A&B Computing


Plutonium Plunder

Author: David Andrews
Publisher: Micro Power
Machine: BBC Model B

 
Published in A&B Computing 2.03

Scenarios for games can sometimes be a little bit over the top but, "Clear a path through the vault and shove the radioactive cannisters behind the safety barrier before all hell breaks loose and the Megapods and oscillating Nuclids appear"?

This is, in fact, a block-pushing game where three blocks - the radioactive cannisters - have to be pushed through a hole in a frame - the safety barrier. Trying to prevent you from doing this are other passive blocks which have to be pushed out of the way, and four pursuing creatures whose touch is lethal. These can be killed by pushing either type of block into them.

When the four pursuers have been disposed of, there is a time limit to get rid of the radioactive cannisters before the game area starts filling up with passive blocks. Once you are blocked in the screen clears leaving you and any radioactive cannisters not yet rendered harmless. Your aim is still to push the cannisters through the hole in the frame, but now you are pursued by the Megapods who come after you, and the Nuclids who spend their time going from side to side. You can shoot at your attacker but only by running at them, in order to get your gun pointing in the right direction.

Plutonium Plunder

I haven't yet managed to remove the three cannisters on the first screen, so have yet to discover what follows. The problem is that the game is rather difficult. Random placing of the cannisters and blocks means that sometimes they are almost impossible to collect until the screen clears and phase two starts. Then the pursuers move so quickly that survival is difficult, let alone moving the cannisters around. Perhaps I'm just not cut out for a job with the Atomic Energy Authority.

As a game, despite the scenario, it is good. The graphics are excellent with smooth movement, and are well supported by a range of sound effects. Keys are user-definable, or joysticks may be used. Colour is well used and particularly effective when you run into the electrified wall/frame.

This wall must be made of a rather unique material because as well as conducting electricity it also appears to be elastic. Any block pushed into it rebounds with usually fatal results.

David Andrews

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