Challenge for Starship Captains

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This adventure is set on an alien planet where your spaceship has crash-landed. The aim is to collect various pieces of equipment necessary to repair the ship, thereby escaping from the planet before your craft collapses in face of un specified hazards.

The alien territory consists of deserts, swamps, volcanoes, forests, cities and glaciers, and the gaming landscape is diverse and imaginative. However the close proximity of two opposite climates stretch credibility.

The game starts on the bridge of your fast disintegrating star-voyager. You are faced with some explosives and a jammed door.

After you have navigated around this obstacle, you meet such things as a poor, defenceless(!) cute little blob of roving jelly, a rather obliging sandworm and a 500 toothed, three headed monster, with a taste for starship captains!

The many strange puzzles that cross your path will keep you occupied for many frustrating days.

The vocabulary is extensive and includes words that are not of direct use in the adventure, such as swim, sit and eat. This quirk is used to provide a touch of "alien" humour when the desperate adventurer tries anything to survive.

Thus, when attempting to wave an object, I was told: "This isn't a fantasy game, you know. Doing that won't help!"

Abbreviation of direction commands can be used, like NE, S, W, etc. This cuts the tedium of typing in "Go northwest" perpetually in maze situations.

There is also a save game facility which is a great boon, especially when you are progressing well and a voice screams: "It's time for your dinner!"

Countdown To Doom is a real challenge for any adventurer, beginner or expert, and will provide months of entertainment before you can successfully lift-off in your ship. The story line makes an enjoyable change from the standard adventure format.

At £9.95 it provides the usual Acornsoft value for money and, though not as technically proficient, it is almost on a par with Dungeon Adventure.

Chris Roberts

Chris Roberts