Previous Next

Quite a departure for programmer Stavros Fasoulas and Thalamus. Not an alien to be zapped, nor any sign of a super-slick space craft. What's going on here? Certainly not Sanxion or Delta.

Instead of mindless, but horribly enjoyable, blasting this newie from the fantastic Finn will boggle your brain. It's an addictive arcade puzzler which will keep you glued to your screen.

The game does require a considerable amount of dexterity - both mental and with your jolly joystick. It calls on you to manoeuvre a small ball around ten different game areas solving various puzzles as you go.

Each area has a starting point and a goal - but there the similarity ends. Each has different problems and puzzles to be solved, and require different game skills.

All these are tested in the first level of the game which is in reality a training zone for would-be Quedex recruits.

The aim of the game is to complete all ten levels within a given time limit, but you can play each individual level in any order and at any time.

Your biggest enemy in each different plane is time. Every plane has a time allowance, and any unused time gets carried over to the next plane.

After a while you will notice that the difficulty levels, time and style of gameplay all combine to give the whole game more than just a hint of strategy.

Level one consists of five sub-levels, each of them concentrating on different skills required by you in order to complete Quedex.

If you leave the level before completing it then when returning at a later stage in the game it will result in you continuing at the beginning of the current sub-level not at the beginning of the whole level.

Sub-level 1: Follow the lane one square at a time, otherwise you will be placed back on the start square. Fall off the end into the darkness to complete this sub-plane level.

Sub-level 2: Follow the direction of the arrows and pick up the flashing white squares, then enter the hole of darkness.

Sub-level 3: Avoid the electric sea and try to find flashing squares that are scattered around, again enter the hole of darkness to complete.

Sub-level 4: Be quick and pick up squares, enter hole of darkness to complete.

Sub-level 5: Slalom around the pillars in the direction of the arrows in order to pick up the flashing squares that will activate the goal.

Level two - and you encounter the keys. Pick up the keys which will open the doors. Use the teleports but avoid the skulls to find the goal. Watch out for the invisible keys which only become visible when you move close to them.

Level three: You need to find four hidden amulets in this plane before the goal will even appear. Use the teleports but avoid the skulls to find the goal. Watch out for the invisible keys which only become visible when you move close to them.

Level four: You can only move left and right. Race down the race track as fast as possible. Avoid blocks, use lifts up and down to your advantage as you only have a limited number of jumps available.

Level five: Yellow squares will turn into patterned floor tiles and patterned floor tiles will turn into plain yellow squares when touched. Try to fill in the whole area with patterned floor tiles.

Level six: Extra features which are visible add extra jumps, other invisible features affect you or the play area either positively or negatively. Progress through the level by determining these effects and using them to your advantage and to help you find the goal.

Level seven: Once entered, you have to complete this plane before entering other planes.

Level eight: Pick up four keys in order to open one of the two doors which lead you to the goal.

Level nine: Pick up extra speed so that you can destroy all the cubes, extra speed will not last forever.

Level ten: Jump from platform to platform. There are three different heights which can be recognised from the different shades of grey. You can only jump one unit of height either up or down without a penalty. Try and get to the 'Goal' as quickly as possible.

Quedex is pretty damn good - puzzling, frustrating and addictive all at once. Don't miss it.