The Sentinel cover art

Game entry

The Sentinel

1986 · Strategy, Puzzle · DOS, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Amiga, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, BBC Microcomputer System · Firebird Software

The Sentinel is listed in the GameForever catalogue but not in the duel pool: this game is never offered for a vote, its 1,500 points are never at stake and it does not appear in the world ranking. Its entry and its debate stay open.

World rank

ELO score

1,500

Wins

Duels played

0

The duel pool gathers the best-known titles of the catalogue, cover included, so that every match-up stays meaningful. It is recalculated with every catalogue update: this game may join it later. How a game enters the duels →

About The Sentinel

A surreal and very original game by Geoff Crammond

The game plays out on a 3D landscape with hills and valleys made up of several levels. At the highest vantage point stands The Sentinel, a statue-like being with an energy draining stare, you begin at the lowest. "Energy" plays an important role, there's a constant amount in the game world and each object is worth a certain number of units - including you.

The object of each level is to absorb The Sentinel and Hyperspace to the next from his vantage point.

The Sentinel scans further round the landscape every few seconds - if you're caught in his gaze, or rather the square you are standing on can be seen, you'll have about 5 seconds to teleport to another location (or hit a key to teleport to a random location - which will never be higher, and may be lower than your current level) before the Sentinel begins absorbing your energy, when it reaches zero you will be destroyed. To travel a "robot hull" must be created on a visible square then teleported to, making sure you absorb your old hull to avoid losing energy. Boulders and trees can also be created, trees to block The Sentinels view and boulders can be stacked to gain higher ground.

There are a few other elements to the game - on later levels there will be other Sentries positioned around the landscape. If only part of you can be seen i.e. not the square you are standing on, a nearby tree can be changed into a "Meanie" which will ultimately force you to teleport. There are 9999 levels in the game but the next level number is based on the current level + how much energy you have remaining.

ELO progression

This game does not take part in duels: its score never moves, so there is no history to plot.

Head-to-head

As this game is never offered in duels, it has no match-up to its name.

In the same genre

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  2. 30 Dungeon Keeper1997 · Strategy 1,894
  3. 46 StarCraft1998 · Strategy 1,882
  4. 65 Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia1999 · Strategy 1,862
  5. 70 Sid Meier's Civilization V2010 · Strategy 1,857

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