Seastalker - A Junior Adventure (ZxZvm)

C&VG (Computer & Video Games)

Personal Rating 5/10

Paul Coppins 5/10

Most home computer owners in the United States these days have a disc drive. A drive offers the advantage of being able to access, read and re-read data into memory very quickly, and in random order. Cassette tapes are very different. To access data positioned at the end of the tape requires that nearly all the tape must pass the playback head and then, if previous data items are required, the tape must be rewound by the operator. Infocom have, for a long while now, produced Adventure games that use the capabilities of disc access to read in data quickly in any required order, and at such a speed that it hardly delays the response. This means that a vast and complex game can be run on a relatively cheap micro, since the computer's memory need contain little more than the program itself. Competition in this field is beginning to hot up, but Infocom undoubtedly have the lead at present, and have the technique neatly wrapped up. All their titles are available for a wide range of micros, but they are not cheap at £30-£40 each (unless you have a Commodore 64, for which many titles cost a mere £11.99). Perhaps their special appeal is due to Infocom's policy (and proud boast) of text only - no graphics. The text is so descriptive that no computer graphics could do justice to the subject. Whilst nearly every other series has come in for criticism somewhere along the line from C& VG readers, not one letter of disenchantment has ever reached us about any Infocom game, despite a rapidly increasing number of drive-owning players. The complete range of Infocom games is Zork I, II, and III (Fantasy); Starcross, Planetfall and Suspended (Science Fiction); Deadline and The Witness (Detective); Enchanter and Sorceror (Fantasy); Infidel, Cut-throats, Seastalker and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. in the next few months we will be looking at The Witness and the famous Hitchhiker's Guide. Right now, Paul Coppins brings you up to date on two of the latest titles. As its name suggests, Seastalker is an Adventure with a nautical flavour and full of seafaring tales of mystery and suspense. One thing is certain, if you play this game you will be kept on the edge of your seat - in this case, the driving seat of the Scimitar, a two-man submarine which you command. Using some of the most modern navigational equipment and a lot of luck, you must pilot Scimitar into the darkest depths of the ocean, to save Aquadome, an underwater complex, from the evil Dr Thorpe. Once you reach the Aquadome, things start to happen very fast, for as well as learning about the monster that has been attacking it, you find to your horror that there is a saboteur in your midst. So whilst getting the Aquadome ready for the final battle with the evil doctor, the saboteur must be discovered and dealt with before he either kills you or makes off with Scimitar. Seastalker's problems are not difficult and, with one of Infocom's less agreeable monsters thrown in, should appeal to the more adventurous junior player, for whom it is intended. In fact, the whole package has been designed to help young adventurers take their first step into the world of Infocom Adventures, for the game comes with a printed simulated game showing how interactive fiction works. As an aid to the adventurer, included with the game are eight Infocards. On one side of each card are the details of the characters to be met whilst playing, and on the other side are hidden clues which can only be revealed by passing them through a special slot in the game folder. However, the clues are partial and completion of them is only possible whilst you are actually playing. A command new to Infocom games is GO TO which enables you to travel directly to the section or area you wish to enter. Seastalker is for a range of micros, including Atari 32K and Commodore 64, with disc drive.