Shadows of Belial Brings Dark Adventure to ZX Spectrum

RetroWorks has a new one out, and it's aimed squarely at people who still keep a ZX Spectrum 128k within arm's reach. Shadows of Belial is an action-adventure built for Sinclair's classic 8-bit home computer, and the studio is pitching it as a dark, atmospheric journey rather than a quick arcade romp.

The news reached us through IndieRetroNews, which called the game visually stunning. Judging by what RetroWorks has shared about the structure, it also sounds like a game that won't go easy on you.

A Knight With Unfinished Business

At the center of it all is Sir Fred, a hero who has to face the ghosts of his own past. The game frames his quest around justice and redemption. That is a heavier premise than you might expect from a machine that fits under a TV, and I like that.

The ending is where the stakes get personal. Sir Fred has to avenge his family's blood and win back his stolen honour for good. Revenge stories are nothing new, but on the Spectrum a clear, simple motivation like this can carry a lot of weight.

Five Stages, Each With Its Own Mood

Shadows of Belial is split into five distinct stages, and each one sounds different from the last.

You start in a ruined mining village that Barbary pirates have taken over. Your job here is to track down five enchanted gems, which together break the seal on an entrance. It's a classic collect-and-unlock setup, and a fitting way to ease players into the world.

Beyond that sealed entrance is a cursed mine. This section uses lifts, which the developers describe as treacherous, and somewhere in those depths you'll uncover an infernal pact. I don't know about you, but nothing good has ever come from a pact made underground.

The third stage takes you into the forbidden halls of a hidden palace. This one isn't natural at all. It was conjured by Belial's own magic, so expect the villain's presence to be felt everywhere.

Into the Fire

Then things get hot. Literally. The fourth phase is called "Porta ad Infernum," a Latin name that translates roughly to "gate to hell." You'll be descending into a lava-drenched abyss where one mistake means eternal damnation.

That line alone tells me precision matters here. Anyone who has played tough platformers on the Spectrum knows exactly what that kind of warning feels like.

If you make it out of the underworld, the finale waits for you. "The Wrath of the Righteous" is described as an explosive climax and a final test of courage. It's the stage where Sir Fred's revenge and the return of his honour finally play out.

Where to Find It

RetroWorks has a main page for the game, which also lists the full credits for everyone involved. If you own a 128k Spectrum, or simply enjoy keeping up with new games for old hardware, that is the place to go.

Our Take

Shadows of Belial fits into a steady stream of new releases for 8-bit machines that we've been following closely. Only this week we covered Frogger Junior on the Spectrum Next and the Giger-inspired C64 shooter Void Lancer. It's clear that small teams are still finding new things to do with this hardware.

What stands out here is the ambition. Five themed stages, a revenge story and a strong focus on atmosphere suggest RetroWorks is aiming for something closer to a full adventure than a short distraction. That lines up with other retro projects such as the long-awaited Flashback port for the Atari ST, where scope and presentation are the main selling points.

It is worth watching how players react to the difficulty, especially in the "Porta ad Infernum" stage. Whether the claims about the visuals hold up once more people get their hands on it will also say a lot about how far the Spectrum can still be pushed.