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Flashback Amiga 1992 Delphine Software International


Flashback



Delphine Software International of France released Flashback for the Amiga in December of 1992. Flashback is a cinematic puzzle-platform game that employs 24-FPS rotoscoped vector graphics.

Flashback is the spiritual successor (not the sequel) of Another World of 1991.

Flashback is cyberpunk-themed and set in the year 2142. Players assume the role of molecular biologist and amnesiac Conrad B. Hart. In Flashback Conrad uncovers an infiltration plot hatched by an alien shape-shifting species known as Morphs, led by a Master Brain, bent on conquest of Earth.

Flashback consists of seven sprawling levels of play. The levels do not scroll, they are flip-screen levels. Flashback is a big and long game. Another World featured only 20 minutes of gameplay whereas Flashback features three hours of mechanically consistent platforming and run and gun gameplay.

And whereas Another World's alien realm is thematically and tonally consistent, the theme of Flashback's levels range greatly.
 
Conrad can walk, run, take a step, crouch, roll, jump, run-jump, vault up onto ledges, drop down carefully from ledges, draw his pistol, fire his pistol and use his pistol as a close-quarters melee weapon (pistol whipping). Conrad also has access to a four-layered Shield.

Basic interaction includes take, look, recharge, talk, activate and use. In addition, Flashback employs an inventory system. Thus, Conrad can pick up objects and interact with actors in the gameworld. Items include the Holocube, ID cards, keys, credits and teleporters.

Hazards include land mine, falling mine, disintegrator, pressure plates and electrified ground.

Unlike Another World Flashback's gameplay is consistent and its mechanics are recurring. Thus, there is no doubt that Flashback is a better game than Another World, but Another World is better in terms of artistry and otherworldly atmosphere.

Flashback was directed, designed and written by Paul Cuisset of Future Wars of 1990 fame. Flashback was programmed by Benoist Aron, Philippe Chastel, Paul Cuisset and Frederic Savoir. Flashback graphics were drawn and animated by Patrick Daher, Thierry Lavastre, Denis Mercier, Thierry Perreau, Christian Robert and Fabrice Visserot. Flashback music was composed by Jean Baudlot, Raphael Gesqua and Fabrice Visserot. Flashback suond effects were composed by Benoist Aron, Philippe Chastel, Paul Cuisset and Fabrice Visserot.

The active drawspace of Flashback is 256x224. The cutscene drawspace is only 240x128.

The soundtrack and cutscenes are the weakest aspects of Flashback; they are forgettable. The cutscenes look too cartoony, none of the tunes are memorable and the sound effects are harsh on the ears.

Flashback requires an Amiga with 1 meg of RAM, was distributed on 4x 3.5" 880kB DD diskettes and can be manually installed to hard disk drive. The install size is 2 megs and consists of 100 files.

Flashback Manual: 60 pages.
Flashback copy protection: Manual reference.

Flashback IBM PC MS-DOS 1993



Delphine Software International converted the Amiga version of Flashback to IBM PC MS-DOS in January of 1993. Flashback was patched in June of 1993.

The IBM PC MS-DOS version of Flashback displays in 256-color VGA 320x200 and requires 570 kbytes of free conventional RAM for full audio and cinematic sequences.

The minimum free conventional RAM requirement of Flashback is 513 kbytes.

The PC version of Flashback was distributed on 1x 3.5" 1.44MB HD diskette and 1x 3.5" 720kB DD diskette and extracts and installs to hard disk drive via Flashback PC Installer. The install size is 7 megs and consists of 233 files.

Flashback music supports AdLib, Sound Blaster or Roland MT-32, LAPC-1, CM 32L or MT-32 via Sound Blaster MIDI port.

Flashback sound effects support Sound Blaster, AdLib or Internal Speaker.

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