I put a pin in my current 1985 list of games and went back in time to 1980 as I realized I had missed one of Crystalware’s games. John and Patty Bell were responsible for many of the early games that I’ve played in my journey. The House of Usher, Quest for Power, Forgotten Island, Fantasyland 2041 A.D. and The Crypt have all been completed and reviewed here for your perusal. Beneath the Pyramids was released in 1980 for the Apple II and in 1981 for the Atari 800. I chose to play the earlier 1980 Apple II version.
I have always romanticized the shifting desert sands hiding forgotten tombs beneath unexplored pyramids. You will find me a big fan of the old Universal mummy films as well as the Brendan Frasier franchise reboot. Thus, I found myself looking forward to playing a game set within this genre despite being previously underwhelmed with previous Crystalware titles.
The premise here is that we’ll be exploring an ancient pyramid looking for a secret chamber that contains a gold statue of the ancient cat goddess Bast. So far, it’s enough to make you want to rub your hands together in glee.
You begin the game with a shopping spree at the Bazaar. This is the game’s first initial puzzle that can only be solved through trial and error. You’re going to have to deduce which items are necessary to successfully complete your expedition into the pyramid. It also took me a couple of rather unsuccessful forays to realize that by purchasing the duffel bag first it would allow me to carry even more equipment. A rifle as well as ammunition is certainly a necessity. You’ll find that you can flee from most of the creatures that will assault you within the pyramid but there are times when you’re backed into a corner and will have to use the rifle. A rope and grappling hook are absolutely necessary to win. You’ll also want to purchase a crowbar, lantern, pick axe, wool coat, rations, and gas mask.
The biggest puzzle of this game is the labyrinth of the pyramid itself. There are many rooms and corridors, and it is easy to become lost.
Your health score can be depleted from various traps and triggered events within the pyramid. If the creatures you encounter are able to successfully attack you, they will drain your health. Your energy score will decrease as you explore the pyramid. You have to learn the maze of the pyramid and successfully navigate it, but you have a limited amount of time to do so. This forces you to have to economize and plan your foray carefully.
The triggered events that can befall you in any given room seem random. This is where the items you purchased at the bazaar come in handy. If a heavy statue falls on you, you’re going to need the crowbar to get it off of you. If a level of the pyramid is unbearably cold, only donning the wool coat will prevent you from being injured. If a vase topples and breaks, releasing a noxious gas throughout the room, you’re going to need your gas mask to avoid being poisoned. Even when you successfully use these items, you’ll find that these various traps all sap your energy to some degree.
In the Apple version, the pyramid is much like a dungeon which consists of four dungeon levels. The deeper you go, the closer you get to the prize you seek. There are a total of four stairways or pits that you’re going to need to find. Once you come upon one of these, only the rope and grappling hook will get you down to the next level. It took a lot of trial and error to realize what the TRUE items were that I needed from the bazaar all the while mapping the pyramid and searching for stairways to the next level.
All of the rooms and passages are labeled at the bottom which certainly helped with the mapping. I found the titles to be very creative and helped with the immersion. The Doorway to Ka, Temple of Bast, the Mummy Chamber, the Queen’s Chamber, the Royal Way, Hall of the Gods, Hall of Death, Hall of Akhenaton IV are but some of the examples.
Eventually I did find the golden cat statue of Bast. You’re going to need a pickaxe to obtain the statue as it is the only thing that allows you to bust through the walls of the chamber. Once you obtain the statue you’re going to have to reverse direction and leave the pyramid the same way you got in.
You’ll need to consume your rations and also have a little bit of luck in order to have enough energy to escape. Hopefully you’ll find a healing potion or magical incense in your explorations to help with energy recovery.
You are in for a bit of a surprise just as you’re ready to leave the pyramid. A guardian materializes near the entrance and asks you a riddle. You have to answer the riddle correctly otherwise you are sealed in the tomb forever.
Once you answer the riddle correctly you receive the following congratulatory message up above.
It took me about five total hours to beat the game. There appears to be quite a difference in the gameplay between the Apple version and the Atari version. I’ve watched some videos of the Atari gameplay and the maps as well as locations are completely different. Even though the game tells you that you are delving into a pyramid the Atari map looks a lot like the shape of a Sphinx. Whereas in the Apple version the rooms are fixed and the map is more like four dungeon levels. In the Atari version it appears the Temple of Bast is located high and in the Apple version the Temple of Bast is in the last and deepest dungeon level.
I’m not sure that I would call Beneath the Pyramids a must play game, but the completionist in me and attempt to be somewhat of a historian compelled me to go back and check this game off of the list.
I am heading right back to the 1985 list and next up will be Alternate Reality: The City.
Until next time……….