This was a pleasant surprise, this was. I've never heard of Plasma Touch, who say they have been producing games for the Spectrum, but they recently sent me a copy of a game written using Incentive Software's Graphics Adventure Creator.
I was rather rude, a couple of issues back, about Global Software's Beer Hunter (also written using GAC) and while I didn't quite give it the famous Pilgrim pasting, I did voice a fear that GAC might result in unfortunate adventure reviewers like myself being inundated with loads of rubbish. I'm delighted to say that this hasn't been the case, and Treasure Tunnels isn't at all a bad effort - certainly worth the £1.50 asking price. After all - what else can you get for £1.50 these days, apart from a Spectrum?
Treasure Tunnels is really desperately old-fashioned in its plot and structure. Using, for the most part, the old verb-noun inputs you wander round a cavernous complex collecting treasure, which must be dumped in the appropriate place.
What's slightly different (apart, of course, from the graphics), is that this game is part of a fantasy series of four games which will eventually be released on one cassette. "The simple 'collecting treasures' plot of Treasure Tunnels will be altered as the story develops," claims Plasma Touch, and if they keep to their pricing policy I'll certainly be in the queue to see the result.
I haven't finished the game yet, so can't be too precise about how many rooms there are, but every location is vividly described in a style that is just as good as the early Level 9 releases. What's more, the program has been reasonably well thought out, with a combination of ease and challenge to keep the interest up. The graphics are a bit crude at times, but they do add to the atmosphere of the game and I found myself keeping them switched on most of the time during play.
I have to repeat that this game is really quite simple fare, but it is well written, well thought-out, and succeeds in evoking a classic Colossal Cave atmosphere - and, of course, it costs only £1.50. Let's see the next one, please, Plasma...
1st June 1986
