C&VG


N.O.M.A.D.
By Ocean
Spectrum 48K

 
Published in Computer & Video Games #53

N.O.M.A.D.

This release scraped out just before Christmas and after our deadlines - but hopefully it won't get swamped in the mass of pre and post Xmas games releases.

N.O.M.A.D. is a strategic shoot-out that shouldn't be missed! The story - and what game would be the same without one - behind the mayhem goes like this.

TALOS, a man-made asteroid, spinds through space on a deadly mission. Party of an intergalactic criminal network, headed by the evil Cyrus T. Gross, a predator of the Free World.

N.O.M.A.D.

In a final attempt to destroy Gross, the rules of the Free Worlds have called in the NEMESIS organisation - humanoid and robotic freebooters. They have assigned NOMAD 471 (Nemesis Organisation Mobile Attack Droid) to penetrate Gross' world which is protected by his army of Robothugs, and destroy his barbaric lifestyle forever.

The player's role is to guide N.O.M.A.D. through the four sections of Capital City towards Gross's inner sanctum, and the final showdown. Battling against banks of magnetrons, missiles - which appear from hidden silos - and heat guns all the way!

N.O.M.A.D. is a tough little chap and armed with a couple of tasty blasters. He moves through the corridors of the city knocking out the guns and avoiding evil Robothugs and other nasties.

N.O.M.A.D.

You get a plan view of the area of the city you inhabit, which is more likely than not packed with guns or magnetic walls which slow down your metallic mate.

You'll come across various sneaky switches set in the corridor walls. N.O.M.A.D. can open and close these by running across them. Some may be useful in opening gateways to other areas of the city. Others may not be so helpful!

N.O.M.A.D. suffers from inertia - which means you have to watch how you move. He won't stop instantly but carries on until he's worked off a bit of speed. It isn't a good idea to go charging into an unknown screen - so you'll have to learn how to control old N.O.M.A.D. to best advantage before really getting into the game.

N.O.M.A.D.

Knock out all hazards as you go. It's worth going back to clear screens of guns and nasties because if you lose a life, you get transported back to the start point of the zone you've reached. The guns and other horrors don't reappear however, so you'll have a clear run back to the point where you were wiped out - with a better idea of what's waiting for you.

Wall-mounted guns look deadly - by using N.O.M.A.D.'s eight point turning circle you can sneak up on them and blast them with a diagonal shot.

You get points for blasting things - which register on a neat "mileometer" score readout on the right hand side of the screen.

Graphics are attractive, the sound is good and gameplay totally addictive. Rush out and find N.O.M.A.D. - before it finds you!