Computer Gamer


Bactron
By Loriciels
Amstrad CPC464

 
Published in Computer Gamer #24

Bactron

From the country that brought you Grafton And Xunk (France) comes yet another 3D isometic maze for the Amstrad.

Loriciels seem to think that there is an inexhaustable market for mediocre maze games, perhaps there is, there must be in France or half the French software industry world have gone bust by now because that's all they ever seem to produce. This game is one of two that Loriciels are releasing through Activision and is by far the lesser of the pair.

The plot of the game is that you play an antibiotic creature in your own body. However, you are dying and must move the creature around activating various enzymes in order to cure yourself. Of course, the disease fights back and your creature or the patient can die.

Bactron

The format of the game is identical to all other 3D isometric games ever written for the Amstrad after Grafton And Xunk (by Ere Informatique) came out. The usual diamond floor covered with multi-coloured objects fills the screen with status information filling in the gaps around the edges of the diamond.

The graphics are adequate and the problems (such as they are) are to the standard whch is to be expected. The animated character of the creature (or Bactron as it is called) is very well done though, and wanders around the screen in a most realistic manner, though it is a bit disconcerting that you have to actually turn it around rather than just pulling the joystick back. This will just make him walk backwards.

I managed to stay awake to play the game through various stages until I was finally overcome by abject boredom. I can only recommend Bactron to the dedicated fan of this form of game. And my conclusions for Bactron are the same as for Palitron except that this game doesn't even have the spark of originality that makes Palitron slightly different.