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/ Genres / Action / Obliterator

Obliterator

DOS - 1989
Also available on: Amiga - Amstrad CPC - Atari ST - MSX

Obliterator is a fun early side-scrolling platformer from Psygnosis that is notable for being the first Psygnosis game to include music (although the PC speakers, naturally, pale in comparison to Commodore 64 version).

This sci-fi platformer features huge, highly levels, and great graphics that unfortunately looks better than it plays. Your task is basically to run along the corridors of a dying spaceship, looking for spare parts with which to fix your shuttle (and thus escape) while taking on hordes of impressive-looking but hardly-animated-at-all aliens.

An unusual icon-controlled control system works well, but gameplay is quite repetitive, and doesn't rise above the typical shoot-everything-in-sight fare that action fans have seen all too many times.

Review By HOTUD

Comments and reviews

LRGPNS 09 Apr. 2026

This is one case where I'd actually recommend playing the DOS version over the Amiga one. It wasn't merely ported over but given some significant reworks including tweaks to the control scheme and redrawn graphics that, despite being EGA palette, I'd argue are cooler looking. It does lose the music, a few cutscene animations, and possibly worst, a jetpack flying sequence that I'm not sure why they cut from that version but oh well.

DOS controls: Arrow Keys plus Spacebar and the first four F keys. Very Amiga one-button controller mentality even for this version.
Space without any direction: hold to aim gun, release to fire. Takes some getting used to.
Down + Space: Temporarily enter defensive stance (very important for avoiding hits).
Left/Right + Space: Jump left or right.
Left/Right + Down + Space: Roll left or right, I found it usually doesn't help much for avoiding hits.
Ride elevators with Down/Up then holding Left/Right when near where you want to be if you want to get off at an intermediate floor instead of going all the way to the top/bottom.
Enter doors/recharge chambers with Up.
Pick up items with Down when you're standing close to them. You can collect guns/ammo and also have to pull several components out of the enemy ship to disable it (win conditions).
F1 to wield pistol (only kills weak enemies, but holds lots of ammo)
F2 to wield rifle (kills many but not all enemies, moderate ammo)
F3 to wield blaster (kills pretty much any enemy, low ammo)
F4 to wield bazooka (kills pretty much any enemy, very low ammo)
You start with the pistol, have to find the others. Like Doom, part of your strategy should be knowing when you should pick up ammo packs so as not to overshoot your limit and waste part of the pickup. Enemies don't have hitpoints, just a strength level, so if you shoot someone with the pistol and he doesn't die, don't keep shooting with the pistol, pull out a better weapon. Also, as far as I could tell, gun turrets are invincible even if you take the blaster/bazooka to them.

Kill weak enemies whenever they respawn, there's plenty of pistol ammo if you play it right and at the end your score doubles as an escape countdown (yes, there's an escape countdown once you disable the ship at which point you try to get to the escape shuttle, not a spoiler, the manual tells you this).

Once you know what you're doing it's actually rather short and easy, even a bit disappointingly so.

I can see why a comparison would be drawn between the DOS version and Duke Nukem 1/2 / Bio Menace aesthetically for the EGA paletted graphics, but game-design wise I think a truer "spiritual sequel" would be Blackthorne. If you liked this game there's a decent chance you'll love Blackthorne, so check it out.

0
The Phoenix 25 Aug. 2022

The sound track can be had from Amazon Digital Music. Had this game on my Amiga 2000 back in the day and yes, the music is the highlight of the game.

3
Halfimp 02 Oct. 2021

Having played this as a child, the music is what always stuck with me the most, throughout the years. I can still hear it in my head...almost 35 years later.

3
JCQ 27 Sep. 2019

Woww what memories

1
CEN 03 Mar. 2019

Great EGA graphics for its time but monotonous after a while.
It could be the predecessor of Duke Nukem 1 & 2 and Bio Menace ;-)
Destressing that the later games hasn't better graphics (VGA) but they are more diversified.

2
Pambour 27 Feb. 2018

C'est un jeu que j'ai connu sur Atari ST et que je n'ai plus malheureusement. J'aimerais bien le retrouver sur PC. C'est un jeux très difficile à mener au bout, beaucoup de persévérance et de patience sont requis mais pas si difficile à jouer quand on a bien compris le maniement. A l'époque, j'ai été le seul à arriver au bout plusieurs fois (mes ados n'avaient pas les qualités évoquées ci dessus). 21 ans après, j'y pense toujours.

1
Sherbert T Cat 05 Jul. 2014

This game was ridiculously hard, because of the very stupid controls.

2

No comment nor review for this game at the moment.

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Downloads

DOS version
Game file
United Kingdom English
249 KB
Amiga version
Game file
United Kingdom English
800 KB
MSX version
DSK format
Spain Spanish
37 KB
CAS format
Spain Spanish
32 KB
Amstrad CPC version
Game file
United Kingdom English
35 KB
Atari ST version
Game file
United Kingdom English
864 KB

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