Zzap


Radius

Publisher: Players
Machine: Commodore 64

 
Published in Zzap #33

Radius

In this mediocre Delta clone, you are a starpilot who has volunteered to regain control of the "Radius", a hyperspace transport route recently captured by alien forces.

The action is over a horizontally scrolling starfield. Alien attack waves appear from the right-hand side of the screen (occasionally from the left) and are blasted or avoided as the situation dictates.

A mothership appears periodically and destroying it accesses a bonus level. Here, three moving bars are shot and destroyed to reveal a target beyond, in true "Phoenix"-style. Blocks are dropped continuously, and once the baseline is completely covered, the space section is entered once more.

The ship is very slow-moving, and the speed at which the alien waves appear make Radius a difficult and annoying game to play. The bonus section is not thrilling, and generally the action is unoriginal and ultimately tedious. Not one to lose much sleep over.