Genre: Action
Publisher: Ocean Software
Year: 1990
System: Amstrad GX4000
Description
Barbarian II: The Dungeon of Drax is a classic single-player side‑view action game developed by Palace Software and released on the Amstrad GX4000 by Ocean Software in 1990. Players choose between the mighty barbarian or Princess Mariana and battle through four distinct zones—wasteland, caverns, dungeon, and the sorcerer Drax’s sanctum—across flick-screen rooms connected by a compass interface pointing north. Gameplay blends exploration, combat, and item discovery, requiring players to master a variety of attacks (low slash, high chop, kick, spinning neck chop) to defeat around 20 types of monsters. Boss encounters and hidden treasures add depth to the experience.
The GX4000 version is nearly identical to the Amstrad CPC release, retaining smooth gameplay, crisp graphics in 16 colors (Mode 0), and memorable animation. This budget reissue brought an iconic fantasy adventure to console format, giving players access to a rich and atmospheric quest filled with challenge and charm.
