Raffaele Cecco
The artist-programmer
Raffaele Cecco created some of the most visually striking games of the 8-bit era, programming and designing Cybernoid, Exolon, and Stormlord.
Overview
Raffaele Cecco represented a rare combination: programmer and artist in one. His games—Cybernoid, Exolon, Stormlord—were visually distinctive, technically accomplished, and brutally difficult. Working primarily with Hewson Consultants, he created some of the most memorable shooters of the late 1980s.
Fast facts
- Born: 1967 in the UK.
- Started coding: ZX81, then Spectrum, then C64 and Amiga.
- Publisher: primarily Hewson Consultants.
- Signature style: detailed sprites, colourful environments, merciless difficulty.
- Notable games: Exolon (1987), Cybernoid (1988), Stormlord (1989).
- Later career: moved into commercial software development.
The Hewson years
Cecco’s games for Hewson became classics:
Exolon (1987)
- Run-and-gun through alien landscapes
- Detailed sprites, smooth scrolling
- Two forms: armoured and unarmoured, each with trade-offs
- Established Cecco’s visual style
Cybernoid (1988)
- Flip-screen shooter with ship customisation
- Jeroen Tel’s pounding soundtrack
- Notorious difficulty, demanding memorisation
- Sequel followed the same year
Stormlord (1989)
- Fantasy setting, rescue fairies from cages
- Detailed character sprites
- Covered-up for US release (the fairies were nude)
- Smoother difficulty curve than Cybernoid
Technical achievement
Cecco’s programming matched his art:
- Smooth scrolling: flicker-free on hardware where many struggled.
- Large sprites: detailed enemies and backgrounds.
- Colour use: vibrant palettes that made screenshots pop.
- Tight code: performance-critical games that never dropped frames.
The artist-programmer
What distinguished Cecco was his dual role:
- Art and code: designed and implemented visuals himself.
- Unified vision: games looked exactly as their creator intended.
- No compromise: the art served the game, programmed to its needs.
This self-sufficiency was rare—most games separated artist and programmer roles.
Difficulty philosophy
Cecco’s games were hard:
- Pattern memorisation rewarded
- Instant death punished mistakes
- Practice essential, casual play futile
- Mastery deeply satisfying for those who persisted
Not everyone appreciated this approach, but those who mastered his games evangelised them.
Legacy
Cecco’s games remain visual landmarks of the 8-bit era. Screenshots from Stormlord and Cybernoid still impress. His combination of artistic talent and programming skill produced games with a singular vision—exactly what one person imagined, exactly how they wanted it.