Them

Author: SC
Publisher: Virgin Games
Machine: Oric 48K

 
Published in Personal Computer Games #6

Them

Them is a five-screen game. The first screen is a robot-maze derivative, in which you collect items and then exit via a doorway to the next stage. Life is made more difficult by various species of nasty, and you must also avoid bumping into the walls. Unfortunately, it's also made more frustrating by the poor choice of movement keys ('IJKM' to move and left-hand 'Shift' for shields).

In the third stage you play ring-a-ring-of-roses with a few aliens who take it in turns to try and shoot you. The fourth screen has you on a conveyor belt heading towards a meat mincer, with aliens above and below you. In both screens, you must shoot the opposition to survive.

Virgin attempt to strike fear into the heart of the intrepid gamester by warning him that 'THEY attack in five different screens'. However THEY only attack in threes.

The second and final screens are like simple visual puzzles. The first requires quick reactions to join up some fast-moving colour blocks. In the second, you match up bones against a time limit.

Them gets very tricky towards the end, but despite some original touches it is spoilt by poor movement keys and fails to deliver the promised paranoia.

SC

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