Hunchback II

Sinclair User

Gilbert Factor 5/10

Clare Edgeley 5/10

HUNCHBACK II Ocean Software Memory: 48K Price: £6.95 Joystick: Kempston, Protek, Sinclair Quasimodo has returned to the computer screen in Hunchback II from Ocean to rescue the beautiful Esmerelda who is imprisoned in a tower. The game is set in arcade style, with Quasimodo battling against all odds every step of the way. He has to jump and duck flying arrows, climb ropes, ring bells, leap stretches of water and generally have the agility of an acrobat coupled with the patience of a monk to overcome the insurmountable problems set him. There are seven screens in all, each progressively more difficult - you have to collect all the bells on each screen before moving to the next level. Movement is fast, leaving no room for hesistant players. Working out the correct route can only be done by trial and error - timing is the key. You have five lives in which to fulfil your task - no easy job. There are, however, one or two nice touches. Quasimodo can leap and change direction in mid-air - a great help when dodging cannon balls. The game falls down on its graphics especially when compared to classics such as Knight Lore which shows exactly what can be squeezed out of the Spectrum.

Read it at Sinclair User Magazine Online

Your Spectrum

Craig Rawstron

RETURN OF THE HEROES! "I had a hunch you'd want to know a little bit about me! After a book or two, several movies and the odd play, I starred in a classic computer game for the Speccy called... would'ja believe... Hunchback! Now, over two years since its release, I'm back in action in Hunchback II..." "I've know Esmerelda for a while now... but she will keep getting herself trapped in towers! And I seem to be the only one gullible enough to save her... If you saw me in the original epic, Hunchback, you'll be pleased to know that I can walk now... instead of mincing about on tippy-toes. I've also been given a decent set of threads - I never really felt comfortable prancing around on on-screen in a ballet outfit (not very good for the street credibility!). Also, if you're into bells (and who isn't I ask myself) - this game's full of 'em! Someone up at Ocean must have realised that games need to be full of bright colours, lots of them. And there's far more to do in Hunchback II; the original just had me jumping over a few fireballs whereas here, I'm fair whacked out after just one screen! I don't know where the guards have got to this time around - perhaps it's their day off - but watch out for the malicious wildlife, they're not there to conserve you... that's for sure! Ageing rock addicts will love the blues riff in between levels... myself, I'd have preferred something tasteful from Duran Duran! All in all, a much improved game over the original - but why take so long to sequel a game with such a good-looking hero? I hope those characters up at Ocean know what they're doing!"

LEVEL 2 DIFFICULTY RATING: 2/5 This platform is for you to jump on, in between ferry rides - if you don't want to end up in the drink, that is! When you've fought your way to this point, swing on the rope - that'll ring the bell and promote you to the next level. Tricky this! You have to jump on the trolley on the conveyor belt when it's travelling to the left. But make sure you time your jump carefully at the far end or you're liable to get sucked down the gap. Nasty! Once off the ferry, clamber up these ropes until you're on a level with the conveyor belt. Now, it's one small leap for mankind... Novice hunchbacks start here... and watch out you don't get your feet wet! You'll have to leap on to the ferry that buzzes to and fro at the bottom of the screen to get across in safety.

LEVEL 4 DIFFICULTY RATING: 3/5 From the top of this platform, all you have to do is jump across to the top right-hand corner of the screen, ring the bell and you're home free. You'll find that there's some pretty massive rodents (the dirty rats), eager to block your path as you traverse the chains. As you haven't got a weapon to kill them with, you'll just have to keep out of their way! To get on to the first platform, you've got to shimmy up these chains and jump for all you're worth! For those with nervous dispositions, this is a safe place to hide! The rats follow a set pattern of movement - it won't take you long to work out your path to safety. Your first aim is to get across the bottom of the screen to the rope... but watch out for that bat - it may not be a vampire but it's equally deadly!

LEVEL 6 DIFFICULTY RATING: 4/5 Another screen, another story - this time you've got to ring all four bells to go through to the next level. There are even more bats on this screen - which doesn't make life any easier for poor ol' Quasi! There is a definite technique for ringing these bells. First, you've got to leap on to the right-hand side of the bell rope and start climbing. Once at the top, jump on to the left-hand rope. Your weight pulls the rope down and the bell rings when it hits the top. Once you've rung all four bells, leg it to here and you'll be whisked away to the next screen.

LEVEL 7 DIFFICULTY RATING: 3/5 Esmerelda - looking prettier than ever! Once you've finished this screen, you'll probably have to wait three years to see her again! The scenery is much prettier than you'll find in Hunchback. But it's still a waste of most of the screen, as all the action happens up there on the battlements. The bird flies (relentlessly) across the screen, hoping to peck you as you jump for the bells. As you jump up to get the bells, watch your landings - with that arrow flying about, they're not always happy! For any nostalgia fans out there, this is pretty similar to the original Hunchback. This time, however, you've got to run along the top of the battlements butting the bells as you go. So that's what made ol' Quasi deaf!

Sinclair Programs

Rating 50%

Colette McDermott 50%

PRICE: £6.90 GAME TYPE: Arcade Timing what you need in Hunchback 2. Co-ordination and perfect timing. Arcade enthusiasts may already have these. Less favoured mortals will be spending a very, very long time on screen one. The aim of the game, as can be guessed by the subtitle, Quasimodo's Revenge, is to collect, move or ring the bells on every screen. These are arranged in the most unlikely places; holes in the ground, on islands and even, surprisingly, at the tops of ropes. Various lethal objects move regularly around the screen. The trick is to collect all the bells, or to complete some other appointed task involving bells, without being hit by any of these things. Quite why you are being attacked by a bouncing meteorite or by what appear to be flying oysters is not clear, but who cares about a coherent story line, when it is the game that counts? Work out the correct route across a screen once, and you will probably be able to do it every time. Working out routes, though, must be done by trial and error, trial and repeated error. This is, in essence, a one route game. You must complete one screen in order to reach the next, and there is a limited amount of room for manoeuvre on any one screen. Hunchback 2 is produced for the 48K Spectrum by Ocean Software, [redacted].

Crash

Use of Computer 87%

Graphics 89%

Playability 83%

Getting Started 89%

Addictive Qualities 80%

Value For Money 83%

Overall 85%

Unknown

Unknown

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Producer: Ocean Memory Required: 48K Retail Price: £6.95 Language: Machine code Author: Paul Owens, Mike Webb, scenic graphics by Dave Thorpe CRASH got smartly wrapped over the knuckles by the success of Hunchback, as we hadn't thought it that marvellous. But because of its popularity, the follow up, Hunchback 2, is bound to do well. Subtitled Quasimodo's Revenge, you again play the endearing hunchback in a quest to rescue Esmerelda who has once again been imprisoned in the Castle Stronghold (poor old thing). There are seven screens to battle through, each quite different from the others, and indeed the game style is quite different from its predecessor. On the first six screens Quasimodo must collect bonus bells to reach the following screen. On the first, a simple platform arrangement, the bells are set into the floor and walking over them will collect them. Each level of the platform screen is connected by the bell ropes at either end which go up and down. Hazards include arrows and fireballs which must be ducked or jumped, while on subsequent screens there are bats, birds and axes. On the seventh screen, which is inside the castle belfry, the working mechanisms of the clock threaten him. On completing the seventh screen, the game returns to screen one with an increased level of difficulty. COMMENTS Control keys: user definable, four needed with fire for jump Joystick: Kempston, Protek, AGF, Sinclair 2 Keyboard play: very responsive, simple to control Use of colour: very good, clean and bright Graphics: large, smooth, fast and varied Sound: good 'synthesised' tune, otherwise not very much during play Skill levels: 1 Lives: 5 Screens: 7

Much later on, and Quasimodo is still leaping, clinging and ducking as Esmerelda cries for help and awaits her rescue.

The splendid loading screen from HUNCHBACK II.

The starting screen of Ocean's HUNCHBACK II. It looks deceptively easy, but proves to be a meanly timed game.

Read it at Crash - The Online Edition