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Wings of Death

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Wings of Death
Developer(s)Eclipse Software
Publisher(s)Thalion Software
Designer(s)Marc Rosocha
Programmer(s)Marc Rosocha
Artist(s)Erik Simon
Writer(s)Richard Karsmakers
Composer(s)Jochen Hippel
Platform(s)Amiga, Atari ST
Release1990[1]
Genre(s)Scrolling shooter
Mode(s)Single-player

Wings of Death is a 1990 vertically scrolling shooter developed by Eclipse Software and published by Thalion Software for the Atari ST, then ported to the Amiga. In Wings of Death, the player controls a mage turned into a winged creature on a quest to defeat a wicked witch. The game was well received and was followed by the science fiction-themed sequel Lethal Xcess in 1991.

Gameplay

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Despite its fantasy setting, Wings of Death is a standard vertically scrolling shooter in which multiple enemies in formation enter the screen from above and can either be avoided or destroyed to release power-ups.[2] Each weapon can be upgraded several times, yielding generally more powerful versions. Changing to another weapon resets the player's upgrades. The player may transform into several forms, including a giant eagle, a griffon, and a dragon.[3]

Plot

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A spell of the evil witch queen Xandrilia transformed her hated rival, the magician Sagyr, into a winged creature. Now the player's role is to guide Sagyr in his quest to defeat the witch for once and for all, and revert into a human being. His quest takes place through seven levels, from Sagyr's castle to Xandrilia's domain.[4]

Reception

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Trenton Webb of Amiga Format, who gave the Amiga version a review rating of 76%, wrote Wings of Death is "chaotic fun, but relies too heavily on luck."[5] Paul Roundell of Amiga Computing later opined the game was "underrated on its release."[6]

Legacy

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A sequel to Wings of Death was released in 1991 for the same platforms. In it, the returning Sagyr fights on against Xandrilia's descendants after being transported into a distant future.

References

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  1. ^ CU Amiga 8 (October 1990), page 7.
  2. ^ "Wings of Death Review". Retrieved 2024-05-31.
  3. ^ "SHMUPS!". www.shmups.com. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  4. ^ User manual for Wings of Death.
  5. ^ Amiga Format 18, page 112.
  6. ^ Amiga Computing 60, page 110.
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