The backstory, as far as I could decipher, revolves around a king sending his most favoured knights on a quest to close the gateway to Hell, having been opened up by a demon taking advantage of a witch’s sorrow. Fortunately, this isn’t a game that relies upon its narrative, so this is a minor quibble. Even the introductory screens, wonderfully retro as they are, suffer from odd translation choices. It is a shame, however, that the level of translation is pretty poor, with many of the descriptions making little sense. Each of these entries is unlocked after you first pick up an item or fight the respective foe. The developer released a color version of the game shortly thereafter, titled They Came from Verminest ‘83, offering the same gameplay but with a color palette more reminiscent 80’s-era arcade games such as the Galaga series.The lore is supplemented by the welcome inclusion of a codex that offers brief descriptions of the various items and enemies that you will encounter. The game takes place across 5 tropically-themed environments. The graphics were created entirely in black and white, as inspired by 50’s sci-fi films, and it also features an anaglyph 3D mode. The game features a bonus system where players can earn medals by destroying enemies at close range and scaring away enemies by destroying their leaders. There are even boss encounters, including battles against a giant lobster, a UFO, and a centipede that moves similarly to the one in Atari’s classic arcade game, Centipede. There are references to other shooting games as well, with moving shields reminiscent of Space Invaders, and scrolling levels as seen in later vertical shmups. The player must shoot, dodge, and collect powerups to see his way to victory. In 2011, Locomalito released the demo for Maldita Castilla, but he stepped away from that title for a while to work on a game called They Came from Verminest, which he was inspired to create after playing Galaga on an arcade machine during his travels.Īs in Galaga, Verminest features a ship on the bottom of the screen, which can move back and forth – as well as up and down – blasting away at formations of insectoid invaders as they move around the screen and dive bomb the ship. The weapon also has a boomerang effect, with sickles returning to the knight as long as they do not strike another target. However, it can be tossed more quickly, and up to 3 can be on the screen at a time, making it useful against faster-moving enemies. Sickle - The sickle is also a short range weapon, only travelling about half a screen.The range is about half a screen, and two may be onscreen at a time. Iron Balls - This spiked weapon has a shorter range than the others but a much wider path of travel, making it easier to hit nearby enemies.Axes tossed upward will eventually fall back down. Axes may be tossed in a high arc when standing still or a low arc when ducking, making them a bit more difficult to wield than direct-firing weapons. Instead of penetrating enemies, it disappears upon contact. Axe - The axe is another traditional GnG weapon, although it operates a bit differently here.Lance - Following GnG tradition, you begin the game with a lance that can be fired all the way across the screen at a decent rate of speed.
Projectiles can be tossed while standing, walking, or jumping, but not while climbing. All weapons have the same strength when striking an enemy but each lends itself to a somewhat different play style. The icon cycles through a number of possible weapons, requiring that the player get the timing right if he is after a certain weapon. Projectiles are gained by breaking open chests, at which point a powerup icon will drop. Projectiles are unlimited in supply, and each has its own strengths and weaknesses. You can also duck to avoid enemy attacks and toss projectiles at enemies positioned lower to the ground. You can toss your projectiles to the left or right, straight up, or downward while jumping. The game’s soundtrack and effects – created by Gryzor87 – are also modeled after the throaty FM synth found in so many arcade titles and Sega Genesis games.Īs in Ghosts ‘n Goblins, your primary abilities are to jump and toss whatever weapon you have in your possession, as indicated by a box at the top of the screen. The game is meant to emulate classic arcade games, and it even starts up with a RAM check, ROM check, and test pattern grid, just like an arcade machine being booted up, and it features scanlines and a minor curving effect on the corners of the screen.