Personal Computer Games
1st November 1984
Author: Richard Boniface
Publisher: Channel 8
Machine: Spectrum 48K
Published in Personal Computer Games #12
Borzak
Are you a frustrated freak? Do you enjoy that tensed-up feeling? If so, Borzak is the game for you. It's not that each stage is so hard (they're really quite simple) it's just that they go on for so long that sooner or later you make a mistake, either through lack of concentration or, more likely, through boredom. Thus you can play for ages without getting anywhere at all.
As Borzak, the amazing bug-eyed beastie from Betelgeuse, your aim in the game is to travel through the six screens to reach your intergalactic craft. The reason why you have fallen to Earth is that while travelling in space you made a small mistake and got sucked into the Earth's atmosphere.
With dismay, you realise that you are 85 Zorgs (85 whats?) away from your spacecraft and this is where the game starts. You control Borzak and you have to get back to your ship. On the first screen, there are holes which eat you up if you jump into them... so don't!
To complicate the matter further there are flying objects (I think they're birds!) which I have an uncanny knack of cracking my head open on.
Next the second screen and now you are being attacked by mutant frogs which are beautifully drawn. The third, fourth and fifth screens have obstacles such as pools of water and brick walls (risky), dragonflies and snakes (Or are they worms?).
The sixth and final screen is the real killer. At first it seems similar to the first screen with holes and birds, but a huge steel claw emerges to drag you down.
The game has some nice options - for example, you may play on any level. Colour is well used and graphics are jerky but well designed. Overall, not very exciting.
Rob Patrick
To be honest, I'm not sure how to approach this game. It's sort of midway between Moon Buggy and Scramble - but without the guns.
Graphics are reasonably good but they suffer from some flicker and the quality of the drawings could have been improved. Sound is used sparingly but it's good when it does crop up. Whether I'd pay the best part of seven quid for it is debatable.
Peter Walker
Due to the size of the characters, the graphics look impressive initially, but are unconvincingly animated.
As for gameplay, all I can say is if you want to get someone really annoyed, buy them Borzak.
Martyn Smith
There is certainly nothing to set your pulse racing here.
The first screen is similar in concept to the classic Moonbuggy game of the arcade and was the only screen that kept me interested for a while.
The only possible motive that anyone could have for finishing this highly tedious game is the fact that, at the end, Borzak goes back to his own planet...