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Metabolis features a rather fierce and brave bird, both on the loading screen and on the inlay. The character within the game is a creature of different stuff, it's something more akin to a little Finch, all sweet and cuddly.

The story has it that the invading Kremins have transformed the human race into a variety of little creatures. You have been turned into a man brained bird (from a bird brained man?) by these evil aliens. It is your duty to destroy these evil beings. First of all you must recover a serum that will restore you to your natural self, find the wizard who will cure your heart, weakened by the transformation, and then destroy the Kremins. The destruction of these despicable beings can only be brought on by a nuclear explosion so find nuclear fuel pods, take them to the reactor room and run/fly like hell.

The game area consists of a highly complex maze, about 150 screens large. As you fly around the maze you meet a variety of different creatures most of whom are pretty harmless. Some, like the starfish will kill on contact. If you have an encounter with a Kremin your energy will be sapped so it's best to stay out of reach: that calls for some agility. Beware of the many traps, like the one ton weight which will flatten, but not kill you. Your heart is a constant source of trouble and you will die unless you can keep yourself topped up with the angina pills. As your energy is sapped by the evil invaders a picture of a little bird gradually turns into a skeleton as you weaken. To reverse the trend you must find food and grow fat again. A little red heart will begin to flash when the strain is becoming too much hurry and find some more pills before it's too late. Don't despair it's not all bad news, you do have a weapon a boomerang if you can find it.

Control keys: Q/W left/right, 0 for up and K to fire
Joystick: Kempston or Sinclair
Keyboard play: good
Use of colour: wide and varied, carefully used
Graphics: not state of the art, but very attractive
Sound: poor
Skill levels: one
Lives: one, but can be extended
Screens: 150

'This is a very original game. I found it very entertaining and addictive. The movement of the character takes a little getting used to. Unfortunately the sound is not very good - it could have been a lot better. The graphics are well up to the Gremlin standard, as smooth as ever. Maze and mapping freaks shouldn't pass this over'

'The animation of the main character is fantastic: when he flies it's just great. Somewhere in the maze you will come across a one ton weight. If the birdbloke gets hit by it he gets flattened and has to walk around with a very odd shaped body, until he later fills out, but he still manages a grin meantime. There is a wealth of original design in this game, and some of the areas are very attractive indeed. A highly addictive game that promises to be a lot of fun.'

'I have been a little slow to appreciate this game. At first sight it looked very ordinary. It wasn't long before I realised what a lovely game this is. The bird is superb, the rooms within the maze are fantastic, one genuinely can't wait to see what's round the next corner. Metabolis should provide hours of fun for the cartographers. This isn't going to be an easy game to solve, mostly because it's all too easy to make a mistake but, having said that, it is pure fun with only a touch of frustration. My only disappointment was with the sound. Search this one out.'