I have been gaming since the Pong days, way back when 80+ variations of the same game was considered "a new game" and was touted on the packaging everywhere. Over the years I went through the Pac-Man Fever and even was "tetrisized" in the early 90s (when I finally got a Game Boy). I have many games that I enjoy but I have to say, my favorite game of all time is Alternate Reality: The Dungeon for PCs (Commodore 64 and Apple IIe being what I played on).


![banner-3.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/DQma69zqSMvoDNbsWc29fR9b1Ddnx3eG5ytNYym5VneJC9B/banner-3.jpg)
Image source -  [Gaming Alexandria](https://www.gamingalexandria.com/wp/2020/05/alternate-reality-the-dungeon/)

<h2>Obscure of the Obscure</h2>

Alternate Reality: The Dungeon is not a game that many would probably enjoy today. It is archaich, not intuitive at all, and it is tough as nails. For those that are still here, this is the second release in a planned 7 game franchise. You start the game picking stats like you are Sam Beckett from Quantum Leap. Once you think you have the timing down for an amazing character but end up with Pee Wee Herman, you find yourself at the end of a hallway. There is a lot going on but then also nothing at all just yet. 

Your view is from your character so First-Person but not a shooter. Movement is one square at a time and turning is in 90 degree intervals. If you decide to take on this quest make sure to find the manual and included infromation booklet - they are invaluable to getting anywhere near the end.

<h2>Ahead Of Its Time in Some Cases</h2>

Alternate Reality: The Dungeon is one of the first games to make me chuckle (not because I found a new way to end Mario), it is the first game to make me feel offended, I guess is the word.

Why? The Wizards.

Get hurt too much you might luck out and find a helpful, yet very snarky, wizard randomly offering their wares in the dungeon. You are going to be relying on luck finding those guys early on.

I mean, games have been able to hit the low hanging fruit often, such as with making gamers mad. This can be achieved through many methods - cheap programming of the layout, poor controls, just a bad smell came by and threw off your coordination a second - anger is easy.

Alternate Reality: The Dungeon used all of the methods possible to make gamers mad. This game was released in the mid 80's, a time when PC games were doing everything they could to differentiate from the recently crashed video game market. This meant finding a Pitfall Clone on PC was hard, come to think of it, that has not really gotten any easier.

This game also throws tons of random encounters at you. This irks me because it would be even better if they toned down the enemy encounters by around 25%.

I think more people have beaten Silver Surfer on NES with a standard controller than have beaten Alternate Reality: The Dungeon.

On the other side of things, when you accomplish something big, you feel like you earned it, it feels special rather than just another object to collect. 
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<h2>Not Something For Everyone</h2>

Maybe had the franchise been given time to grow to the planned 7 (may have been five, my memory is fuzzy on this part) games it would have become more "traditional" more accessible. We will never know as only the City and Dungeon were ever released. You can install the City, level up to ungodly levels and the Dungeon becomes MUCH easier. Starting from scrath though is such a painful (even for me) experience. A happy dark memory knowin you are beyond that point.

Sadly, I cannot recommend this one to anyone really. While I enjoy it, I can easily see why any and everything here would turn others away. It is a very obscure title that is easily overlooked.

That may be a good thing.