Previous Next

How many of you have ever dreamt of becoming an astronaut and experiencing the unique sensations of contemporary space travel? This new release from Accolade puts the player at the controls of an Apollo moonshot without the need for years of rigorous training.

The mission is split into seven sub-missions, which take the spacecraft and its crew from Mission Control to the lunar surface and back.

The action starts at Mission Control, with the rocket shown on the main viewing screen above the player's control panel. The rocket systems are set on an initial telemetry screen, and when the status of each is green, all systems are go!

After a fifteen-second countdown, the launch procedure begins. Timing is crucial, and an error display comprising a moving red bar is shown. At specific points in the launch, the bar sweeps across the display and the Fire button is pressed the instant the bar reaches the centre point. Points are awarded for accuracy of timing, while errors lose points and also increase the probability of an aborted mission. During the latter part of the launch, the player also controls the rocket's gyros, which are in constant motion and are held stable to prevent deviation from the planned trajectory.

If orbit is achieved, the next part of the mission begins. The objective is to undock and re-dock the Command Module with the Lunar Module. The joystick is used to keep the approaching craft in the centre of a set of cross-hairs, and the Fire button controls speed. The approach must be accurate and within a minimum velocity to be successful.

As the Command Module and the Lunar Module cross the void between the Earth and the Moon, correction manoeuvres are carried out. After a five-second countdown the player holds down the Fire button to activate the rockets. A careful eye is kept on the burn panel so that the rockets don't fire for too long, in which case the manoeuvre is repeated at the expense of the score-sheet.

Landing the Lunar Module on the Moon is next on the flight-schedule. The joystick is used to keep the craft within a flight corridor, and Fire ignites the engines to slow the descent.

I'm a great lover of space/flight simulators and was attracted to Apollo 18 as soon as it came into the office. From the start, a superb atmosphere is generated by the digitised graphics and speech, not to mention the realistic visuals on the Mission Control screen.

Unfortunately, the player has to pay such strict attention to the knobs and gauges he's struggling to control that some of the best sights go unseen. I have my doubts about the game's lastabiilty.

Completing all seven stages is quite a difficult task, but once the player has seen the whole game there's only the promise of the occasional 'unexpected problem' to keep him coming back for more.

I enjoyed the several plays I had, but I don't think the game will appeal to persons lacking my mild interest in aeronautics.

Accolade have certainly managed to capture the atmosphere of a space flight, with some excellent graphics and plenty of realistic speech being used to enhance the feeling of 'being there'. Some of the effects are quite outstanding, especially the take-off sequence - but you have very little time to see them because you're so busy watching the control panel on the lower half of the screen!

Completing the seven sub-missions requires quite a lot of perseverance, and flying a fully successful program should take some doing! My only reservation is that, because the sub-missions always appear in the same order, the gameplay might become ultimately repetitive. Still, Apollo 18 offers plenty of solid entertainment, and should greatly appeal to those who have a keen interest in space exploration.

Presentation 88%
Extensive instructions, high score table, restart and pause facilities.

Graphics 89%
Excellent all round, with the odd digitised pic for good measure.

Sound 90%
Few sound effects, but plenty of incredibly realistic speech.

Hookability 83%
The lengthy initial stage is at first obtrusive in its constant recurrence, but the lure of the sub-missions keep you playing.

Lastability 64%
Completing all seven sub-missions is tricky, but the challenge wanes after a fully successful mission.

Overall 81%
An entertaining and detailed simulation which should appeal to space fans.