Commodore User


DNA Warrior

Categories: Review: Software
Author: Mark Mainwood
Publisher: Artonic Products
Machine: Commodore 64

 
Published in Commodore User #67

DNA Warrior

A genetic experiment has gone wrong and as a result the world's leading scientist is in a coma. His only chance is if a micro-submersible can be shrunk small enough to get to his brain and reverse the process.

It is up to you to fight your way from the abdomen to the brain, negotiating natural and bionic body parts on the way. There are a variety of cells to hinder your progress, shooting a whole wave of these will reward you with a plasma sphere which can be used to save up for extra weapons. On your way to the brain, you must pick up eight parts of the growth inhibitor required to save the professor's life.

It all sounds like a cross between 'Incredible Voyage' and umpteen 'Nemesis' type games and it plays pretty much that way too. As the game starts, you find yourself piloting the micro-submersible (looking remarkably like a spaceship) around the prof's abdomen (looking remarkably line an alien landscape). At this point you move very slowly and your firepower is limited to a single shot laser. Find some aliens - sorry, mutant cells - to destroy and collect the plasma pod to speed up a bit. From there on, it's basically the same as Nemesis or Salamander.

Dna Warrior

Each level scrolls horizontally and before you reach the end of some you must collect a key and a piece of growth inhibitor.

The graphics are nothing special but they certainly aren't bad. Most of the foes you meet look very similar but then I suppose mutant cells aren't very big anyway. Small amounts of animation are present for rotation and turning effects.

A lot of effort has obviously been put into the sound, there are some nice spot effects and a few really good pieces of music.

Gameplay is slow. When you start a new life you move at about the same speed as a spider with six legs missing. You can only speed up once and that only slightly increases the manoeuvrability of your ship. Scrolling is very smooth but also very slow, adding to the monotony of some levels. The backgrounds are uniform and interest soon fades due to lack of variety.

If DNA Warrior was quite a bit faster and a bit more effort had been made to put some variety in, then maybe it would have been different. As it stands, it is a good game which lets itself down.

Mark Mainwood

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