Sinclair User


Skyranger

Author: Clare Edgeley
Publisher: Microsphere
Machine: Spectrum 48K

 
Published in Sinclair User #38

Sky Ranger

Microsphere's Sky Ranger is one of those games which looks great until you start to play it.

The idea is to fly your copter above the city to rid the skies of hostile Watchers - Drags, Trums, Rics and Dores. 10 points for guessing which micros they are named after.

The screen is impressive. As well as the view from your cockpit depicting the city's skyscrapers there is an array of instrument panels including altitude, radar and fuel.

Sky Ranger

When fuel runs out you can land at fuelling stations if you can find them. An indicator on the control panel tells you when one is in close proximity and it is up to you to penetrate the jungle of buildings and find it.

The screen is yellow with black wire frame graphics and when night falls those colours are reversed. Occasionally a sea mist creeps in, totally obscuring all graphics.

Trums, Rics and the rest of the crew are black blobs and unrecognisable. The radar will flash red when one is within target range.

If you crash or touch a building the cockpit window will crack. At the end it looks as though someone has been at the screen with a sledgehammer - which would not be at all surprising if playability is taken into account.

The music consists of annoying and inappropriate jingles, totally unsuited to this type of game.

Clare Edgeley

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