Hawkeye

Hawkeye

Game No.	72
Voting	8.24 points, 46 votes
Developer	Mario van Zeist, Paul Cooper, Boys without Brains
Publisher	Thalamus
Musician	Jeroen Tel ("Wave")
HVSC-File	/MUSICIANS/T/Tel_Jeroen/ Hawkeye.sid
Release	1988
Platform	Amiga 500/600 (OCS/ECS), Atari ST, C64
Genre	Arcade - Platformer (Scrolling Screen)
Gamemode	Single player
Operation
Media
Language

Description[edit | edit source]

Thalamus, known for its ingeniously well-engineered and extremely perfectionist games, released with Hawkeye a really precious game. Here you control a man -half human, half robot- that fights through 12 levels and additionally collects some puzzle pieces on the way. If he has collected 4 puzzle pieces, he can leave the level (on the right side) and enter a new level. Each level differs graphically and was desgined very successfully for C64 measures.

It is easier to channel through the alien attacks when you carry with you a fair weapon armoury. In the SLF, the Synthetic Life Form, this is well equipped. There is e.g. the simple pistol with countless ammunition, then some heavier cannonry but with limited munitions: a machine gun, a laser (very efficient!), and a rocket launcher (slow, but the strongest weapon). Every now and then you can find lying on the way next to the puzzle pieces some additional munition and other options, which come in handy. Technically everything knows to please, starting from the stirring music by Charles Deneen and Jeroen Tel, over the graphics designed by real artists, the fantastic playability, to the whole design which could not have been made better. Even a bonuslevel is available... but to reach it without cheating is only manageable for real joystick acrobats.

Design[edit | edit source]

Every level consists of several screens which are attached together and scroll back and forth. If you have collected all puzzle pieces, it might be worth to go back again to maybe find a useful extra in the level. By each grade is gets a bit harder, but not unfair; I once made it to level 11 and I think you can play it to the end without cheating. Every now and then really big grumps appear in the level, against which you should, depending on the situation, use the bigger weapons.

Hints[edit | edit source]

The direction in which the puzzle and extra pieces can be found, can be recognized by the flashing eagle eye (Hawkeye), which are placed top left and right; this way you do not waste unnecessarily time and energy with searching. From the "Header" you can also see how many puzzle pieces you have collected already.

Tips

When you have collected all 4 puzzle pieces, there are two reasons why you should not straight away leave the first levels:
- As long as you still have enough energy, shoot the rest of the munition to reach more points.
- Collect further puzzle pieces if possible. (with the question mark-puzzle, there is e.g. an extra life possible)

... an animation of different screens from the game

When the game is over prematurely (GAME OVER), you have the possibility to play the last level again with endless lives so you can make it next time.
Pause: RUN/STOP
End and restart: press the T key during pause mode

Controls with joystick

To jump press the joystick upwards. HAWKEYE moves diagonally to the uper left or right, as long as the joystick is pressed into the corresponding direction. You can do jumps over different distances.

Choosing weapons: Keep fire pressed until the icon lights up and then press "left" or "right" to choose the desired weapon.

Keyboard commands

On the title screen:

F1 - Music on/off

F2 - FX sound on/off

F3 - Demo mode on/off

In the game: (choosing weapons)

F1 - Pistol (unlimited munition, but does only little damage to bigger monsters)

F3 - Machine gun

F5 - Laser

F7 - Rocket launcher

Solution[edit | edit source]

Cheats[edit | edit source]

There is a secret level. You get there automaticall when you make the first five (!) levels without losing a life. Oh, great!
On some depths precise jumping is the most important premise. But when you press RUN/STOP at the same time, the jumping width doubles and as a useful side effect the sprites are shifted in the scrolling direction.
On the title screen you should enter »VALSSPELER«, to get a clear line to level 9.

Voting[edit | edit source]

Voting of the C64-Wiki users (10=the best vote):
8.24 points at 46 votes (rank 59). You need to be logged in to cast a vote.
C64Games	9	5th November 2005 - "top" - 3178 downs
Lemon64	7,68	6th October 2006 - 57 votes
Gamebase64	10	May 2005 - "Classic!"
Kultboy.com	8	28th July 2008 - 9 votes
ASM	10/12	Edition 10/88
Powerplay	82%	Edition 10/88
ZZap64	96%	Edition 08/88
C=lehti	4/5	Edition 05/88

Reviews[edit | edit source]

Z-Mat: "In the whole game I found altoghether about two almost unfair situations (thats not a lot!), for one there is a situation in the 5th level, where you have to jump from an abyss over a hole, and at the same time you crash with a hand that rises out of a tree. I have found out a trick to do that: while jumping you just press the RUN/STOP key: then SLF jumps further and the sprites shift (so does the hand). Just try it... The other wanted situation is in the 11th level; a section where you are not allowed to fall, because you won't get out again due to the wide holes. Here also the RUN/STOP trick helps... Apart from that there is no more critics from me."

Guybrush: "Shooting free of sense but on an upscale level, although it cannot hold up to Turrican. 6 points from me."

Werner: "Hawkeye is an absolute cult game. No collection should miss it!"

Robotron2084: "Behind a perfect facade of an optical-acoustic illusion hides one of the really worst Run&Gun games of all times concerning the gameplay. Walking left - walking right - walking left - walking right and a bit of shooting, that's all. Additionally, precious game area is wasted to useless graphical decoration. Hawkeye? I'd rather call it DORKeye! 5 out of 10 points."