Ed Hunter

[chaosapiant]

Do we know that Melt was a different game or just something that evolved into what became Ed Hunter?

I feel like this was something discussed within the last year(s) or so. And I believe the consensus was that Melt was melted into scrap and Ed Hunter was developed as a separate project. But it’s hazy and I’m old and want to finish my cheeseburger.

 

[Sth2112]

I would also love to read more about the development of Ed Hunter. I'm not sure of the exact details, but I know the game was in development as early as 95 or 96. Also not sure how much it evolved over time, not that it would be a good game in 95 either.

My copy of Best of the beast had a sticker that said someting like "look out for our upcoming computer game, to be out soon" or something like that.

Maiden have always been late with techological development. I remember Dave and Adrian were talking very enthusiastic about Visions of the beast, anout interactive menues where you could click your way inside the menu like a computer game and find hidden easter eggs. Well in my opinion it was not much to talk about. Same when they "offered" kids the opportunity to download three songs of their brand new compilation album in 2008. Like kids have never downloaded their songs before

 

[Cat Milk Supreme]

Do we know that Melt was a different game or just something that evolved into what became Ed Hunter?

I played Ed Hunter but can't remember what it was about. This is from the fan club magazine at the time.

 

[Perun]

Do we know that Melt was a different game or just something that evolved into what became Ed Hunter?

It was a different game. The band was dissatisfied with it at some point during development and had it scrapped. Ed Hunter was a completely new project. The Maiden website had this to say about it (Warning: only click on the link if you're prepared for a sledgehammer of 90's cheese nostalgia in your face):

Also in the spring, Maiden expect to release their eagerly anticipated computer game. The original game "Melt" was scrapped as, according to Blaze "It was crap. Maiden want to give their fans something to blow them away. The new one will."

The new game has been developed since early this year by Synthetic Dimensions, who have been responsible for a number of recent successes, such as "Corporation", "Legends of Valor" and "Perfect Assassin".

Says Blaze "This game is nearly there. You've got to get to Eddie through time and space, heaven and hell..... the works ! It's a shoot 'em up which we promise will out-shoot`em all".

 

[Perun]

I also want to add a thought to Ed Hunter: It wasn't the first video game release by a band. Before it there was Queen's The eYe. Like Ed Hunter, it was a truly awful game that had a long development phase and was seriously dated when it was eventually released.

Usually the release date is given as 1998, but according to Wikipedia, a German magazine had a review of it in December 1997. I also remember it was a Christmas gift in my family, and that would only make sense in 1997. I don't know when development began, but maybe it's possible to determine if it was before Melt, and thus may have been the inspiration for Maiden to have their own game.

Anyway, the only reason even die-hard Queen fans remember that game was because it had remixes of Queen songs for the in-game soundtrack, some of which were also available as CD audio tracks. It is a very, very distant memory in my own head, and before looking it up for this post I wasn't even sure if it was something my brain made up. But it exists.

 

[GhostofCain]

I played Ed Hunter but can't remember what it was about. This is from the fan club magazine at the time.

I am not a gamer, but did play Ed Hunter back in the day because it was Maiden-related. As far as I can remember, there were different levels based on different album covers (e.g., East End streets at night, Egyptian one inside a pyramid...) and you had to shoot at different enemies (e.g., zombies, mummies...). You could get extra lives by shooting at the head of band members that would randomly pop up (reunion line-up and, if I remember correctly, also Paul and Blaze). The final bit involved shooting the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Once you killed them, you won.

Apologies if the details are sketchy. It has been 25 years since I last played the game!

Edit: And after typing all that, I realised that we have the information about the different levels here:

http://ironmaidencommentary.com/?url=album11b_edhunter/game11b_edhunter&lang=eng&link=albums

 

[UpTheIrons]

I played Ed Hunter but can't remember what it was about. This is from the fan club magazine at the time.

The game was a few years before my time but everything I have read about it suggests that it was essentially an Iron Maiden reskin of the House of the Dead arcade series.

 

[Cat Milk Supreme]

I am not a gamer, but did play Ed Hunter back in the day because it was Maiden-related. As far as I can remember, there were different levels based on different album covers (e.g., East End streets at night, Egyptian one inside a pyramid...) and you had to shoot at different enemies (e.g., zombies, mummies...). You could get extra lives by shooting at the head of band members that would randomly pop up (reunion line-up and, if I remember correctly, also Paul and Blaze). The final bit involved shooting the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Once you killed them, you won.

Apologies if the details are sketchy. It has been 25 years since I last played the game!

Edit: And after typing all that, I realised that we have the information about the different levels here:

http://ironmaidencommentary.com/?url=album11b_edhunter/game11b_edhunter&lang=eng&link=albums

I remember I found it quite hard and pretty shit. It was very soon abandoned. Pretty sure I didn't get past the 2nd level

I also remember being quite excited about the whole thing, being a bit of a gamer at the time.

 

[07-SMS:A1L]

Here's someone playing the full game:

 

[TheTalisman]

Quite a cool map at 59:12 (Powerslave pyramid and tomb) and at 1:44:12 (Somewhere in Time bar).

 

[chaosapiant]

I feel like I'd like to see Ed Hunter get put up on GOG.COM, complete with compatibility patches for modern OSs and such.

 

[BludBrutha]

I also want to add a thought to Ed Hunter: It wasn't the first video game release by a band. Before it there was Queen's The eYe. Like Ed Hunter, it was a truly awful game that had a long development phase and was seriously dated when it was eventually released.

Journey had video games in 1982 and 1983.

MJ Moonwalker in 1988, that was legitimately good.

Revolution X in 1994 was Aerosmith.

KISS had one in 1999 based on the Psycho Circus comic series. Not brilliant but it’s Quake compared to the garbage Maiden one.

 

[Spaldy]

Here's someone playing the full game:

I wonder if you can get the soundtrack from the game? There's a couple of tracks on YouTube but not the full thing. I kind of dig the blippy renditions (which totally sound dated for 1998).

 

[07-SMS:A1L]

There was a game called Melt which was in development 95-97 kinda time which was scrapped in favour of cutting edge technology....

Just noticed Melt on my 1996 Best of the Beast poster:

 

[Sth2112]

I remember I found it quite hard and pretty shit. It was very soon abandoned. Pretty sure I didn't get past the 2nd level

I also remember being quite excited about the whole thing, being a bit of a gamer at the time.

Same here, the game was very difficult. I also started hating Hallowed be thy name as it was playing on loop during the first level.

 

[GhostofCain]

Same here, the game was very difficult. I also started hating Hallowed be thy name as it was playing on loop during the first level.

I am not a gamer but managed to complete it. I might have been inspired by the soundtrack!

 

[Sth2112]

I am not a gamer but managed to complete it. I might have been inspired by the soundtrack!

Impressive! That is called passion.
Maybe I would have done better now when I'm 20 years older, but I'll never want to use the precious time on this 8th grade game again

 

[Starblind]

I remember voting too, but first it was anounced as it is for the game. That's why songs like Futureal were chosen over many classics or fan favorites. Then they said it it's also for the tour, then whole the forum got angry, everybody was saying, if i know it was for the tour, i would have voted for infinite dreams, alexander the great and to tame etc... fun old days ))

 

[srfc]

I also want to add a thought to Ed Hunter: It wasn't the first video game release by a band. Before it there was Queen's The eYe. Like Ed Hunter, it was a truly awful game that had a long development phase and was seriously dated when it was eventually released.

Usually the release date is given as 1998, but according to Wikipedia, a German magazine had a review of it in December 1997. I also remember it was a Christmas gift in my family, and that would only make sense in 1997. I don't know when development began, but maybe it's possible to determine if it was before Melt, and thus may have been the inspiration for Maiden to have their own game.

Anyway, the only reason even die-hard Queen fans remember that game was because it had remixes of Queen songs for the in-game soundtrack, some of which were also available as CD audio tracks. It is a very, very distant memory in my own head, and before looking it up for this post I wasn't even sure if it was something my brain made up. But it exists.

I remember seeing a Motorhead game in a shop circa 92 as well

 

[AncientMariner_Essex]

Even for its time ed hunter was a complete turd. I remember being so disappointed when booting it up. Asa gamer I was looking forward to this a lot but it was just poor.

There is a video on YouTube where someone discusses the making of melt and why it was scrapped and the video has footage of the melt game. It did look crap which was a shame as it seemed like a much better idea for a game.

Decent developer with today’s tech could make a very decent maiden themed game these days. Image a game like brutal legend where you control Eddie, very cool.