The Return of Heracles Walkthrough:
The Return of Heracles (1984) for Atari 8 bit and Commodore 64
I'm sure no one has played this gem in over a decade, this being one of the
first RPGs available for the computer. It is a loose translation of the 12
Labors of Heracles. Your character(s) (you may pick from 2 dozen or so, each
with unique stats and in some cases special powers) fulfil these tasks as
directed by Zeus, travelling far and wide throughout Ancient Greece and its
surroundings. Each labor earns you points. Bonus points are awarded for
finishing the game quickly and for not losing any players. This is why playing
with more than one hero at a time is a sure way to not get a good score as each
move of each player subtracts from your bonus.
10000 is the highest score possible--it is unattainable as it would require you
to finish in no moves.
9500 was considered by the author to be a very good score
9650 was considered by the author to be about the highest score possible
9726 is my High Score
Here's how you can do it too:
(Labors will be represented by numbers, actions by letters)
A. Play Pegasus--he's the fastest and you don't need to be able to buy stuff.
The speed is critical later on.
B. Go to Theseus's hometown (you can't miss it--it's on your way from yours)
and move the rock. Get his armor and sword. They fit!
C. Go to Crete
1. Slay the Minotaur and get his Axe, the best weapon in the game (though you
will lose your proficiency) Note: Getting out of the labrynth can waste many
turns. Be careful.
D. Go to Peloponesus again
2. Slay the Hydra. Get poison weapons. This is why you have to kill the
Minotaur first.
3. Go to the Nemean forest and kill the Lion. You now have the best armor.
4. Go to Troy. Avoid killing everyone and rescue Helen (who kisses you...
ewww)
5. Go to Ithaca. Rescue Penelope.
6. Now you're in Northern Greece. Go to Colchis and recover the Golden Fleece.
You'll note in one place, people try to join your party. If they do, it's too
late for you as you either have to use them and lose points or dismiss them and
lose points. This is why you need Pegasus' speed to blaze past. Achilles
might have been fast enough but of course he comes with Patroclus.
E. You're back in Northern Greece. In any order you see fit:
7. Recover the cattle of Geryon (again, waste no time)
8. Get the Golden Apples of Hesperides
9. Kill the Stymphalan Birds (they have no non-close weapons)
10. Here's where it gets weird. In (soon to be) Thebes, kill the Serpent of
Ares. This turns you into a snake. This is a Good Thing.
11. You've got 4 players now. You need them all. Have them all head to
Athens. Meanwhile, have one of them leave Thebes and come back. Answer the
Riddle of the Sphinx. That was easy.
12. Have all of your people race to Eastern Thrace to fight the Mares of
Diomedes (Pegasus can't fight them as a horse--horses don't fight horses, see?)
Revel in your high score and EGA quality victory screen
Gideon Marcus
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
