Sinclair User


Sleepwalker

Categories: Review: Software
Author: Paul Anglin
Publisher: Zeppelin Games
Machine: Spectrum 48K

 
Published in Sinclair User #127

Sleepwalker

Old age people can be a bit of a pain can't they? I mean they're always jumping to the front of the bus queue with their special bus pass, leaving their teeth in your favourite mug and nattering on about the old days.

These examples may be bad enough but here's a new one for your delectation - sleepwalking! Yes, Uncle Silas has had a problem with somnambulism for some time now but recently things have got considerably worse. He's now often found wandering the streets of slumberville fast asleep!

As if this isn't bad enough - he also owns a rather large house (wish I did) which is pricey to keep running in his current doddery state of being, what with all the damage he causes.

Sleep Walker

Poor Silas is getting a bit careless and the house has become an absolute deathtrap.

Under the circumstances it would be a good idea for unc to move out and let some poor unsuspecting mug buy it. But no, he's determined to stay put (typical).

To solve this problem, his kind and caring family have done the next best thing. They've sent along his young nephew Rory (sounds Scottish to me) to keep a watchful eye over the elderly miscreant. Now, whenever the old codger goes off for a wander Rory must guide him back to his bedroom quietly, without waking him up or smashing anything along the way. Which is not the easiest of things to do.

This has somewhat of an RPG feel to it although I wouldn't strictly say it was one (geriatric slumber simulator doesn't really sound right). The graphics are okay - clear and simple seems to have been the watchword and for a change the sound is good with plenty of effects including chandeliers dropping and the like.

The only really bad thing about Sleepwalker is that it's all a bit hit and miss. It can take you quite a while to find the doddering old fool and by the time you do he's nearly popped his clogs. Sometimes you'll be in the room next to him and he'll be mysteriously teleported away somewhere else which, as you can imagine is a touch frustrating.

It would be unfair though to say that this ruins the game, it's still good stuff. It's not going to impress the hell out of anyone but it'll be appreciated for what it is - a decent game marred by a few playability errors, still worth a look.

Label: Zeppelin Memory: 48K/128K Price: £3.99 Tape Reviewer: Paul Anglin

Overall Summary

At first this looked really bad but prolonged play reveals a pretty good game. However don't go thinking that even more play will reveal a brilliant game because it just doesn't work that way I'm afraid.

Paul Anglin

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