Personal Computer News


The Nomad Of Time

Author: Mike Gerrard
Publisher: Mosaic
Machine: Commodore 64

 
Published in Personal Computer News #090

THE NOMAD OF TIME

The presentation of this "illustrated text adventure" is impressive, with an excellent sci-fi cover to the large video-style wallet that houses the fast-loading tape and the 16-page booklet of instructions.

Subtitled "The Adventures of Oswald Bastable", it is based on a trilogy of books by Michael Moorcock, though you're told it's not essential to read the books before tackling the adventure.

The scenario takes a page to explain, but it boils down to the fact that the very logic of Time itself has been threatened and you, Captain Bastable, must explore the earth to find and bring together the Jewels of Time in order to avert disaster. You have enough food and water for sixty days - can you save the world in this time? Just to keep you on your toes there's a clock ticking away in the top-left corner of your screen.

There are two main parts of the program: a conventional adventure set in various places on Earth and a simplified flight-simulator which shows the display panel of your airship, and by which you must land in the ten places where the adventure takes place, ranging from Singapore to East Grimstead.

In the adventure itself you're given little help other than that you use the standard two-word format. Landing outside the public library in East Grinstead I wanted to explore but the commands I tried all resulted in "Not possible, Bastable!" There may be a good adventure in here struggling to get out, but if the world comes to an end in 60 days' time don't blame me, blame this program.

Mike Gerrard

Other Commodore 64/128 Game Reviews By Mike Gerrard


  • African Safari Front Cover
    African Safari
  • Cloak Of Death Front Cover
    Cloak Of Death
  • Kamikaze Front Cover
    Kamikaze
  • Deadline Front Cover
    Deadline
  • Crazy Caveman Front Cover
    Crazy Caveman
  • Deadline Front Cover
    Deadline
  • Upper Gumtree And Professor Blowitovitz Front Cover
    Upper Gumtree And Professor Blowitovitz
  • Grandmaster Chess Front Cover
    Grandmaster Chess
  • Rock 'N Bolt Front Cover
    Rock 'N Bolt
  • Dragonword Front Cover
    Dragonword