29th of Mage, Birthday
I have decided to return to the temple of Aggripa. It has been far too long since my last visit, must be almost over five years by now since the last time I retraced Nemesis’ steps. As always I read Bivotar’s journal while I was waiting for the temple doors to open. This booklet seems like an ancient relic in itself, for long gone are the days when every game told a good part of its story with actual items you could touch and feel. And maybe that’s exactly why it did not fail to set me in the proper mood for the journey ahead.
The time has come. The night of all nights has arrived, where I will dive into darkness. Evil awakens and a nightmare comes true: Dracula rules our city of New York and the lord of darkness is also the head of the local corporation for cyber-genetics, cyber-space, cyber-surgery, cyber-technology, cyber-weapons and cyber-surveillance. Appropriately, it has been a very long time since the city has seen any light; we are in an apparently endless night.
You would think that a landmark game such as Speedball 2 should have inspired more imitations. Though it actually took a couple of years until the first serious one appeared. Released in late 1993 and updated for AGA in mid-1994, Brutal Sports Football was celebrated by the local British press, but broadly shunned in the German magazines. Very likely, the latter ones had a suspicion it would not be treated favourably by the censors responsible for the protection of minors.
