Crooklock

About the Game

The 80's-styled shmup that has you running from the law, with a turret weapon that can't shoot forwards. Blast through as many bite-sized stages as you can before your lives run out!

The Objective

Shoot down waves of Galactic Federation drones on your way to hijack a shipment of valuable minerals in transit, then make a getaway through an asteroid field, and into the far reaches of space. Each stage features a unique formation of opponents, with stronger enemies and even boss battles appearing as your progress further into your run. There are over 20 unique opponents to test your might against, with each one requiring their own tactic to survive intact. Lose all your lives, and it's back to the start, with a new high score to beat.

The Complication

Your stolen Comet U-EX spacecraft's weapon comes fitted with an anti-tamper Crooklock device, and now the targeting arm can't be adjusted. Your weapon fires one blast at a time at a permanent 30° angle, adding just that extra difficulty to lining up your shots. If this sounds a bit too much to handle, the game has an easier difficulty with a laser-target, to help plan your attack.

The Location

The Sabre P-44 star-system is a vast area of space, with fifty unique stages spread across four different regions, separated by branching paths. Amateur pilots will be lucky to last five minutes, though masters may find themselves capable of wandering the system indefinitely.

The Debrief

Find yourself defeated already? The file archive lists all enemies and obstacles encounter so far, giving a look into the game's setting, as well as subtle hints on how best to approach each one. There are 36 files to collect and examine, at your leisure.