Commodore User


Game Over

Author: Mark Patterson
Publisher: Imagine
Machine: Commodore 64/128

 
Published in Commodore User #48

Game Over

The words 'game over' are probably one of the universally understood phrases in the game world. Why this game is called "Game Over" escapes me. I've read and re-read the press hype, the instructions and the back of the inlay, but, to no avail. Enough of this, let's insert 20 pence and carry on with the review.

So we grasp the joystick and break down the game. Ahh, you can "Pow Up" for better weapons, obtain the odd force field, or a lethal mine. It sounds very arcadey to me. Although, unlike most arcade games where you don't have a plot and have to work out what the green button does, you are informed of this in the instructions.

In an amazingly far-away galaxy, there is a beautiful and wicked woman. Also very accomplished, as she, with the aid of Lieutenant Arkos, has conquered five confederations of planets. Aided by her countless army of Terminators she was almost unstoppable. Then the intelligence of Lieutenant Arkos developed in such a way that he finally left the Queen's service to fight with the rebels. Arkos is the only one who knows the true combat abilities of The Queen's Terminators. So he is the only one able to destroy the Queen's reign. Hmm, not the Queen herself. Could this game be sequelled?

Game Over

There are two phrases to this game, each one on a separate planet. Hypsis and Sckunn. Although they sould like diseases to me, I have reliable information (Press Hype) that the first planet is a computerised prison, while the second is the imperial place. So off we set, armed with only a laser and small supply of grenades to battle our way through 20 screens of unimaginable terror. Where we have to face such abominations as Guardian Robots (Ants in canoes), Green Monsters (Small snot's), Laser Shooters (Daleks with no noses), Giant Orko (Big snot), and last but by no means least the Giant Robot (Unstoppable lanky person). So have we cleared that level yet? Good. Not it's time to catch Schkunn.

OK, now we're in a nice bit of jungle on our way to the Queen's palace. What you will encounter in this world are: Kaikas (Floatingus-Freisers (Who Knowus and Who Really Caresus), Laser Shooter (Ouchus There Goesus Another Lifeus), Giant Guardian (Oh f***us!).

Thus concludes another flop from Imagine. The instructions portray the game in a way that makes it sound really good, and there's also the clever bit of advertising with the Queen exposing her nipple [Subsequently covered up - Ed].

The sounds are good (for a laugh), so are the graphics (for an even bigger laugh). The game's sort of a flip screen Ghosts and Goblins except it's set about a millennia or three in the future.

Well, there goes my last life, and I wonder to myself whether it's even worth the effort of another go, let alone the asking price for the game. I think I'll go and do something more interesting with my life, like watch Ulysses 31. Yeah, it might help me to forget what I've just attempted to play.

Mark Patterson

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