Previous Next

If you want to see some smutty cassette artwork then your chance is here again. It's not quite as revealing as past examples - and it's still got nothing to do with the game. Sfax is a mutant sorcerer who has cast an evil spell over your companion Gwendoline. You have only one chance of removing the spell, and that is to find Sfax and destroy him.

Before play begins an excellent tune is played; unfortunately you can't exit this and have to wait for it to finish in its own time. The screen shows a 3D filled graphics representation of the planet and a rear view of your spacecraft. There are three main sorts of hazard to avoid in your quest: spacecraft, mines and meteor storms. Sfax's spacecraft come in a variety of formations as they swoop towards you firing bolts of energy. Mines appear on the landscape too and if you hit them or fly too low over them, you will get caught in the blast. Meteors move diagonally across the screen towards your ship, destroying it if they hit.

There are gateways that look like goal-posts that you can fly under to score bonus points. Everything that can kill you, can be shot for points.

Eventually you will reach a gate guarded by a string of mines. Once you go through the gate a representation of Sfax's face appears and must be destroyed before you can continue.

The in-game effects are adequate. There's not much colour in the graphics, which is a pity, but they make up for it in speed. Some short-cuts have been taken to give the speed, but the effect is great.

Control is very sensitive and it takes some practice before you're flying round with any skill. Once mastered, you'll realise that the sensitivity is necessary. Not much thought needed in this, but if you want a nice fast shoot-'em-up then you can do much worse than this.

100,000 points.

No problems zapping in green.

Graphics 71%
P. Nice crash routine for your ship.
N. Not much colour used

Sonics 67%
P. Great title tune.

Grab Factor 70%
P. Easy to get into the zapping of it.
N. Not much originality.

Staying Power 58%
P. The different levels present quite a challenge.
N. Not much thought needed, and it does get repetitive.

Overall 66%
P. A fun shoot-em-up that will keep you killing those aliens.