first few, you must solve puzzles to progress. 
            You may have to flip switches in the right order, blow up certain 
            bricks and do other things in order to extricate yourself. Therein 
            lies the challenge: it's easy in Lode Runner 2 to get yourself into 
            a spot where you're trapped. Then there's only one option: suicide. 
            Controls in Lode Runner 2 take a bit of getting used to because the 
            game is viewed isometrically. They're fully configurable, though, so 
            you can easily change them if you find them confusing. 
            Unfortunately, Lode Runner 2 does not offer InputSprocket support, 
            so you can't use ISp-compatible game controllers unless their 
            manufacturer includes "mapping" software that enables you to emulate 
            keystrokes. Lode Runner 2 also includes a level editor that enables 
            gamers to roll their own level designs. The editor includes a 
            graphical user interface that's fairly easy to get the hang of, as 
            well. 
            Network play is also supported, thanks to the inclusion of Apple's 
            NetSprocket driver. Games can be played over AppleTalk LANs and via 
            TCP/IP. A maximum of eight players can participate in deathmatch 
            games, while two players can participate in a cooperative game 
            instead. Over a 33.6 Kbps dial-up connection I experienced 
            less-than-stellar results, so I'd recommend limiting net play to 
            users of fast modems or LAN connections. 
            Documentation for the game is included as a small booklet and the 
            Level Editor's documentation is included as an Adobe Acrobat PDF 
            image on the CD. 
            Lode Runner 2 will appeal to puzzle game enthusiasts who enjoy a 
            good brain-twister mixed with some reflex action. Fans of the 
            original will definitely get a kick out seeing this title make its 
            rounds with another generation of game players. You should find it 
            for $30 or less from your favorite Macintosh game reseller.