Games published by Step One Software
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Murder on the Waterfront
Murder on the Waterfront is a classic Commodore 64 game that was released in 1984. Developed by Personal Software Services and published by Beyond Software, this game takes players on a thrilling detective adventure set in the gritty world of organized crime. The game is a perfect combination of puzzle-solving and action-packed gameplay, making it a must-play for fans of the crime genre.
The premise of Murder on the Waterfront is simple yet intriguing: the player takes on the role of a detective tasked with solving a murder on a dockyard. As the player explores the dockyard, they must collect clues, interrogate suspects, and ultimately uncover the true identity of the murderer. The game is set in the 1920s, a time of Prohibition and rampant crime, adding to the atmosphere and theme of the game.
One of the standout features of Murder on the Waterfront is its graphics. For a game released in 1984, the graphics are impressively detailed and immersive. The dockyard is depicted with great attention to detail, and the characters are all uniquely designed with their own personalities. The game also features a dynamic day and night cycle, adding to the realism and depth of the gameplay experience.
Another aspect that sets this game apart from others of its time is its open-world gameplay. The player is free to explore the dockyard at their own pace, interacting with different characters and areas as they please. This adds a sense of realism and freedom to the game, allowing players to fully immerse themselves in the detective experience. The game also features a time limit, adding an extra layer of urgency and pressure to the gameplay.
Murder on the Waterfront also has a diverse range of mini-games and puzzles that players must solve in order to progress. These mini-games range from lock-picking to deciphering codes, adding variety and challenge to the gameplay. The difficulty increases as the player progresses, making it a game suitable for both casual and hardcore gamers.
Released during the golden age of the Commodore 64, Murder on the Waterfront was well-received by critics and gamers alike. It received high praise for its immersive gameplay, detailed graphics, and challenging puzzles. It has since become a cult classic and is still beloved by retro gaming enthusiasts. If you're a fan of detective games and are looking for a challenging and engaging experience, Murder on the Waterfront is a game you can't miss.
The Lost City
The Lost City arrived on the Commodore 64 in 1985, offering players a brisk fantasy romp built for 8 bit attention spans and quick reflexes. Published by Ocean for the European market, it cast you as an explorer pushing through crumbling streets and shadowy corridors in search of missing wealth hidden somewhere beneath the ruins. The premise is simple but inviting: the city is there, the danger is also there, and every step forward trades certainty for discovery. Even before the first challenge, the game signals its mood with crisp animations and a sense of urgency.
Gameplay mixes platform hopping with action and occasional problem solving, creating a rhythm that alternates between forward momentum and careful timing. You navigate hazards such as spikes, traps, and roaming threats while trying to maintain progress toward the next area. Collecting useful items matters, not only for score style rewards but also for survival, since limited resources can turn a clean run into a hurried scramble. Rooms feel interconnected, yet each segment delivers a fresh obstacle pattern, encouraging players to learn enemy behavior rather than rely on brute force.
The Commodore 64 presentation stands out for its ability to keep the screen readable during movement, a challenge on the platform. Sprites are outlined enough to avoid visual muddle, and the background scenery uses tiled details that suggest broken architecture without drowning the player in clutter. Sound design leans on synthy blips and percussive cues, helping players judge distance and danger through audio feedback. The music is lively rather than gloomy, which is a clever contrast to the predatory atmosphere of the streets you cross.
Controls are tuned for the single joystick style common to the era, with responsive left and right movement plus jump timing that feels fair even when the action accelerates. Difficulty ramps in a way that rewards practice: early sections teach navigation, while later stages demand sharper reactions under tighter spacing. If you fail, the game nudges you back quickly enough that reruns become experiments, not punishments.
In the larger Commodore 64 library, The Lost City sits among titles that tried to balance spectacle and challenge on limited hardware. Its enduring appeal comes from the way it turns exploration into a series of solvable moments, each with its own tempo. For retro gamers, it remains a satisfying artifact of mid decade game design, where imagination had to do heavy lifting and every frame had to earn its place.
