Uşas

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Not to be confused with United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) .

Usas

Developer(s)	Konami
Publisher(s)	Konami
Release date(s)	1987
Genre(s)	Adventure, Platform
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	not applicable
Platform(s)	MSX2
Media	cartridge

The game of Uşas or Treasure of Uşas as it says on the title screen, is a platform game for the MSX with two main characters called Wit and Cles. Both characters have personal abilities. Using special 'emotion/mood' icons various abilities will be triggered. The name refers to the goddess Ushas.

Each of the game's five stage is divided into four sub-stages ('ruins') and a boss area ('shrine'). All four ruins need to be completed and their respective sub-bosses defeated before the shrine can be entered and the level's boss beat. Each sub-stage or shrine can be entered by only one of the characters at a time. If one of them perishes while attempting to clear a ruin, the other will have to come to his rescue.

Since each of the four possible emotions bestow different attacks to the characters, a careful management of what ruin to play with what character in what emotion is required. Moreover, a happy character has an additional 'secret' power: Cles can walk over gaps and Wit can jump mid-air.

In tradition with other Konami cartridge releases of the same era, there are also some possible cartridge combinations.

[edit] Popularity

Although not as popular as earlier releases like Nemesis and Knightmare (mainly because other home computer systems became available at that time), the game was another step in the direction of Konami as the leading MSX software company. Clearing this game needs perseverance, and the artwork is generally considered above average.