Wikipedia Wednesday #2: Necromancer actually sounds like an interesting game

I'm already starting to realize that the biggest problem with Wikipedia Wednesday is that "Random article" is unreliable as hell. Most of the articles that game up with tiny or otherwise unusable. Anyways, here's Wonderwall Necromancer.

Necromancer is a 1982 computer game for the Atari 8-bit series created by Bill Williams and distributed by Synapse Software. A port to the Commodore 64 followed in 1983, and it was re-released by Atari in cartridge form for the Atari XEGS in 1987.

The game is an arcade action title, but is unusual in that there are three distinct segments of gameplay, each of which affects the one following it. The player controls the wizard Illuminar who attempts to grow an army of trees to attack Tetragorn the Necromancer and his evil minions who are attempting to take over a graveyard.

The way each segment plays out is interesting as hell. First, you have to plant the trees while at the same time protecting them from ogres and spiders that will destroy them. In the second part, you use whatever trees survived the first part to attack and destroy spider eggs in a crypt. In the third, you have to destroy gravestones as you fight that Tetragorn guy. I really like how the number of trees you have in the crypt level is entirely dependent how well you grew and protected them in the first. It reminds me of Homeworld, where the ships you end one level with carries over to the next level. Another interesting bit is the wisp that Illuminar can shoot out. It's used in the first part to plant trees, but it's also a weapon and while using it, Illuminar can't move.

To be honest, I would suck at this game so badly, it's not even funny.