Previous Next

Hewson's latest trans-dimensional adventure sees the player trapped in an alien world full of weird and wonderful creatures. The only way to escape this fantastic prison is to collect enough of the local currency to pay for release.

The alien monetary system is based on diamonds, and it is there which are collected on each landscape in order to gain access to the next.

Each landscape scrolls smoothly in eight directions and has a maze-like series of structures which must be negotiated during the quest for cash.

Dotted around the environment, there are a variety of hazards which are detrimental to the well-being of the player's ship. Static 'Demons' release acid bubbles, goat heads spit out acid blood, alien generators produce small nasties and floating mines wander around the landscape on a mission all of their own. All aliens are deadly to the touch and reduce the ship's shields on contact; twelve hits and the shield fails - any further hits and one of the player's three ships is destroyed.

Shooting aliens occasionally releases a glowing icon, each of which produces a different effect according to its design. These result in extra points, the ability to kill demons on contact, extra lives, invulnerability and one or two disadvantageous effects too.

The landscape also holds hourglasses which are collected to add thirty seconds to the timer which signals the loss of a further ship upon reaching zero.

Teleports dotted around allow ease of movement though the current level. However, the exact place of exit must be learned through trial and error.

In between each level, an intermission screen is entered which, if solved, awards the player an extra life. This usually takes the form of a puzzle whereby diamonds must be produced by correct manipulation of the available objects.

Netherworld is a very slick product, from the sampled guitar voices on the title music, to the silky-smooth scrolling and the gorgeous graphics. And although not entirely original in its concept (it borrows heavily from Boulderdash, Zynaps and Quedex to name but a few) the final blend of maze, puzzle and blasting action proves entertaining and quite challenging.