Hijack

Your Sinclair

Overall 71%

Marcus Berkmann 71%

BARGAIN BASEMENT As those modern philosophers Status Quo once said, "Down down deeper and down, down down deeper and down." MARCUS BERKMAN trips in the stairwell... HIJACK Summit £2.99 Reviewer: Marcus Berkmann Now this is an elderly one. Hijack's a little like Impossible Mission with the game taken out - no leaping from level to level, just offices in which you have to find out info. The excuse for it is a hijack, with you as the head honcho of the CIA's Hijack Division, dedicated to stamping out terrorism by peaceful means. That's just about unique in computer games, which usually prefer to stamp out things with lasers and smart bombs, but never mind. There are a number of people in your department, all doing various jobs - you delegate certain activities to them while at the same time making sure that they're not stabbing you in the back. Just like any office really. The game's a little short on action, but it's certainly a knotty teaser, and in the end you have to react just as quickly as in a shoot-'em-up. It barely sold a copy first time round, but if you like Hacker, for example, you'll like Hijack. Much better than Mark Eyles' later game Aliens.

Lumme, look at the size of those phones. It's like Land Of The Giants in here!

ZX ComputingZX Computing Globella

Overall Great

FIGHT TERRORISM, CONTROL THE PENTAGON AND PANDER TO THE PRESIDENT IN ELECTRIC DREAMS POWER CRAZED CRISIS MANAGEMENT GAME. Electric Dreams £9.99 Hijack is novel new game that Electric Dreams describe as a 'combination of arcade, strategy and simulation.' In the game you play the part of the Head of the Pentagon's new Hijack Division. As the game begins you are faced with the problem of a group of terrorists who have hijacked a vehicle and its passengers, and it's up to you to coordinate the Pentagon Staff and deal with this crisis in whatever way you can. You control an animated figure whom you can direct to move from room to room within the Pentagon, and as you move around you will encounter members of staff (most of whom will obey your instructions) and attempt to locate information that will help you deal with this crisis. There are two main parts to the game At first, whilst still based in the Pentagon, you have to amass either enough money, political, or military power to enable you to enter negotiations with the terrorists. Once you have convinced the President himself that you are in a strong enough position he will then send you off to the scene of the crime to tackle the terrorists. Most of the screen display is given over to a representation of the current location, and of your figure's position in that room. As you walk across the room, any potentially useful items that you come across are highlighted in a small box at the bottom left-hand corner of the screen and these can be examined or picked up and held for later use. Held objects are displayed in a second box on the bottom right-hand. Along the top of the screen display is a row of faces representing the key members of staff that you will have to deal with, and whenever one of them enters the room that you are in a walking figure will be seen in the room and the appropriate face will light up, indicating the identity of that person. These personnel are a number of Political, Military and Financial advisors and their assistants, and there are also agents of the CIA and FBI who can be used to dig up information on the terrorists, and on possible security risks within the Pentagon itself. For each member of staff you are able to 'pull down' a menu containing the different orders that you might want to give him/her. For instance, you could order the Military Advisor to go straight to the scene of the Hijack, or to stay in the Pentagon and try and find a solution through the intelligence network. You could even fire him if you want, though obviously he won't be any help to you if you do this (then again, if he turns out to be a security risk you're better off without him). This is where the strategy element comes in. Each command that you can give will have different sets of results and consequences, and you've got to judge how best to balance these results in order to achieve the bargaining power that you'll need. This isn't always easy, since boosting your financial power could affect your military or political strength - for instance, getting your financial advisor to rush off and raise money from some of your political supporters can put a strain on their loyalty and weaken their support. On top of all this, there's the President who is unduly concerned about his image and won't give you the help you need unless you mastermind his (expensive) PR campaign. The number of characters that you have to deal with, along with the problems of balancing all the military, political, and financial factors make Hijack quite a challenge for those who enjoyed the old management simulations that had their day a couple of years ago, and of which this is a more modern derivative. The animation and window-menu system bring it up to date and increase the playability of the game, making it more visually attractive. I doubt whether the arcade aspects of the game are strong enough to appeal to fans of death-dealing shoot 'em ups, but for those who enjoy a challenge to their strategic abilities rather than their joystick, Hijack should provide something to sharpen your wits on.

C&VG (Computer & Video Games)C+VG Hit

Graphics 9/10

Sound 6/10

Value 9/10

Playability 9/10

Paul Boughton

MACHINE: Spectrum 48K/128K SUPPLIER: Electric Dreams PRICE: £9.99 Crisis, drama, shock, terror - a normal day in the C+VG game review complex. But today's different. There's a hijack going on and I've got to crack it. It's hard enough having the CIA and FBI on my back but now the President's playing up. Things are looking very bleak. But there's nothing bleak in the future of Electric Dreams' arcade, strategy and simulation game Hijack. It's a gem. The objective of the game is to end the hijack. There are three ways to do this - buy them off, persuade them to give up or scare them into submission using military might. As the head of the head of the Hijack Division, some sort of obscure government department, it's your job to decide on the best plan, keep the President and press happy, organise your colleagues, fight off power struggles, raise cash and gather information. All the time the clock ticks down to the terrorists' deadline. The main part of the screen is taken up with a view of the various rooms and offices of Hijack HQ. You can move from room to room, meet various people, talk to them and examine objects of use. A map of the office complex is useful because it's easy to get lost. At the top of the screen are a series of ten heads. These are the people in the building. They are The President, military adviser, political adviser, FBI agent, CIA man, military assistant, political assistant, publicity officer, financial officer and secretary. The heads change colour when that character is in the same room as you. If you're quick enough you can question them, receive information and give instructions. At the bottom left of the screen is an icon displaying what useful items are about as you walk past. I played Hijack on a fairly small sized television and found it a little difficult to see the smaller icon displays but those lucky enough to own bigger sets shouldn't find it a problem. There is an end game where you travel to the scene of the hijack where you'll see if your campaign to defeat the terrorist was successful. It could mean a medal or the sack. Hijack, for me is a breath of fresh air, in a boring month of reviewing.

Your Sinclair

Graphics 8/10

Playability 8/10

Value For Money 8/10

Addictiveness 7/10

Overall 8/10

Gwyn Hughes 8/10

...and hi to all our other readers. Electric Dreams' new game puts you in the Department Of Hijacks' hot seat. Gwyn Hughes takes you by the hand and leads you through the corridors of power, putting faces to the bureaucrats. Game: Hijack Publisher: Electric Dreams Price: £9.99 Joysticck: Kempston, Interface II, Cursor, Fuller Keys: Defineable Reviewer: Gwyn Hughes Topical or tasteless? Hijacking is a fact of modern life, though the activities of the Department of Hijacks have more to do with the silver screen than the real world. You have to keep the lid on the sizzling situation as the pressure builds. Carry the can and co-ordinate the efforts of the government departments, handling each crisis with tact, discretion... and some military might will also help! Run around the offices - no-one seems to know what the phones are for - giving orders to operatives and searching for codes to access various databases. You decide how many soldiers to send out, how many diplomats to deploy, and how to keep President Rod happy before you negotiate a peaceful settlement, surrender to demands or go for Reaganite cowboy heroics, hoping your boys shoot first and fast. Success means another, more difficult hijack - failure means anything from the big E to jail! And you don't even get a coffee break between crises! It's all very different in appearance from the traditional text management-resource game, though the strategies remain the same, even when they're adorned with animated figures enjoying the frustrations of a 22 room office building. Mind you, this action element creates an added degree of involvement. At first you may find yourself doing little more than waiting for lifts. Eventually though, you'll build up a picture of what to do first and when to approach staff with certain demands. Remember, just as in real life, hell hath no fury like a bureaucrat who's been asked to do a job he doesn't want to! The Fourth Protocol was the game that stopped strategy being a dirty word and while this is nowhere near so involved, nor quite so involving in the long run, it is undeniably accessible. As the seconds tick away and the only place you've not looked for the President is his private toilet, your palms will start to sweat as you realise the fate of 18 innocent school kids hangs on how long Rod remains in the loo!

5th Floor: A helicopter beats parking problems but before you can use it you have to please Rod sufficiently so that he'll tell you the combination to the electronic lock in his office. 4th Floor The newspapers always seem to get there first, so keep on taking the tabloids if you want to know what's what. 2nd Floor It's amazing what you can find in somebody else's drawers. Always check the filing cabinets as you rush past. 1st Floor A bit odd architecturally but this basement lift is an express shaft to your floor which comes in handy when time is short. Any office busy-body knows a nose for information can sniff out all sorts of secrets from typewriters. Basement Level 1 There are two terminals and this one contains information on known terrorist groups. Oddly it emits the YSGR (Your Sinclair Games Reviewers, who demand black jelly babies for a good review!) (No way - they're my faves! Ed) The right hand drawer in records contains files on all your operatives, including a useful loyalty rating so you'll know who's about to stab your back. Basement Level 2 If you're really stuck in your search for classified codes you could always try the noticeboards. After all, nobody ever reads them so they're a good place to store secrets.

5th Floor: PRESIDENT RODNEY Without the nod from the Rod you'll never make that flight to the site. He can authorise all sorts of support but keep on his right side or you'll get a curt 'Get Lost'! 4th Floor: YOUR OFFICE It's here that any employees report and it's linked by private lift to the President's suite (Thanks, you're rather cute yourself - Rod). 3rd Floor: POLITICAL OFFICERS Answerable to the Diplomatic Corps, P Woolover is the Adviser, S Work his assistant, and they can allocate staff to bore the terrorists into submission. 2nd Floor: MILITARY OFFICERS Representing the hawks, C Saunders, Adviser, and J Matrix, Assistant. Matrix sends in the Marines and you can send Saunders to the hijack. 1st Floor: ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF Hail to the chief! The President's secretary, R Harris locates all those wandering officials - making her the most important employee. You won't get far without money but Cashman of the Treasury can raise the spondulicks speedily or slowly. Publicity Officer L Grant tries not to let the president's political profile slip by issuing a typed press sheet or a full scale TV interview - it's up to you. Basement Level 2: CIA D Jedburg's the man with the shades and the bulging armpit, and he'll research the villains for as much time as you can spare. Basement Level 4: FBI For internal information, J.E. Hoover will clean up and question the staff, though don;t expect them to be so loyal afterwards.

Once you reach the incident the picture changes. Your options include 'anding over the ackers - which means you must have cash in the coffers in the first place; storming the siege and praying it doesn't end in a bloodbath (hint - it helps to have more than one soldier there); or burning the brutes with some peaceful negotiation on the hot line. The nature of the terrorists and their nastiness rating will shape their response... you mean you forgot to get a CIA report on who they are? Maybe you're better suited to the Department of Sewer Maintenance after all!

Time ticks by and the only way to beta the deadline is a request from Rod for an extension - almost guaranteed to annoy him. Whenever a member of the Department is in a room with you his or her picture lights up. Select with the cursor when you want to give orders. Don't like the colour scheme? An option on the Pause menu allows anybody who prefers interior decorating to hijack handling to repaint the offices. Every object that can be manipulated appears here. Pressing fire brings details up in the main screen. Check your progress on the graphs which indicate military strength, financial resources and the all important Presidential popularity polls. You can carry one object - useful for files that require a code, which you don't yet have, to open them. Pick up a bin to empty it.

Read it at Your Sinclair Rock'n'Roll Years

Crash

Use of Computer 89%

Graphics 83%

Playability 90%

Getting Started 79%

Addictive Qualities 89%

Value For Money 83%

Overall 86%

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Producer: Electric Dreams Retail Price: £9.99 Author: David Shea. This is the age of the terrorist. Hijacking has become ubiquitous and no-one is safe - now an unknown group has hijacked a vehicle and they're making demands. As Head of the Hijack Division, it's your job to track them down and negotiate, using whatever financial, political or military power you can muster. And all this within a time limit! The game set within the Pentagon and there are a number of characters who can either help or hinder, depending on how you handle them. Most important of all is the President - he's the only one who can give you the boot. On the other hand, he might negotiate with the hijackers on your behalf (thereby extending the deadline) or even allow you to use his helicopter. More information can be obtained from the FBI Agent, who can be made to question employees, at the risk of losing their loyalty. Intelligence work is carried out by the CIA Agent who provides reports of varying detail on the hijackers. Military and Political Advisers may be sent to the scene of the hijack to help the Political and Military Assistants, who are the real workers. They have the power to call upon diplomats to negotiate, or summon up troops to frighten the bad guys into surrender. Extra cash which might be necessary can be raised through the Finance Officer. Last but not least is the President's Secretary - she is really only accountable to the President, but you can order her to find an employee for you. It is important that public support is maintained, and the services of the Publicity Officer are vital: good Press keeps the President happy. Remember, at any time he can send you a friendly little missive which goes something like 'You're getting on my nerves - you're fired!' You travel up and down the Department building in the lift which links offices, and access options via a menu and icon system. Information, such as news headlines and top secret documents, can also be called up. The faces of all the characters in the game are displayed along the top of the screen, and light up whenever you are in the same room as one or more of the characters. A clock slowly counts down to that dreaded deadline. Just below, is the lift sign with arrows pointing in both directions which light up to indicates that a lift is available. At the bottom left of screen, various items are displayed which you can pick up, examine or use on your way through an office, and the inventory is displayed to the right. A graphical readout displays your military, political and financial strength, which gradually diminishes as time goes on, unless support is won. Once you feel confident enough to confront the hijackers, the President has to be found and a code word requested that gives access to the helicopter - certain items in the inventory may prove crucial in your negotiations. Success depends on how quickly you can co-ordinate people and assimilate information. One thing, however, is certain. If you fail, expect the worst: an indefinite holiday in some remote Himalayan embassy perhaps? Happy mantras! COMMENTS Control keys: definable Joystick: Kempston, Cursor, Interface II, Fuller Keyboard play: very good Use of colour: lots of variety Graphics: nice detailed graphics Sound: realistic spot effects Skill levels: one Screens: large office complex

The Reception looks pretty crowded. Is that a picture of JR on the wall? Surely he's not been Hijacking people?

You get to have a quick peek inside an FBI security file. What an experienced and loyal person this R Harris is. Worth getting to know...

Sinclair UserSinclair User Classic

Overall 5/5

Label: Electric Dreams Author: David Shea, Mark Eyles Memory: 48K/128K Reviewer: Here's a surprise. Out of the blue come an absolutely marvellous game from Electric Dreams. At least judging from the press material we've received, it seems Hijack is the 'other game' being released at about the same time as the same company's appalling, sexist and pathetic-in-every-way Mermaid Madness. It deserves better, being very original, cleverly structured, witty and (here comes that word again) addictive. Hijack is a very sophisticated mixture of decision making management game and adventure, played using large animated figures and icons. A school bus has been hijacked by terrorists and you're in the hot seat trying to save them. Mostly you give orders but they aren't always carried out. There are those who, for reasons of political expendiency, will ditch you if things go wrong. Somehow you have to juggle with the FBI, CIA, the military, even the press office to get the hijack victims safely home. Beyond the bare fact that there has been a hijack, you start the game knowing nothing. Not even, it seems, some of the security codes for doors in your own building ... The most important element in the game is dealing with the various members of staff at your disposal. Seeking them out and giving them appropriate orders is the key to the game. This being the world of realpolitick though, the amount of help and enthusiasm you get will vary according to who, why and what you want. The key is to play one department off against another and still somehow keep everyone on the same side. The centre of the screen depicts the various rooms of your headquarters: it's here the events in the game unfold. You and the other staff are represented by the same biggish, well animated sprites. When you enter a new office or somebody enters your office an icon outline of that person lights up, indicating they are available for conversation. On selecting that person via the icon system you get a menu of options, only some of which are likely to be available at any one point in the game. So, you may tell the FBI agent to question a member of staff. You might request political, financial or military support from the President. Or you could issue some sort of press statement (if you don't keep the press at least moderately well informed they start turning nasty and the President gets upset). There are a number of rooms in your building, some are connected by lift - which you have to wait for - others require the discovery of various electronic door codes. These can be uncovered in memos, notices and other odd places around the building. Then the problem becomes: what number is for what door? Likewise there are codes to gain access to the various computers scattered around the building - some of them containing vital information about the current state of the hijack. Gradually through a mixture of hunting around the building, questioning staff, getting up-dates on current events and deploying the right kinds of forces in the right way, you may start to turn events in the hijack your way. Be quick - time is the one thing you don't have.

The clock. It shows the time left for the hostages. Below it is the lift arrival indicator. The members of your staff. Highlighted faces mean that person has entered the room. Lift doors, arrows indicating directions of travel. Wait until one arrives then move in. The cursor arrow used to highlight the screen icon you are currently controlling. Screen shows what objects if any you are holding. Bar graphs showing current status (+ or -) of, respectively, military, financial and political power. Screen shows what, if anything is in your current location. Filing cabinets may contain useful information. Including codes to security doors and computers.

HINTS AND TIPS At various points you will be given important information, ranging from entry codes, to financial resources, to details of terrorist groups - their aims and motivation. Keep a careful note of everything you discover. Entry codes may not always refer to the nearest door or computer. Build up a list of them and try each one in turn. Learn the lift layout. Bear in mind that their movement pattern is not simply up one floor, down one floor - you'll have to work it out. Your first priority should be research. Who are the hijackers? What do they want? What are their motives? This information will help you formulate A Plan. Having decided on a general course of action, say, diplomatic rather than military pressure, stick to it. Whatever course you choose will alienate some part of your staff but chopping and changing means everybody will probably eventually turn against you. Try not to upset your staff. Don't ignore them and try to deal with them all evenly. If, the President is busy, don't bother him too much. How employees respond to your instructions reflects their mood. This can give important clues to weaknesses in the way you are handling the situation.

SOUND AND GRAPHICS Surprisingly good. The various staff members, though all looking much the same, are well animated with a fair degree of realism walking. The icon display system on the screen borders is very effective. Unusually, the icons actually look like the things they are supposed to represent. More surprising still, the sound is really effective. It's limited to sound effects mostly - doors opening, bleeps on number pads, that sort of thing - but it works well. A lot of effort has been put into even this small detail.