Previous Next

Psytron is the computer responsible for the survival of the colony on Betula 5. The tasks it must perform as so complex and demanding, that you're obliged to start at level one, then build up your skills and knowledge for the next stage. If you can last an hour at level six, Beyond will give you a QL.

The base is under constant attack. Alien ships fly in, drop bombs or kamikaze saboteurs, and head for air locks to damage.

Survival is the watch-word; all you can hope to do is last as long as possible and minimize damage.

At level one, Droid Level, you're simply concerned with saboteurs. You can select any of the ten superb views over the installation and the planet beyond to view incoming ships. If one drops a saboteur you switch attention to other displays; the screen is divided into windows.

There's a map showing the current screen's stretch of corridor as a strip across the screen. Another window shows the view down the corridor, curving away to right or left according to the direction your droid is facing. The A key changes the direction of the droid, Q moves it forward and the relevant windows are updated as it moves.

To reach level two you'll have to get an average score of 50% over five games. You save your 'Service Record' to tape, in order to go straight to level two.

In level three you get both levels one and two to contend with; the ships may drop bombs or saboteurs. This means you have to keep a close watch on your instruments and swap repeatedly between Skywatch and Droid modes.

At level four you have the chance to access Freezetime.

It's only at level size, the Final Conflict, that your score becomes important. The score you get depends on how well you can defend the base before you succumb. You'll be given a code based on the score to allow Beyond to judge the winner of the QL.

This game shows the limits of what you can do with a 48K Spectrum. It combines arcade action with cunning and strategy, forcing you to the limits of human multi-tasking. Psytron will be a very strong contender for game of the year.