Previous Next

I got off to a good start with Trap. I loaded it up, left a bit in the dark by the uninformative cassette inlay, and found myself unable to get the game started after selecting joystick control. The instructions weren't any help, so I ended up thumping away at the keyboard trying to find the right key. Once I got going, I found that the game doesn't seem to respond to the 128/+2's own Sinclair interface so I had to unplug and start loading again, this time with a Kempston interface (again, there's no hint of this in the instructions).

I eventually got the whole thing loaded and working, and came face to face with a fairly passable shoot-'em-up. Trap is very much in the mould of most space zap games since the release of Lightforce. You start off with a short space flight in which you have to dodge or destroy waves of space mines. Then, as you reach your destination, you fly over a valley in which you have to destroy lasers on the ground and boats in the river below, as well as combating alien forces in the air. The third part of the game has you on foot, attempting to collect orbs (which represent currency/points of some sort).

Once you have completed these tasks you go through them again, though this time at a higher difficulty level and with the option of selecting larger, more powerful ships of your own depending on your score in earlier games.

It's all quite professionally done, but a bit lacking in originality. I know that you're meant to judge each game on its own merits, but like so many recent shoot-'em-ups, Trap reminds me of Lightforce but without the same level of high-speed addictiveness.