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Although the scenario remains the same, with Quaid the amnesiac secret agent revisiting Mars, the Amiga version is considerably different from the C64 one (76%) with two more levels. Level One is a side-on view platforms-and-ladders action game, with four objects to collect before Quaid can exit.

Level Two's cab chase has a side-on, horizontally scrolling perspective. Quaid must shoot or avoid the baddies in his attempt to escape and there's even an end-of-level tank to beat.

Level Three is similar to One, only set in a warehouse packed with security devices. Simply find the exit to escape to Level Four, which continues the format only with Martian graphics. Similarly Level Five is virtually identical to Two, except for different graphics.

The final level is another platforms-and-ladders game, but it's by far the biggest and involves finding keys to open locked-off areas. There's also a short puzzle section, the infamous lift fight (no gore though!) and a climactic confrontation with Cohaagen.

Oddly enough the C64 disk game completely outclasses the grainy, unatmospheric Amiga presentation (why no digitised pics?). However, the game itself isn't too bad.

The platform sections are tough and playable with a nice variety in structure - combat is emphasized in Three and Four, while Six requires extensive exploration. Sadly the rewritten car chases are overly difficult and poorly done - far inferior to those in C64 Batman.

Nevertheless Total Recall offers a big challenge, reasonably well done, and deserves consideration.

Standard platform action is all well and good in a C64 game but on the Amiga it needs a lot of game depth to justify its use. Total Recall fails to provide this, and three big levels of similar platform action is a bit much with so little originality and unremarkable graphics.

Further damage is done by the very basic horizontal blast-'em-up section and poor presentation. I think this Total Rehash deserves the 'Uzi 9mm!!! treatment'!

Presentation 60%
Grainy comic-strip intro and interlevel screens, but nice title page.

Graphics 58%
Disappointing exaggerated sprites, unremarkable backdrops and poor chase scenes.

Sound 86%
An excellent bass-heavy soundtrack, a few indistinct voice samples.

Hookability 72%
Level One is a very nicely balanced intro.

Lastability 68%
A genuinely massive, if unoriginal, challenge, especially with murderous chase scenes.

Overall 70%
Totally uhm, okay.