Bargon Attack

Last updated: January 11, 2026

Overview

Bargon Attack is a French point-and-click adventure game released in 1992 by Coktel Vision, one of the lesser-known titles from the studio best remembered for the Gobliiins series.¹ The game is an adaptation of a French comic strip (“bande dessinée”) of the same name that was originally published in the computer magazine Micro News between 1989 and 1991, created by artist Rachid Chebli (known as “Rasheed”) and writers Claude and Serge Marc.² As one of the first Coktel Vision games to introduce the unique interface that would be used in many of the company’s subsequent titles, and among the earliest to utilize FMV technology in its cut-scenes, Bargon Attack represented a technical step forward for the French developer.¹

The game blends science fiction, cyberpunk aesthetics, and comedy elements in what modern retrospectives describe as a “sci-fi fever dream” that is “stylish, surreal, and frequently confusing—but in a charming ‘what on Earth is going on’ kind of way.”³ Set in a near-future Paris where an alien race called the Bargon has conquered Earth and enslaved humanity, players take on the role of a young programmer who decides to fight back against the extraterrestrial invaders.¹ The game features approximately 20 locations, each consisting of one to three screens, and incorporates both traditional adventure game puzzles and arcade sequences.⁴

Contemporary French reviewers compared Bargon Attack favorably to American adventure games, with one critic from Génération 4 magazine noting that “Coktel Vision ne cesse de nous surprendre cette année, prouvant s’il en était besoin, que les sociétés françaises sont largement capables d’évincer les monstres sacrés dans le domaine du jeu d’aventure que sont Lucasfilm ou Sierra On-Line.”⁵ However, the game’s English localization was notably poor, with one retrospective analysis stating that “there isn’t a single line of dialogue that makes any real sense in the English version.”⁶

Game Info

Developer: Coktel Vision¹ Designer: Claude Marc, Serge Marc⁷ Publisher: Coktel Vision¹ Engine: Gob⁸ Platforms: DOS, Amiga, Atari ST¹ Release Year: 1992 Series: None Protagonist: Bob Sierra Lineage: Coktel Vision (Sierra subsidiary)

Story Summary

In the near future, an alien race known as the Bargon has managed to infiltrate Earth’s solar system through an insidious method—through computers and video games, they have found a way to get into human minds.⁹ The Bargonians have conquered Earth and enslaved its human population, while mysterious cultists appear throughout Paris in service of the alien invaders.¹⁰ The game opens with the player character, a young computer enthusiast named Bob, discovering the truth about the alien invasion and deciding to investigate.¹⁰

Bob begins his journey at a micro club (computer enthusiast gathering place) in Paris, seeking help from fellow programmers.¹⁰ His investigation takes him through various real Parisian locations, including the Fontaine Saint-Michel, Les Deux Plateaux (the Buren columns), the Théâtre des égorgeurs, and the area around the Arc de Triomphe.¹¹ Along the way, Bob encounters both cult members serving the Bargon and various obstacles that require him to gather items and solve puzzles while avoiding deadly alien technology and creatures.⁴

The story incorporates meta-narrative elements, as Bob himself is a video game enthusiast—during one arcade sequence, he even remarks “it’s like I’m in a video game.”¹² The game features references to other Coktel Vision titles, including Operation Stealth and Fascination, creating connections within the developer’s catalog.¹¹ Eventually, Bob’s investigation leads him to discover the Bargon’s underground lairs beneath Paris and ultimately to the alien planet or spaceship itself, where he must confront the alien threat directly.¹¹

The game’s plot was described by scholar Neal Roger Tringham in his book “Science Fiction Video Games” as “largely incomprehensible,” though this may be partially attributed to the notoriously poor English translation rather than the original French narrative.² The story draws heavy inspiration from B-movie science fiction, with one reviewer noting it was “evidently inspired by ‘B’ science fiction series (Dr. Who comes to mind), as it has a lot of cheesy jokes and weird aliens in Latex.”¹³

Gameplay

Interface and Controls

Bargon Attack utilizes a third-person perspective, which distinguished it from some other Coktel Vision titles that employed first-person or other viewpoints.⁶ The game introduced a unique point-and-click interface that would become a template for many subsequent Coktel Vision games.¹ Players interact with the environment using a mouse-controlled cursor, similar to the interface used in the company’s earlier title Fascination.⁵

The game supports multiple input devices including keyboard and mouse.¹⁴ The interface, while innovative for Coktel Vision at the time, was criticized by some players for being slow and cumbersome.¹⁵ Players must carefully examine each screen for interactive hotspots, as the game features numerous tiny, nearly invisible objects that must be found to progress.⁶

Structure and Progression

Bargon Attack features a strictly linear progression system—players cannot return to previous areas once they have moved forward in the game.¹⁶ This design choice means that missing an item or failing to complete a puzzle before leaving an area can make the game unwinnable. The game consists of approximately 20 distinct locations, each containing one to three individual screens to explore.⁴

The game is divided into distinct phases or sections:

• Phase 1-3: Bob’s investigation begins in Paris, exploring locations like the micro club and various city streets
• Phase 4-6: Deeper investigation into the cult and alien presence, including underground passages
• Phase 7-9: Confrontation with alien technology and creatures, featuring more dangerous encounters
• Final Phase: Escape and ultimate confrontation with the Bargon threat

Puzzles and Mechanics

The puzzle design in Bargon Attack combines traditional inventory-based adventure game challenges with more action-oriented sequences.⁴ Players must find items scattered throughout the environment and figure out how to use them in the correct locations. The game also includes several arcade-style mini-games, including a notable underwater crab shooting sequence where players must “shoot the small crabs without hitting the big crab.”⁴

The game features numerous instant death scenarios—players can die suddenly and often without warning, sometimes “without a reason” according to frustrated players.¹⁵ When the player dies, the game offers a replay option to try again.⁴ The puzzle logic was frequently criticized, with one reviewer calling it “Adventure game logic at its worst.”¹⁰ Particularly notorious is what one player described as “a strong contender for the award of the most ridiculous puzzle of the year,” involving illogical item combinations.¹¹

One infamous puzzle interaction involves the game text responding “Use nougat on a locked door?! You must be mad!” when players attempt nonsensical combinations—though ironically, many of the game’s actual solutions seem equally illogical.¹² The game requires extensive pixel hunting, with some reviewers noting that “a few items to be found in the game are literally only one pixel in size, so all you see is a very small dot or glint!!!”¹⁷

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

French gaming publications responded positively to Bargon Attack upon its 1992 release. The magazine Joystick awarded the game an impressive 94/100.² Génération 4 gave it 80%, with reviewer Didier Latil praising the game as “Un jeu d’aventure tout ce qu’il y a de plus français” (An adventure game that is completely French) and comparing its humor favorably to American classics like Zak McKracken and Maniac Mansion.⁵

German publications were more measured in their assessments. Joker Verlag präsentiert: Sonderheft awarded 78%.² The German magazine Amiga Joker, reviewed by Carsten Borgmeier, also gave the game 78%.¹⁵ Power Play scored it lower at 59%, while Gamezone (Germany) awarded 60%.²

Modern Assessment

Retrospective assessments of Bargon Attack have been decidedly mixed. The game has developed a small cult following among fans of obscure adventure games, but critics have consistently highlighted its numerous design flaws. Abandondonia delivered a particularly harsh verdict: “In the end, this game deserved to be forgotten by history. This is Coktel’s Pandora’s Box, with nearly every sin an adventure game can make all rolled into this one game.”²

Home of the Underdogs offered a more balanced perspective: “Bargon Attack is a fun, campy adventure that would probably appeal to Coktel fans more than anyone else. The game’s longer-than-average length and some hunt-the-pixel puzzles also makes for many hair-pulling sessions where you desperately try every inventory object with everything on the screen.”¹³ Modern reviewer Alex Bevilacqua noted that while “the game’s visuals are extremely well done” and represent “some of the best VGA graphics sprite-based artists could crank out,” ultimately “the game really isn’t fun, the story isn’t compelling and the experience is lackluster at best.”¹⁸

Hardcore Gaming 101’s retrospective emphasized the game’s flaws: “filled with tiny, nearly invisible objects which need to be found, insta-death situations, a few timed sequences, numerous lock-and-key bits, and logic puzzles which aren’t quite logical.”⁶

Aggregate Scores:

• MobyGames Critics: 76%¹⁴
• Home of the Underdogs: 8.08/10 (60 votes)¹³
• My Abandonware: 4.08/5 (24 votes)¹⁹
• Abandonware DOS: 3.59/5 (32 votes)³
• Atari Legend: 2.50/5 (1 vote)⁷
• Alex Bevilacqua Review: 21%¹⁸

Development

Origins

Bargon Attack originated not as a video game concept but as a comic strip published in the French computer magazine Micro News between 1989 and 1991.² The comic was created by artist Rachid Chebli, working under the pseudonym “Rasheed,” in collaboration with writers Claude Marc and Serge Marc.⁷ This makes Bargon Attack one of the only known games adapted from a comic strip that was originally published in a computer magazine.²⁰

Claude Marc himself reflected on the project’s origins, stating: “Ca a été un très grand honneur pour moi de collaborer avec Rasheed sur la bande dessinée Bargon Attack, qui est devenue par la suite un jeu vidéo chez Coktel, grâce à l’enthousiasme de Roland Oskian” (It was a great honor for me to collaborate with Rasheed on the comic strip Bargon Attack, which later became a video game at Coktel, thanks to the enthusiasm of Roland Oskian).²¹ Roland Oskian was instrumental in convincing Coktel Vision to adapt the comic into an interactive format.²¹

Production

Development of Bargon Attack took place at Coktel Vision’s studios in France. The game was produced under the management of Muriel Tramis and Philippe Lamarque.⁷ Notably, Muriel Tramis was one of the prominent figures at Coktel Vision who would later work on several other notable adventure games for the company.

The development team faced the challenge of adapting a static comic narrative into an interactive experience while maintaining the distinctive visual style of Rasheed’s artwork. The programmers, credited as “MDO” (or “M.D.O.”), worked on the game engine that would be used across multiple platforms.¹⁴ The game was developed for simultaneous release on DOS, Amiga, and Atari ST platforms.

Development Credits:⁷

• Concept: Claude Marc, Serge Marc
• Management: Muriel Tramis, Philippe Lamarque
• Programming: M.D.O.
• Graphics: Rachid Chebli (Rasheed)
• Music & Sound FX: Charles Callet

Technical Achievements

Bargon Attack was notable for being one of the first Coktel Vision games to utilize FMV (Full Motion Video) technology in its cut-scenes.¹ The VGA version of the game featured a fully voiced introduction, a significant technical achievement for adventure games of the era.¹⁰ The game introduced a new interface paradigm that Coktel Vision would subsequently employ in many of their later titles.¹

The game was built using the Gob engine, which Coktel Vision utilized for several of their adventure game productions.⁸ This engine allowed for the distinctive visual style and interface elements that characterized Coktel games of this period.

Technical Specifications

VGA DOS Version:²²

• Resolution: 320x200, 256 colors
• Audio: Sound Blaster, AdLib, Pro Audio Spectrum, PC Speaker (Tweaked), Intersound MDO
• Minimum OS: MS-DOS 2.11
• Minimum RAM: 512 KB (640 KB for Tandy)
• Hard Drive Space: 7-8 MB
• Media: 6 × 5.25” HD disks or 3.5” floppy disks
• Features: Voiced introduction, high quality graphics and video

EGA/CGA DOS Version:¹⁶

• Resolution: 320x200, 16 colors
• Video Modes: CGA, EGA, Hercules, VGA
• Media: 8 × 5.25” DD disks
• Features: No voice

Amiga Version:¹⁵

• Hardware: OCS/ECS compatible, 68000 processor
• RAM: 512 KB minimum
• Media: 4 disks
• Development Tools: C Code, Gob engine

Version History

Version	Date	Platform	Notes
1.0	1992	DOS (EGA/CGA)	16-color version, no voice22
1.0	1992	DOS (VGA)	256-color version with voiced intro22
1.0	1992	Amiga	OCS/ECS compatible release15
1.0	1992	Atari ST	European release14

Regional Releases:¹⁴

• France: DOS, Amiga, Atari ST versions
• Spain: DOS version
• Germany: Atari ST version
• Italy: Atari ST version
• United Kingdom: Atari ST version

Technical Issues

The game suffers from several notable technical issues and design problems:

• Pixel Hunting: Items as small as a single pixel must be found, making some objects nearly invisible¹⁷
• Instant Deaths: Frequent and often unpredictable death scenarios¹⁵
• Bug in Phase 9: A known bug prevents players from leaving a certain area; the workaround is to “try using the gloves several times”¹⁶
• Underground Passages Bug: This section is “heavily bugged”—dying resets progress incorrectly and can create duplicate items¹²
• Translation Quality: The English version features dialogue that “doesn’t make any real sense”⁶
• Save Game Limitation: Only 14 saved game slots available¹⁷
• Slow Interface: User interface described as “slow” by multiple reviewers¹⁵

For modern players, the game runs successfully under ScummVM (supported since version 0.10.0) and requires several files from the original installation, including *.snd, *.ang (English version), *.imd, intro.stk, and traduc.cat.⁸

Easter Eggs and Trivia

• Operation Stealth Reference: When interacting with a pay toilet, the game references Coktel’s earlier title Operation Stealth with the character saying “we’re not in Operation Stealth anyway…”¹¹
• Fascination Reference: Using a newspaper on a garage door prompts the comment “It’s a bit heavy, like the news in Fascination,” another Coktel game reference¹¹
• Meta-Humor: The protagonist Bob makes fourth-wall-breaking comments, including “it’s like I’m in a video game” during an arcade sequence¹²
• Tight Suit Comment: Bob remarks “it’s a tight fit, this suit” when donning certain clothing¹²
• French Cannabis Joke: The French version contains crude humor, including dialogue mocking someone’s joint-rolling abilities: “mais regarde-moi ce con-là, il sait même pas s’en rouler une, il lui faut deux feuilles et elle est conique!”²⁰
• Game Within a Game: The meta-narrative concept has the player controlling a video game character who is himself a video game enthusiast⁶

Legacy

Sales and Commercial Impact

Bargon Attack remained one of Coktel Vision’s lesser-known titles, overshadowed by the more successful Gobliiins series.¹ The game was released in Spain and France in 1992, with distribution expanding to other European territories including Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom.¹⁴ No sales figures have been publicly documented.

Coktel Vision was acquired by Sierra On-Line in 1992, the same year Bargon Attack was released.¹⁰ The company continued to operate as a Sierra subsidiary until the wave of closures in the early 2000s that affected many Sierra subsidiaries.¹⁰ Some later releases of Bargon Attack list Sierra On-Line as a co-publisher.²²

Collections

Bargon Attack has not been included in any major compilation releases or digital distribution platforms. As of the research date, the game is not available on Steam or GOG.com, with only a wishlist request existing on GOG.²³ The Amiga version was reportedly available cheaply and often found in game lots during the 1990s.²⁰

Fan Projects

Due to the game’s obscurity, fan engagement has been limited primarily to preservation efforts and walkthroughs. Notable fan contributions include:

• BBB’s Walkthrough (2000): One of the first English walkthroughs, translated from an Italian guide with only “20-30% accuracy” due to the lack of existing English documentation¹⁶
• jimfish’s HTML Walkthrough (2020): A more comprehensive 37KB guide available through GameFAQs²⁴
• Russian Fan Translation: A fan translation by “Бюро переводов Old-Games.Ru” made the game accessible to Russian-speaking audiences²⁵
• ScummVM Compatibility: The game has been preserved through ScummVM support since version 0.10.0, with version 2.1+ supporting cloud saves⁸

Related Publications

No official hint books, strategy guides, or novelizations for Bargon Attack have been documented. The game’s manual was required for some puzzles but has proven difficult to locate online, with one reviewer noting this created additional frustration.¹⁷

The original comic strip that inspired the game was published in Micro News magazine between 1989 and 1991.² The comic’s creator, Rasheed, and the Marc brothers were responsible for both the source material and the game’s creative direction.

Critical Perspective

Bargon Attack occupies an interesting position in adventure gaming history as a product of the French gaming industry during a period when French developers were actively competing with American studios like LucasArts and Sierra On-Line.⁵ Contemporary French critics saw the game as evidence that French companies could match their American counterparts, though international reception was more muted.

The game represents both the ambitions and the limitations of Coktel Vision’s approach to adventure game design. While the studio was innovative in introducing new interface paradigms and early FMV technology, the game also exemplifies the “hunt-the-pixel” puzzle design and sudden death mechanics that would eventually fall out of favor.⁶ Its poor English localization prevented it from achieving broader international recognition, while its French origins gave it a distinctive character that some players found charming despite its frustrations.

For French gamers of a certain generation, Bargon Attack holds nostalgic significance. As one reviewer noted, “My youth as a French adventure gamer who couldn’t speak English was strictly limited to a few games”—and Bargon Attack was one of the accessible titles for non-English speakers in an era dominated by American adventure games.¹⁰ The game’s adaptation from a computer magazine comic strip also represents a unique origin story in gaming history, highlighting the interconnected nature of computer culture and gaming in France during the early 1990s.²⁰

Downloads

Download / Preservation

• Internet Archive – MS-DOS Version
• My Abandonware
• Classic Reload – Browser Playable

Technical Resources

• ScummVM Wiki – Bargon Attack
• PCGamingWiki

References

Footnotes

1. MobyGames – Bargon Attack – developer info, platform details, interface innovations, FMV technology ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰

2. Wikipedia – Bargon Attack – comic origins, review scores, critical assessments ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸

3. Abandonware DOS – Bargon Attack – user ratings, game description, atmosphere ↩ ↩²

4. Classic Reload / Mr Bill’s Adventure Land – gameplay mechanics, structure, mini-games ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

5. Obligement – Génération 4 Review – French review, Didier Latil quotes, contemporary reception ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

6. Hardcore Gaming 101 – Bargon Attack – English translation quality, puzzle criticism, gameplay analysis ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

7. Atari Legend – Bargon Attack – development credits, designer info, composer credit ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

8. ScummVM Wiki – Bargon Attack – engine info, compatibility, required files ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

9. Adventure Gamers – Bargon Attack – plot premise, game description ↩

10. The Adventure Gamer – Introduction – French gaming context, audio issues, comic origins ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸

11. The Adventure Gamer – Paris is Burning – Paris locations, easter eggs, puzzle criticism ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

12. GameFAQs – jimfish Walkthrough – in-game quotes, bugs, puzzle commentary ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

13. Home of the Underdogs – B-movie inspiration, user rating, critical assessment ↩ ↩² ↩³

14. MobyGames – Release Info – regional releases, platforms, additional programming credits ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

15. Lemon Amiga – Bargon Attack – Amiga specs, Amiga Joker review, user comments ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

16. GameFAQs – BBB Walkthrough – version info, linear gameplay, Phase 9 bug ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

17. Mr. Bill’s Adventureland – Review – pixel hunting, technical specs, Wendy Mann review ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

18. Alex Bevilacqua Blog – modern review, graphics praise, overall criticism ↩ ↩²

19. My Abandonware – Bargon Attack – user rating, download availability ↩

20. Je Ne Suis – Amiga Review – comic magazine origin, French dialogue, Amiga market ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

21. Official Bargon Attack Website – Claude Marc statement, Roland Oskian credit, development origins ↩ ↩²

22. MobyGames – Specs – technical requirements, audio support, version differences ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

23. GOG Wishlist – availability status ↩

24. GameFAQs – Guides List – available walkthroughs, guide metadata ↩

25. PCGamingWiki – Bargon Attack – localizations, Russian fan translation, system requirements ↩