PAUL SHAVE
Reviews of Software
Xanadu Adventure
Computer & Video Games, August 1983Occasionally I describe a particular Adventure as different. That not a suitable description for Xanadu Adventure which requires a BBC Model B computer to run, and takes you into a world of underground caverns, inhabited by dwarfs and monsters.
These are dangerous creatures, and cannot be relied on to turn up in the same place in each game! Some of the situations are similar to those encountered in other games, but with a difference.
With some hard thinking the Adventurer will progress gradually towards his goal, the depositing of all treasures in the treasure store.
When this point is reached (says the blurb - for I haven't reached that point!) "something will happen".
On his travels the Adventurer will find objects not often encountered in Adventure games, the usefulness or otherwise of which is not obvious. Has the pentangle some secret sinister purpose?
Will the soothing music of the dulcimer send a dwarf to sleep as well as the player?
The game has over 100 locations, and the scrolling replies, often four lines or more of text, are not only amusing, they appear quickly, and have nearly the verbosity of a disc-based game.
OK, it's an impressive game - but unique? What I've not yet mentioned is that this game has a two-player option. If that is selected the game takes on a whole new dimension.
The players decide how many moves they will make each turn, and as the game proceeds, a blue message at the top of the screen indicates which player is in command.
If one player arrives in the same location as the other, the reply will include "There is another Adventurer here".
An object taken by one player cannot be taken by the other, except for purchases made in the shop.
The two players start off as rivals, and if a fight develops the loser's objects drop to the ground, available for plundering by the winner!
When playing as rivals it is recommended that only the player whose turn it is watches the screen.
But wait - there's more! By typing ALLY, an alliance is made, the top message on the screen now displays in white, and weapon power is aggregated against the monsters in a common struggle to obtain the treasures. Perhaps this is the best way to solve an Adventure in company - no arguing about whose suggestion is the next command to be entered!
And there is always someone else to blame if things go wrong!
Unless, of course, when the goal is in sight, one player decides to rat on the agreement, type BREAK ALLIANCE, and rush home with the goodies!
I can only describe Xanadu as unique, at least at the time of writing! No doubt this will not remain the only one of its kind for very long!
Xanadu Adventure is a fascinating game that I can thoroughly recommend at a price of £7.75 from Hopesoft of Newbury.
Escape from Orion
Home Computing Weekly, 17-23 May 1983… getting beyond level 5 calls for real skill … the addictive value is high …
Playability 80%
Graphics 90%
Value for money 90%
Overall rating ****
Escape from Orion
Personal Computer News, 30 June - 6 July 1983… the availability of four screen formats is a big plus and should increase the enjoyment of playing it … should keep the most jaded gamesperson amused … Escape from Orion seems a good investment for keen action players …
Lasting appeal ****
Playability ***
Use of machine ****
Overall value ****
Castle of Gems
Popular Computing Weekly, 25-31 October 1984Bertie Bear has to eat all the gems on each screen before his rivals do. The opposing characters include spring-like Gem Gobblers, Gremlins, deadly Moving Trees, Ghosts and Witches. If he puts on the hat he becomes invisible and invincible - he can kill witches and walk through his competitors.
The castle setting is like something from Escher - endless staircases with occasional lifts so that moving around can be confusing at first. When all gems have gone from one screen Bertie can progress on to the next.
There are nine on each side of the tape - each harder than the last. Some are faster, some have more enemies, some have more complicated stairs and paths for Bertie to follow. Honeypots appear on some screens and give bonus points.
The controls are left, right, up and down, which you can operate from keyboard or joystick.
It is great fun to play being fast, furious and colourful. It ahs good sound effects and music, is easy to pick up and compulsive to play. If you can't get to an arcade to play Crystal Castles, it's a good second.
T & H Alabaster
****
Castle of Gems
A & B Computing, January 1985The title of this game could well lead you to expect a review of a dungeons and dragons adventure, but intrepid adventurers should read no further as Castle of Gems is an arcade game, and those who spend their leisure hours in the arcades will recognise its striking similarity to a game called Crystal Castles.
Your task is to guide Bertie Bear(!) up and down the stairways and along the walkways and ramparts of a castle, collecting the scattered gems to score points. Naturally there are the usual bunch of meanies who are also scooping up the goodies and, at the same time, exhibiting a strong dislike for a certain small yellow bear. Bonus points are scored for collecting the last gem before the nasties, which I can assure you is not easy.
Guiding Bertie safely around means avoiding the witches, gem gobblers, gremlins and ghosts that inhabit the castle. Deadliest of all are the roaming trees that have an almost uncanny ability to track down Bertie at lightning speed, resulting in a trip to the woods that is certainly no picnic for this teddy. Picture if you will, a bear sprinting along the ramparts of a castle, hotly pursued by four homicidal trees!
When in trouble, you can get your furry friend to step into one of the lifts and be whisked up to another level of the castle, or don the magic hat making him invincible for a short while. Whilst invincible, Bertie can kill off some of the meanies for which bonus points are awarded.
There are eighteen screens to get through, nine on each side of the cassette and all are different configurations of a castle drawn in 3D. Some of the castles are of quite amazing complexity and this, coupled with the use of excellent sprite graphics, results in a colourful game with plenty of activity and interest.
You may start at any level or get the computer to change levels at random which is quite unusual. Other features include a high score table, keys or joystick option and the ability to switch off the sound.
I have to confess, I am totally addicted to this game since receiving it for review. It really is amusing and fun to play and at the higher levels, provides a real and lasting challenge. My only criticism concerns the use of sound. I felt that the jingles, although good, could have been better to match the quality of the rest of the game. Apart from that this must be one of the best value-for-money games around for the, BBC and deserves to do well, as I am sure it will.
P.R.Ratings Table:
SOUNDS - 65%
GRAPHICS - 80%
DOCUMENTATION - 80%
VALUE FOR MONEY - 100%
OVERALL - 85%
Castle of Gems
PC Games, January 1985* PCG HIT * PCG HIT * PCG HIT *
This is a cross between Pacman and a lithograph by that favourite artist of all mathematicians, Escher , best known to games players as the inspiration for Ant Attack.
In Castle of Gems you must move your character, Bertie Bear, around a 3D maze collecting gems, accumulating points and avoiding such varied nasties as gem gobblers, trees, ghosts, gremlins and the deadly and invincible witches.
These monsters are particularly amusing. For example, the trees move at an incredible pace and the gem gobblers, though more ponderous, wander around seemingly unconcerned about you, then suddenly they will home in and you don't have a snowball's chance in Hell of surviving.
But you can get those gobblers by passing over them as the gems go down their transparent intestinal tracts.
Timing is essential here. Other enemies can be opposed if you can find the magic hat: put it on and it renders you invincible for a time. That's when you can get your revenge on the nasty trees.
The 3D effect gives each of the mazes more than one 'level'. Bertie must therefore run up and down stairs, or stand on rising and falling platforms, to reach all the gems.
This is a strange game with a nice feel to it. The graphics are fairly good and the use of colour is quite pleasing. The trees look like trees and the gem gobblers look like nothing I've seen on this planet. The sound isn't exactly outstanding but it is satisfactory, though it's a pity it doesn't go beyond simple effects. Overall, the game is good, clean fun with some nice touches.
Rob Patrick
Panel PointsI really enjoyed this one, although it's enough to put you off trees for life.
But your own speed is pretty impressive so you always feel you have an even chance of surviving. The magic hat was a very nice touch, giving you a welcome breather when the going got tough.
Another particularly smooth feature was the lifts which transported you to different parts of the playing area.
The various monsters are well up to MRM's usual standard, as are the rest of the graphics. With 18 different and complicated screen this is a must for Beeb owners.
Peter Connor
Regular arcade game players will instantly recognise this as a version of Crystal Castle. It is almost an exact replica of the original: stunning solid 3D graphics, the cute animation, slick presentation, quick key response and the usual extra features such as freeze, quit, sound on/off and the sheer addictiveness of this game makes you want to go on playing for ever.Sound could have been a lot more imaginative but that doesn't ruin this excellent game.
Shingo Sugiura
Bertie Bear is obviously set to become the next 'cute' hero of the micro world. If this inspires sequels of a similar standard, it is definitely a good thing. It is now getting so very rare to see a genuinely addictive game with superb graphics in which you don't have to actually kill anything.This game needs real skill to play it, although you often find yourself using the 'cheat' function to get onto the next screen.
Simon Rogers
Graphics - 8
Sound - 6
Originality - 4
Lasting Interest - 8
Overall - 8
Pirate Adventure (Atom)
Popular Computer & Video Games, February 1982Pirates are common inhabitants of adventure games and as every schoolboy knows: where there are pirates, treasure is never far away.
Supplied on a C12 cassette, Pirate Island loads in two parts corresponding to the two memory blocks of the Atom and during the second load instructions are presented on the screen.
This gives you something to look at while waiting for the cassette to finish the load.
The object of this fast and exciting game, is to collect various items of treasure and transport them back to your ship while avoiding many obstacles and hazards placed in your path.
In common with other adventure games, the computer recognises commands typed in English such as "North", Up", Eat the Sandwich" and so on.
The machine replies with "I can't" or "I don't understand" if the command is not recognised or incorrectly phrased, and allows another attempt.
There is a small screen flash after each input, but it is of very short duration and after a short while becomes unnoticeable.
Altogether there are over 30 locations and more than 25 objects which will be required during your hunt for treasure. This is achieved by using only five bits per character instead of the usual eight, thus making the program appear larger than the 12K. Watch out for poisonous darts, crocodiles, gorillas and of course, pirates.
Useful things to pick up are a tinder box, pieces of eight, a knife and a green eyed golden idol.
Pirate Island is an easy and compulsive game to play, but requires skill and a certain amount of luck to get the best score which is shown at the end of the game. Yes, the best score, 16 out of 16, is possible!
The program is written in machine code and uses up the whole 12K RAM of the expanded Acorn Atom, it is available from Hopesoft of Newbury in Berks. An excellent piece of software it is well worth the £6.75 price-tag.