81 lines
4.4 KiB
Plaintext
81 lines
4.4 KiB
Plaintext
|
|
|||
|
|
MENACE
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
There are two things of which I am certain upon opening a new game from
|
|||
|
|
Psygnosis: First, the graphics and animation will be superb. Second, when I play
|
|||
|
|
the game, I'm going to lose. MENACE falls right in line with my expectations.
|
|||
|
|
(This review is based on the Amiga version; Commodore 64/128 version notes
|
|||
|
|
follow.)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
MENACE is a sideward-scrolling, arcade shoot-'em-up that deserves a place on
|
|||
|
|
any creature-killer's shelf. The graphics are the closest to coin-op caliber
|
|||
|
|
I've ever seen: They have that quality of appearing to float several inches in
|
|||
|
|
front of the monitor.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
While you're guiding a small-armed craft down the center, over sixty different
|
|||
|
|
kinds of aliens either come at you from the opposite side, or ghoulishly detach
|
|||
|
|
themselves from the scenery lining your path. The aliens attack in small groups.
|
|||
|
|
When an entire group is destroyed, a 1000-point icon appears. This icon can be
|
|||
|
|
picked up to earn the points, but I wouldn't recommend it. Instead, you should
|
|||
|
|
blast it at least five times. The icon then becomes a close-range, rapid-fire
|
|||
|
|
cannon that attaches to your ship. Or, blast another five times, and you have a
|
|||
|
|
long-range laser. The icon will continue these mutations and make available a
|
|||
|
|
super-fast engine, a pair of outboard combat droids, an energy force field, and
|
|||
|
|
extra power to prolong the life of your ship.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Combat in MENACE takes place in six very different zones. At the end of each
|
|||
|
|
zone is a guardian. These guardians are as nasty as they are spectacular. It is
|
|||
|
|
necessary to defeat each one in order to move to the next zone. If your ship is
|
|||
|
|
destroyed, you are given the option of starting the next game within the same
|
|||
|
|
zone. It is helpful not to have to go back through the earlier levels, although
|
|||
|
|
you will be without any of the weapons you may have picked up along the way.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
I must apologize for having typed this review with my feet. This is because my
|
|||
|
|
fingers and hands have become numb and useless. By the time I was able to put
|
|||
|
|
MENACE down, I could only fire my weapon by repeatedly banging my head against
|
|||
|
|
the joystick button. In brief, I don't think I've ever come across a more
|
|||
|
|
demanding action game. This is particularly true near the beginning of the game,
|
|||
|
|
when you're restricted to the use of a single-fire weapon. I would have advised
|
|||
|
|
the game's designers that an option for starting out with better weaponry would
|
|||
|
|
have diminished the game's addictiveness not one bit. It might also have given
|
|||
|
|
me a chance to win.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The MENACE disk is copy-protected, and must remain in the drive during play. If
|
|||
|
|
write-enabled, it can save high scores. The documentation notes that some of the
|
|||
|
|
program's graphics are only available on the Amiga; other versions wil be
|
|||
|
|
slightly less spectacular. The Amiga version requires 512K of memory and a color
|
|||
|
|
monitor.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
MENACE is challenging, entertaining, and addicting. Extra appendages are, of
|
|||
|
|
course, recommended for successful play.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
COMMODORE 64/128 VERSION NOTES
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The C64/128 version of MENACE is every bit as entertaining and addictive as its
|
|||
|
|
Amiga counterpart.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
There are two points worth noting about MENACE: the "Virus Warning," and the
|
|||
|
|
programming. Apparently, paranoia about viruses has reached epic proportions in
|
|||
|
|
England. The MENACE instruction manual suggests that users turn their computers
|
|||
|
|
off and leave them off for 30 seconds before booting, because a virus residing
|
|||
|
|
in the machine will destroy the program. It's safe to assume Psygnosis is
|
|||
|
|
serious, especially since it guarantees the MENACE disk to be free of viruses.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
MENACE illustrates the quality of game that can be created by programmers who
|
|||
|
|
are not seduced by the siren song of coding tricks. The Amiga version looks like
|
|||
|
|
a coin-op game; the C64 version, if nothing else, fits well within its hardware.
|
|||
|
|
We have David Jones and Tony Smith to thank for this.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The instruction manual was written with the Amiga and Atari ST versions in
|
|||
|
|
mind; there is no C64 reference card. The only differences are the C64's use of
|
|||
|
|
a function key to pause the game, and the inability to restart on the current
|
|||
|
|
level after your ship's been destroyed.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The less than perfect arcade quality of the C64's graphics and sound won't
|
|||
|
|
hamper your enjoyment. MENACE plays well on the Commodore, and it's interestin
|
|||
|
|
and frustrating enough to be addictive.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
MENACE is published and distributed by Psygnosis, Ltd.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
*****DOWNLOADED FROM P-80 SYSTEMS (304) 744-2253
|
|||
|
|
|