Your Sinclair


Impossamole

Author: Rich Pelley
Publisher: GBH
Machine: Spectrum 48K/128K/+2

 
Published in Your Sinclair #68

Impossamole

My sources reveal that Impossamole is in fact the fifth and last in a long line of Monty Mole games, I can't actually recall what they were all called off-hand, so I'll subtly and cunningly drop them in mid-review when I remember.

But Impossamole. Is it the best of the lot or what? Well, in a word beginning with 'n' and ending with 'o', no. In true tradition it's still largely a platforms-and- ladders game (scrolling every now and then) with the customary baddy to stun, object to collect and puzzle to solve along the way. Although it was an improvement on the original two in the series where each screen played more as an individual puzzle (er, Wanted Monty Mole and Monty On The Run), it seemed to be taking rather a step back from Auf Wiedersehen Monty (the third) which quite brilliantly interlinked the puzzle element into a huge playing area. (Monty appeared for the fourth time sellotaped to the cover of YS in the exclusive Moley Christmas, of course.) Specific complaints included such remarks as "not enough platforms, ladders, or puzzles," "predictable movement patterns', "dodgy collision detection", "rather unsatisfactory graphics" and "a bit of a 'plodder" (a word which I've just made up to describe games which plod' along a bit too slowly for comfort).

However, these complaints are, and were, the sort of things that should have been said when reviewing the game as a full-pricer, and as a re-release barg I'm sure we can be a little more lenient. The five large levels (which can be played in your favourite order) certainly mean you're getting value for your moolah. And, well, it's good clean fun. Certainly worth a look if you thought "Hmm. Well, shall I buy it or not?" beforehand, and then didn't.

Rich Pelley

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