Personal Computer News


Ankh
By Beyond
Commodore 64

 
Published in Personal Computer News #086

ANKH

This game is something else but exactly what I'm not sure. Put at its simplest (and this game is anything but simple), Ankh is a series of logic puzzles, some unbelievably tough.

The game environment is described as the 'Metareal world of Ankh where logic works but doesn't rule'. The idea is to find your way through 64 connecting rooms, each of which is different and holds a puzzle. Sometimes you can pass through a room's doorway with no trouble but mostly you need to find a way to open up the exit before you can pass.

Each room must be prodded, poked and probed to yield up its secrets. Solving a room's puzzle may bring forth a treasure, a tool or (groan) yet a further puzzle. You control a spherical object, your Mindprobe. It can be moved around and fire missiles. You gain power by performing certain actions (gaining access to a new room, for example) and lose it at a rate of knots when you collide with your environment. The game is over when you lose all power - or when you solve it.

At start-up you have the opportunity to experiment on an abstract set-up - a confidence-sapping experience in my case. You may also select the level of perplexity of the puzzles (from mindboggling to mindshattering).

A real headache inducer, Ankh is like nothing you've played before. There's no middle way - you either love it madly or stick it straight under a steamhammer.

Bob Chappell

Other Commodore 64 Game Reviews By Bob Chappell


  • Zim Sala Bim Front Cover
    Zim Sala Bim
  • Seaside Special Front Cover
    Seaside Special
  • The Quest Of Merravid Front Cover
    The Quest Of Merravid
  • Blue Moon Front Cover
    Blue Moon
  • Motocross Front Cover
    Motocross
  • Daley Thompson's Decathlon Front Cover
    Daley Thompson's Decathlon
  • Zork I: The Great Underground Empire Front Cover
    Zork I: The Great Underground Empire
  • Fire Quest Front Cover
    Fire Quest
  • Magic Micro Mission Front Cover
    Magic Micro Mission
  • One-On-One: Julius Erving And Larry Bird Front Cover
    One-On-One: Julius Erving And Larry Bird