Electron User
1st April 1987
Published in Electron User 4.07
Condition Red refers to the danger point in an atomic reactor, and this offering from Blue Ribbon has you set in a malfunctioning plutonium plant where you are required to collect 50 plutonium crystals before a meltdown occurs.
This is a ladders and platforms game, and the plutonium crystals are spread over 10 screens, any of which may be accessed by means of a password. A full list has been provided to enable you to enter any particular screen while in practice mode.
Controls are fairly standard, with Z and X providing the left and right movements and RETURN for jump. It is possible to pause the action and switch off the sound effects. Plus 3 owners should ensure that the ADFS is disabled before loading from tape.
The various hazards range from collapsing floors to electrified ones - and the conveyor belts and escalators can carry you straight into trouble.
You must learn to cope with a fancy line in mutating monsters, and to make matters worse you are only equipped with a limited air supply, though this will be topped up after you complete each screen. You start the game with three lives, but an extra one is given after every second screen.
Mode 2 is used for the graphics, and they are therefore extremely colourful. All the characters are remarkably well drawn, in fact one mutant, which resembles a little pink devil with white horns, is so appealing it is almost a pleasure to fall foul of it. Unfortunately, the sound effects let the game down a little.
Movement is very smooth in spite of the fact that a lot is happening at once on each screen, and key presses in particular are very responsive. It is easy to forget when playing this game that it is in a budget price range, as the appearance is so good.
It is only let down by a lack of variety of mutants, as they are basically only three types - a devil, a robot and a bug eyed monster, all of which make quite predictable horizontal or vertical movements.
It would have been nice to have had a screen designer but for £1.99, you can't complain.
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