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The game of the scrolling technque does indeed feature some amazing parallax scrolling, but offers a lot more than superb graphics. Sensible Software's first big hit is set on an alien planet where five scientists have been stranded, each in a separate zone. You must rescue them.

You begin the game in your IBIS spaceship, a hight manoeuvrable ship with lasers, shields, and landing gear. You need the latter to land on the massive structures suspended over the planet's bizarre surface. Besides being festooned with obstacles, these structures contain vital buildings.

Once you've landed, you can exit the ship, walk around and enter the buildings. Inside are security drones, and computers which you need Kards to access. Kards are carried by scientists who are too busy with their work to help you. Being shot with a stun ray soon changes their mind, after which they give you their card and follow you. Kards allow you to get cash from the scientist's bank account, buy Bonanza packs with the bullets and oxygen required when leaving IBIS, and obtain letters for the password needed to enter the next zone.

Parallax is, in short, a superbly presented, extremely playable shoot-'em-up which requires a fair amount of tactics and exploration. In Zzap! 18 it won a Sizzler with 93% overall. Julian Rignall commented, "Graphically excellent and it plays better than in looks... enjoyable and challenging to play". Four years later, Parallax still looks great and the psychedelic intro is brilliant. Sonix are good throughout, with superb jingles and FX. The ability to continue from the zone you died in reduces frustration, while the game format remains novel and fun. What's more you can get it at half price front mail order, since it was a cover-tape on issue 45! Only 200 or so copies left though!