Editing Lethal Xcess

{{Short description|1991 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
|image = Lethal Xcess - cover art.jpg
|caption = Cover art by Celal Kandemiroglu
|developer = X-Troll <br> Gigabyte Crew
|publisher = Eclipse Software
|producer = Marc Rosocha
|writer = Richard Karsmakers
|designer = Heinz Rudolf <br> Claus Frein <br> Marc Rosocha 
|programmer = Claus Frein
|artist = Heinz Rudolf
|composer = [[Jochen Hippel]]
|released = [[1991 in video gaming|1991]]
|genre = [[Shoot 'em up]]
|modes = 1 or 2 players
|platforms = [[Amiga]], [[Atari ST]]
}}

'''''Lethal Xcess''''', also known as '''''Lethal Xcess: Wings of Death II'''''  or just '''''Wings of Death II''''', is a [[shoot 'em up]] game developed by two members of [[Demoscene|demo crew]] X-Troll and published by Eclipse Software in [[1991 in video gaming|1991]] for the [[Atari ST]] and [[Amiga]]. It is a sequel to 1990's ''[[Wings of Death]]'', in which its wizard hero goes into the far future to fight the descendants of the evil witch that he had defeated in the first game. Despite having been acclaimed by critics, the game was a commercial failure.

== Gameplay ==
{{Expand section|date=August 2015}}

== Plot ==
The great magician Sagyr has won over his nemesis, the wicked witch Xandrilia, and regained the human shape of his former self. But Xandrilia's curse sends him 3,000 years in the future. There he finds out that the witch's posterity, known as the Xandrilians, plan to rule the universe with an army of monsters and machines. Determined to stop the forces of darkness, Sagyr pilots a small combat spacecraft on a desperate mission to destroy the planet where the Xandrilians live.

== Development==
''Lethal Xcess'' was originally it was planned to be an independent release,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edv-rudolf.de/lethal-xcess/press/aliveint.htm |title=The official Lethal Xcess Website - Alive Interview |website=Edv-rudolf.de |date= |accessdate=2016-08-12}}</ref> but in the end it became the sequel to ''[[Wings of Death]]'' where its original story was about Sagyr having been again turned into a gryphon and fighting a restored Xandrilia in fantasy setting,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edv-rudolf.de/lethal-xcess/story.htm |title=The official Lethal Xcess Website - The Story by Richard Karsmakers |website=Edv-rudolf.de |date=1991-09-20 |accessdate=2016-08-12}}</ref> to be titled ''Xandrilia's Revenge'',<ref>''Play Time'' 4/1992 p.10.</ref> before it was decided it would a be a science fiction game. ''Lethal Xcess'' has been the first commercial project of Heinz Rudolf and Claus Frein, although they had some offers before; due to the disappointing sales, both quit the gaming industry and became IT consultants. While it is a rather standard shooter on the Amiga platform, the game is one of the technically most impressive titles for the Atari ST. Besides many technically impressive features, such as digital sound, sync-scrolling, [[overscan]], and full two-player support, all original copies of ''Lethal Xcess'' featured [[dual format]], which allowed the Amiga and Atari versions to boot from the very same disk.<ref name=rg>''Retro Gamer'' 123, page 68.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edv-rudolf.de/lethal-xcess/tech.htm |title=The official Lethal Xcess Website - Technical Details |website=Edv-rudolf.de |date= |accessdate=2016-08-12}}</ref> An abortive [[Commodore 64]] version was also under development by a different team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edv-rudolf.de/lethal-xcess/gallery/c64lvl1.htm |title=The official Lethal Xcess Website - Gallery of the C64 Remains |website=Edv-rudolf.de |date= |accessdate=2016-08-12}}</ref>

==Reception==
The Amiga version of the game was well received, including the review scores of 84% from ''[[Amiga Action]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://amr.abime.net/review_40631 |title=Lethal Xcess review from Amiga Action 43 (Apr 1993) - Amiga Magazine Rack |website=Amr.abime.net |date= |accessdate=2016-08-12}}</ref> 83% from ''[[Amiga Computing]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://amr.abime.net/review_8274 |title=Lethal Xcess review from Amiga Computing 60 (May 1993) - Amiga Magazine Rack |website=Amr.abime.net |date= |accessdate=2016-08-12}}</ref> 70% from ''[[Amiga Power]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://amr.abime.net/review_775 |title=Lethal Xcess review from Amiga Power 25 (May 1993) - Amiga Magazine Rack |website=Amr.abime.net |date= |accessdate=2016-08-12}}</ref> 87% from ''Génération 4'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Generation%204/generation4_numero041/Gen4%20N041%20-%20Page%20074-075.jpg |title=Gen4 N041 - Page 074-075.jpg 2,500×1,729 pixels |website=Download.abandonware.org |accessdate=August 12, 2016}}</ref> and 86% from ''Joystick''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Joystick/joystick_numero026/page%20178.jpg |title=page 178.jpg 1,600×2,256 pixels |newspaper=Download.abandonware.org |accessdate=August 12, 2016}}</ref> It received an overall rating of 9 out of 10 from both ''ST News'' and ST Graveyard,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edv-rudolf.de/lethal-xcess/press/stntest.htm |title=The official Lethal Xcess Website - ST News Review |website=Edv-rudolf.de |date=1992-01-11 |accessdate=2016-08-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edv-rudolf.de/lethal-xcess/press/stgrv.htm |title=The official Lethal Xcess Website - ST Graveyard Review |website=Edv-rudolf.de |date=2002-11-24 |accessdate=2016-08-12}}</ref> while ''Play Time'' gave 77% for the Amiga and 74% for the Atari ST.<ref>''Play Time'' 4/1992 p.54.</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.edv-rudolf.de/lethal-xcess/ Official website]
* [http://www.mobygames.com/game/lethal-xcess-wings-of-death-ii ''Lethal Xcess''] at [[MobyGames]]
* {{abime|id=879}}

[[Category:1991 video games]]
[[Category:Amiga games]]
[[Category:Atari ST games]]
[[Category:Cancelled Commodore 64 games]]
[[Category:Cooperative video games]]
[[Category:Demoscene software]]
[[Category:Eclipse Software Design games]]
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]
[[Category:Science fiction video games]]
[[Category:Scrolling shooters]]
[[Category:Video game sequels]]
[[Category:Video games about curses]]
[[Category:Video games about time travel]]
[[Category:Video games about witchcraft]]
[[Category:Video games developed in Germany]]
[[Category:Video games scored by Jochen Hippel]]