Creatures II: Torture Trouble

Gameplay

The game is composed of three islands, each with a set of stages that have to be completed. During torture screens, interludes, and island-hopping levels, bonus coins can be gathered for extra lives.

Torture screens

These levels offer a Heath Robinson situation in which one of Clyde's children has been placed. The player must figure out which actions to take in order to free his child. For example, in the first level shown in the screenshot, the player must navigate over the stepping stones and push the bomb down to the loose rock; then he must kill the monster in the middle and light the bomb. After this is done, the player must shoot the switch that is attached to the bicycle, detaching it from the generator and freeing his child. If this is not done in time, the child will be transported by the conveyor belt until he is under the rock-crushing machine, at which point he will be reduced to pulp.

Interludes

Following each torture screen are the interludes. These levels are fairly straightforward. A monster at the top right of the screen will throw Clyde's child over the edge. The player must then use the stretcher as a trampoline, bouncing the child safely to the other side.

Demon screens

After two torture screens and two interludes come the demon screens. The player must kill three demons of increasing size, by kicking small animals secreted from a Bug-O-Matic into pneumatic tubes at either end of the screen.

Island hoppin'

After clearing an island, it is time to move onto the next island. During Island Hoppin', Clyde is wearing scuba gear and must transport his children across a series of islands while avoiding various dangerous animals & monsters.

End sequence

After the last demon family has been destroyed, an end sequence follows wherein Clyde and his children capture the last remaining monster and kill it with a chainsaw.

Cheats

The built-in cheat in Creatures II is unorthodox. To gain infinite lives, the player must wait for the credits screen to appear, then wet his finger and quickly rub it across Joystick Port One. A big picture of Maximus Mouse (from the games Summer Camp and Winter Camp by Thalamus) will appear, waving his arms every time the player rubs his finger across the port. The player must repeatedly rub the port until Maximus Mouse turns grey, at which point the Fuzzy fountain will also flash to confirm that the cheat is now active.

Reception

Two years after the creation of "Creatures" was chronicled in Zzap!64 magazine, Commodore Format had followed the creation of "Creatures II: Torture Trouble". It was subsequently awarded 90% in issue 17 of Commodore Format, and 97% in Zzap!64 issue 81.