Previous Next

Here at C&VG we have to beg, borrow or steal Design Design games in order to bring you - the people DD expect to go out and buy them - reviews of their products. Why numerous phone calls requesting copies of their games have no effect is anyone's guess...

Still, we went out and purchased a couple of copies of their new games - to bring you this look at the cult software team's latest cult games. Forbidden Planet is part three of the trilogy which began with Dark Star many moons ago. It features lots of DD's gimmicks like the hidden game - Space Invaders this time, plus the game that started it all, Halls Of The Things, free on the back end of the tape. There's Spectacles 2 as well included in this bumper bundle.

Forbidden Planet itself is a pretty basic psychedelic shoot-'em-up with a nice line in weird vector graphics and off sound effects. The usual completely definable game options - you can change just about everything from the sounds to the difficulty level to the screen display - are available.

If you hold down the zero key at the end of the load, you'll get a game of Space Invaders. Try holding down the 1, 2 and 3 keys together in the middle of a game, for another free gimmick.

The best part of the game are the "lyrics" which appear on the hi-score table. Written by one K. Jordan they would grace any Marillion or Genesis tune - and they are different each time you load up the game.

If you liked Dark Star, etc - then you'll enjoy Forbidden Planet2122 AD is a completely different proposition. It's a really good 3D arcade adventure set in the year of the title when the technology has advanced to a stage where society has become completely computer-based.

London has become one vast computing complex taking over the job of running the country, providing Government, Law, Food Production and Finance Control.

However, due to the activities of some irresponsible hackers messing with the programming, the computer is quickly turning into a Dictator by oppressing the British public and handing all power over to machine servants it has designed itself.

Your job is to regain control over the computer by finding all the pieces of a Switching Code and inserting them into the computer round to a more sensible way of thinking. These Codes are stored in large Rom Cards, numbered 0 to 9, and scattered around the complex.

To help, you have a loyal Robo-hound called Poddy, whose numerous uses you will have to work out.

He is controlled by a remote control device you carry at all times.

The control will also perform other useful functions. The display from the remote control device is shown at the bottom of your screen. The left section is a message window, and the right displays various icons.

These are selected by pressing Fire and then placing the cursor over the icon you require and pressing Fire again.

All the icons are explained in the Help Menu, which is displayed by selecting the Question Mark icon. Moving around the complex will delete both your food reserves and Poddy's energy.

There are things in the computer complex that will be useful and some that will be essential, but you will find that most things mechanical are loyal to the computer and will do their best to stop you.

The graphics are all one-colour, prime colour changes from room to room. The sound is pretty basic but animation is good.

2112 AD has real atmosphere and is pretty addictive. The interaction between the main character and Poddy, a K-9 clone, adds an original aspect to the game. It's very playable too.