Friday, May 8, 2026

PrinceWatercress plays Die Hard (PC Engine) - Stage 7 of 10


This is where the game starts to get difficult. There's a trick to beating the boss here...if you can figure it out.


Stage 7: 35F


This time, you're in the air ducts. Keep a look out for enemies and be ready to shoot them down when you see them, but watch your surroundings too, as pieces of the ducts will fall down as you move. If the floor changes as you move, jump forward.

If enemies fire at you when you approach them, they are about to come down from the top of the screen. Let them come down before firing.

There are some machine guns and a first-aid kit near the end of the level; be sure to get them.

You'll then face your second boss. Avoid his projectiles as the boss moves up and down, and when the boss moves back to fire a rocket, be ready to move to the bottom and jump away when the rocket comes down. As this battle rages on, you'll have less and less floor to work with, which can be rather nasty. The boss will alternate between a three-way shot and homing rockets, and while the former will be able to avoid at first, it will get hectic when you have less space to move around in. As for the homing rockets, you can always shoot those down.

If you and the boss die at the same time, you win. Thankfully, your health will be refilled on the next stage.

Interestingly, if you jump straight up at the very top, you can grab one of two machine guns in case you're low on ammo.

After beating this boss, you'll see a cutscene of John McClane going down an elevator shaft with a rope and a lighter.

Thursday, May 7, 2026

PrinceWatercress plays Die Hard (PC Engine) - Stage 6 of 10


At this point, the game starts getting a little harder.


Stage 6: 32F


Once again, you're in another maze, but at least this one is easier to get out of. You'll want to head your way northward in the first section. The exit will be blocked by a security guard wearing all red, so be careful for that, the rest of the enemies who may get some lucky shots on you due to their positions, as well as the many pits that you'll have to jump over. As you can see, this game is starting to get harder.

Thankfully, the second section is strictly horizontal. Once again, be careful where you are going so you don't grab a gun that you don't need, and advance slowly so you can take out the enemies with little trouble. If you need health, go into the lone door that you see on the way to the end. You'll find a first aid kit as well as two grenade launchers and two machine guns.

Wednesday, May 6, 2026

PrinceWatercress plays Die Hard (PC Engine) - Stage 5 of 10


Now that we've beaten our first boss, it's time to go through some more familiar territory


Stage 5: 30F


You're now in the office space of Nakatomi Plaza, but the people here are anything but friendly. At least there are a few open doors where you can get some power-ups, including a first aid kit.

Don't walk on the broken glass; you'll take damage if you step into it.

There are some devices on the walls that will shoot out a red laser. Shoot the device down to get rid of that damaging laser.

The guard in all red has a five-way shot. Shoot him before he shoots you!

The second section has you going straight to the right. Move past the  doors that endlessly spawn bad guys, and if you see an open door, go into it for much needed beer for health. You'll eventually reach the door at the end, which takes you up two more floors.

Tuesday, May 5, 2026

PrinceWatercress plays Die Hard (PC Engine) - Stage 4 of 10


In this entry, we go down a dark passage and face our first boss. He won't be our last, either.


Be very careful of where you go as you travel through this dark passage, as enemies will come from anywhere. You'll want to take as little damage as possible as you go through this area. Also, you'll want to get the grenade launcher here and preserve your ammo while getting as much ammo as you can.

Just when you think you're done, you'll be facing your first boss: a guy with a baton who will walk across a ceiling and try to smack you with his extending baton while also throwing a five-way knife shot. Jump when you shoot as he strikes with the baton from the sides and center, as this is the only time when he is vulnerable - and stay on the ground when he throws the knife, jumping only when necessary so you can more easily avoid them. The grenade launcher is the easiest weapon to use against this boss, as the explosion will hurt him if the grenade itself does not quite reach him.

When you beat this guy, you'll see a cutscene of John McClane riding on the top of an elevator on his way further up the tower.

Monday, May 4, 2026

PrinceWatercress plays Die Hard (PC Engine) - Stage 3 of 10


We've finally entered the building, but now we have to get through a maze!


Stage 3: B2F


You're now in Nakatomi Plaza, but now you'll have to go through a maze to get further in while dodging enemy bullets.

At the first branching path, you'll want to take the left door. The pits are instant death if you fall into them, so make sure you don't walk into them. Also, if you jump and shoot, you can also violate the laws of perspective with your gunfire. At the end, enter the left door.

At the second branching path, take the right door. There is a door halfway through where you can find another flamethrower off the enemies. At the end, take the left door.

The third vertical section has three branching paths. The first two loop in on each other, but the third one has the two doors as usual. You'll want to take the right door. Near the end, you can find a first aid kit in case you don't have any body armor. Past that door, don't enter the first door you see; instead, go all the way to the end and enter the door there.

John McClane will tell you if you ended up back at the beginning if you took a wrong turn, so you'll want to avoid that. If you end up in any yellow hallways as opposed to the green ones, you've taken a wrong turn somewhere, and you're going to end up back at the beginning no matter what. You'll also want to keep in mind that the game only scrolls one way, and if you go too far in one direction, you won't be able to backtrack like you'll want to. Thankfully, the path is doable through trial and error, and the paths stay the same every time you play.

Sunday, May 3, 2026

PrinceWatercress plays Die Hard (PC Engine) - Stage 2 of 10


Well, this stage was pretty quick. Didn't expect to find that body armor.


Stage 2: 01F


The second stage is a waterlogged maze leading to a lower entrance into Nakatomi Plaza. There are multiple routes through the maze, and as long as you don't run into every single dead end around here, you'll have plenty of time to get into the building.

The guys with the long blond hair will shoot at you with grenade launchers. Even though the explosions from their shots are not as big as when you shoot one. 

One of the dead ends has body armor, and you'll need to shoot down a gray-shirt guard to get it. Make sure you get it.

The exit is guarded by three enemies at once. Once you take them all out, you're done here.

Saturday, May 2, 2026

PrinceWatercress plays Die Hard (PC Engine) - Stage 1 of 10


At least this isn't as frustrating as the NES game...


This game is a top-down action-style game, much like the NES game. Unlike the NES game, however, the action focuses a lot more on shooting down bad guys and trying not to die than sneaking through the multiple floors of Nakatomi Palaza and taking care of yourself.

Stage 1: 01F


The game starts in the garden outside of Nakatomi Plaza, and just like in the NES game, you'll be playing as John McClane. The D-Pad lets you move around, Button II lets you shoot and Button I lets you jump. You start out with your fists, but you'll find a variety of guns. There will be single-shot rifles, but you'll also find machine guns with rapid fire, grenade launchers that produce huge explosions and even flamethrowers.

You have a health bar, as does the enemy. As you take damage, your shirt will look a little more drab If you lose all your health, you'll have to use one of your limited continues. You also have a limited amount of time to get through a stage, and if you run out

To the right of where you start, take out the enemies and enter the building you see for an easy machine gun. This will make it easier to plow through the enemies up ahead. The black-shirted guards shoot one bullet at a time, while the white (gray?)-shirted guards shoot three.

When fighting enemies, keep tabs on your health constantly. When you take damage, the game makes no effort whatsoever to tell you that you've taken damage; John McClane just stands there and takes it. Your best bet for going through the levels is advancing slowly, watching for the enemy health bar to turn green, then shooting them down while avoiding them and their bullets.

If any enemies are on rooftops, you can jump up to shoot them.

The pits are instant death if you walk into them.

In the second section of the stage, keep on moving forward while taking out the enemies. Pits will form out of nowhere, and if you see that happen, immediately get away from the pit that is forming so you don't fall in. 

Some enemies can drop bottles of beer that replenish two whole units of health, but even fewer enemies will drop a blue vest. This is body armor, and it turns your health bar gold. This acts as a second health bar that goes over your first one, but you'll definitely want to preserve it as long as possible, as there are only a few of these in the game. At least when you get shot with body armor on, you don't lose your main health.

The first aid kit replenishes all of your health as opposed to just two units.

When you see five enemies at once, you're at the exit. Go back down as far as possible and take them out from a distance so you don't get shot a whole lot.