ZX Computing


Moron
By Atlantis
Spectrum 48K/128K

 
Published in ZX Computing #31

Moron

Following the Marie Celeste earlier in the year, another science-fiction game from Atlantis, which also includes elements of time travel - killing two adventure cliches with one stone? Particularly stupid aliens called - you've guessed it - morons, stumble across the Pillars Of Time and promptly lose them in their spaceship. Said vessel is now on collission course with earth so you have a limited time to fulfil your task, which, naturally, is to collect the pillars and save the world.

Quilled and Patched, Moron offers split screen graphics at nearly all the numerous locations. Quite a feat given the memory limitations. These are attractive enough but look incredible similar, even though there are subtle differences. Then again, I suppose a large spaceship would appear somewhat monotonous.

To fill them all in, the text had to be sacrificed, or perhaps massacred would be more appropriate. There is no description at all, just a location title like "The Teleport Room". There are so many objects lying around, which compensates a little, but purists should avoid. Vocabulary is strict but not awful.

I've said before that science-fiction games tend to bore me, and Moron has nothing new to offer. However, some of the problems here might while away the odd hour, though what I've seen strikes me as too easy for expert adventurers.

Moron is not a bad effort but strikes me as amazingly average, nothing new or notable. If there's nothing better around then this is no rip-off, but neither is it a must buy.