Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat for PlayStation (1996)

Original ad published in the Holiday 1996 edition of Ultra Game Players. 

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Hard-core RTS action for purists only

Impossibly hard for the PlayStation One, Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat was a port from a real-time-strategy game released for the PC. As all games of the category, it is incredibly difficult to control with console controls instead of a proper mouse and keyboard.

This was the first game of the ever popular Warhammer universe on any PlayStation console, so it deserves some kind of recognition. It was a gutsy move by Mindscape, both the publisher and developer of this release. Other than that, there's little else to say about it. It features better than average music and cutscenes and so-so graphics. It should be reserved for hard-core RTS fans only with lots of patience and time to spare.

The printed ad of the game is not bad at all. It's just a straight copy from the box-art of the game. Since the game was released for the PC, Mindscape just cropped a little bit of the edges for this ad. That's fine. It's a well thought-out illustration that conveys the interesting animated cutscenes intercut along the game. I like that it's multilayered and features the white horse as te principal focus of the entire frame (our eyes naturally flow to the brightest colors first). It's not exactly a "Z" pattern but it works because the action is very dynamic. This central image has a triangular design, with the red horse occupying the second triangle. To te upper-right there is nothing, otherwise the scene would look too crowded. Definitely something you don't see everyday.

Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat for PlayStation copy

Hell at war.

In the hellish world of Warhammer, powerful armies clash in cataclysmic battles. Rod hordes batter at the gates of the Empire, mighty bastion of humanity. As the leader of the infamous Grudgebringers, command your mercenary army to stop this tide of evil.

Now for play on the PlayStation game console, Warhammer: shadow of the horned rat has everything you’d expect in a fantastic war-game:

• More than 40 amazing 3D battles include gorgeous visuals and challenging strategies.
• Stunning animated sequences and detailed mission briefings provide in-depth backgrounds.
• Command a mercenary army, choosing your forces from over 25 troop types.
• Battle are linked together by a detailed story line.

Tor order: visit your retailer or call 1-800-601-PLAY with Visa/C (North America only)

SSI a Mindscape company