Hydrax  (1983 - Cymbal Software_ Inc.)
Platform: Commodore 64
Gametype: Undefined
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Hydrax is an obscure Commodore 64 adventure game released in 1983. It features joystick control supplemented by text input.

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Manual :

The game "Hydrax"  is a new concept   in Adventure Games. It seeks to 
combine the best features of an Adventure  Game with the action and graphics 
of an Arcade Game. As an adventurer  you will be required to solve puzzles 
and riddles while exploring  a vast underground  world in your quest to find and 
defeat Hydrax. As an arcader you will use a joystick to control the hero and to 
fight various unfriendly creatures  which inhabit the cave. 

The game is played in two ways, by means of the joystick, when fast action 
to defeat an enemy is required,  and by typed commands if a more thoughtful 
solution is required.
 
Pressing the space bar on the computer  will freeze all action and allow you to 
type in a command . Commands  may be single words or sentences. 
e.g.  (i) LOOK-will tell you about the room 
    (ii) OFFER 10 GOLD PIECES  TO WITCH 
SOME USE.  FUL  COMMANDS 
INVENTORY - tells what you are currently  carrying  and how many life points 
you have left. 

SAVE  GAME - saves game to disk (see note). 

EXITS  FROM CAVERN 

The exits are left, right, back, front, up, and down. A cavern may have only one 
exit or any combination of six. All exits are normally visible on the screen 
except the front. The joystick  can be used to walk through a left or right exit. 

JOYSTICK 

The joystick is used for walking,  jumping,  ducking,  swimming and fighting. To 
fight you must carry a sword. Press fire button and direction of the joystick will 
point the sword. 
Joystick left or right walks in that direction. 

LOADING 

Load  "BOOT"   and type in "RUN  :' 
It should be noted there is the initial loading  of many files and it takes 
some time. 

Playing a NEW GAME     (N) starts player  from the first cavern . 
Playing  a SAVED GAME (S) continues  the player from where he saved 
the game  . 

SAVING  GAME 

The SAVE GAME command  allows player to save game in most rooms.         You 
must  use your own disk as a SAVED GAME  DISK. Any new disk used as a 
SAVED GAME  DISK must be formated  using the program  New Disk.       To format 
the disk  load program  NEW DISK and RUN. This may be done only once for 
any new  disk. Any previous  program  on this disk will be erased. 
Player must save game at least once to play a SAVED GAME. 

The scene  opens with our hero travelling  a long dusty trail and arriving  at a 
dead-end  canyon. The only way to continue  is through  an entrance  to a large 
cave. On the ground , in front of the cave, is a metallic  suit that does not seem 
to have suffered  the ravages of time with a note etched  on the metal. 

The note reads: 
"With my last strength  I am writing  this note as a warning  and a challenge  to all 
who seek to follow the trail into the cave. 
The cave is rumored  to house a huge dragon  which guards  a vast treasure  and 
rules the lower reaches of the kingdom. The caves are inhabited .by many 
creatures  some who will aid you in your quest and others who will seek to do 
the dragon 's bidding  and stop you. Heed the creatures  who have proved to 
tell the truth  and you will not suffer. The creatures  who deceive you will do 
so always.          
                                         . 
I lost my nerve before reaching  the final battle. To those who follow good luck 
and be brave! "
