Previous Next

You don't come across many fantasy role-playing games for home computers, and I don't class adventures as being in that category, so when one appears on the scene it's well worth taking a closer look at.

Alternate Reality is such a game and is the best of its kind I've seen. It has excellent graphics, bags of action and options and uses music to good effect.

You've been kidnapped by aliens and dumped in a room with only one exit. At the start, you are presented with a view of the exit gate through which the impressive city of Xebec's Demise can be seen.

Search me who Xebec was, but since he's described as deceased you can draw your own conclusions about the city's safety.

Near the gate, which is itself barred by a force field, are a collection of revolving numbers. These relate to your individual characteristics - strength, intelligence, stamina, charm, wealth, wisdom, skill and hit points. As you pass through the gate the numbers freeze and those values then determine your character's attributes. The higher the numbers, the better your chances.

The aim is to explore the city, increase the value of your attributes and above all survive.

During the first few days (game time) you are very vulnerable to foul play so much take care to build up your qualities gradually.

Details of your status can be called up by pressing the Select key at any time. Movement through the maze-like city is controlled by joystick or keyboard. All other commands, mostly single characters, are entered through the keyboard.

Your current position in the city is shown in the top half of the screen, the lower portion being reserved for commands, options and other text.

Much of the city consists of walled avenues. Closer inspection of any wall may reveal the entrance to a building or even a secret passage.

When you enter a building the screen changes to show a hi-res picture, often animated, of the building's inhabitants and interior.

There are many buildings in the city. Some are for your rest and recuperation. Inns offer lodgings and give time and date information. Taverns, whose menus change hourly, sell food and drink. Alcohol, as you'd expect, should be taken in moderation. Get drunk and your movements will be inhibited - you may even black out.

Smithies, easily detected by the sound of an anvil being struck, provide weapons. Prices and quality may vary and you'll almost certainly need to haggle.

You can earn interest on your money by leaving it in a bank and can exchange gems for cash. Shops sell a variety of clothes and goods, mostly ornamental. If you become ill or wounded vist a healer.

Weapons can be magical (special or cursed) or just normal, and can be found or purchased. If you want to rid yourself of a cursed weapon try a Guild.

There are many life forms in the city. Guards, gladiators, merchants, dwarves, mages, assassins and imps are just a few. All have their own specialities.

The worst is reported to be the legendary Night Stalker, an extremely Night Stalker, an extremely powerful creature of the night.

Encounters are common and take one of five forms - your surprise a life form, it surprises you, you see each other at the same time, it sees you first or you see it first.

At an encounter you are either engaged or disengaged. Engaged means you do battle and options include lunge, attack, parry and sneak attack.

If disengaged you may try less violent means - charm or trick an opponent, for example. The use of magic cannot be ruled out either.

Other hazards include being poisoned from a variety of sources - like being clawed by a poisonous creature, and catching a disease - such as contact with bacterial spores of mold. Potions can be acquired and take four forms: benign, advantageous, disadvantageous and dangerous. Each can be opened, examined for colour, sipped and used. All text is presented in olde English-type script and musical effects are used throughout the game. Both add to the atmosphere while the latter can hold clues - the songs played in the taverns often provide important hints.

The city is intended to be just the first in a linked series, and since you can save and later reload your character, this means you can retain any character for use in later releases. Future additions include the dungeon, wilderness, arena and palace.

The game plays a bit slowly, mainly because it has to make so many accesses to the disc during play (the program and data is spread across four sides of two discs).

That apart, it is very enjoyable. The atmospheric detail and presentation, the wide variety of content and the planned expansion route make Alternate Reality an excellent buy at £19.95.