Shooter

Shooter

Release type: Incomplete
Release date: N/A (begun June 1995)
Levels: 1
Author: cly5m
Website: Autofish.net
Related games: N/A

Shooter (aka Heli) is an unfinished, unreleased game by cly5m of Seiklus fame. Of his Game-Maker experiments, this is both the most complete and the closest to his later style of whimsical exploration-based design.

Despite the title, there is no shooting. Rather, the game seems to mostly be about poking around the mountains and collecting fruit. The world of Shooter is riddled with secret passages, and alive with snails, bugs, and tadpoles. The creatures are no danger; they're just living their own lives as part of the scenery.

The clouds gently undulate. The character’s controls include keys to make the helicopter wear a top hat, smile and wink at the player, do loop-the-loops, or lower its windshield to allow its pilot to wave at the screen. Some fruit seems caught in an endless transformation cycle, and cannot be collected.

Although most creatures abide and only slightly acknowledge the player, there is one fly that seems in a competition with the helicopter to devour all the stage’s fruit. It finds its way down and along corridors, then veers off to scoop up the treasure before the player can reach it.

Shooter has no sound or music, and consists of just a single incomplete level, yet it conveys a deep sense of calm and fancy. Much of the joy comes from poking around the game's world, interacting with its denizens, and generally hanging around – as one does in Riven or indeed Seiklus, a game where one can practically smell the sunshine. With Shooter, cly5m’s voice comes into its own and becomes recognizable.

Instructions

• Arrow keys: Move the helicopter
• W: Wave
• H: Wear a hat
• S: Smile
• R: Roll

Credits

cly5m

Links

• RSD Game-Maker (Autofish.net).
• From Shooter to Shooter: The Rise of cly5m
• Play Shooter online

Downloads

• Shooter (14 kB)
• Game map (116.9 kB)