Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Your Sinclair

Overall 46%

Rich Pelley 46%

REPLAY And a personal hello to carpet-fitter Bernard Opportunity of Dalton! (He's the only one who ever reads this box, you know.) TERMINATOR 2 The Hit Squad £3.99 [redacted] Reviewer: Rich Pelley Just as Arnie's films have increased in expense and box-office takings over the years, so have his games increased in size to the extent that the last two weren't even 48K-compatible. And they almost got things right with Total Recall - obviously cos it was Arnie game they had to include a little man running around shooting things. But, with a maze of platforms to negotiate and objects to collect, the mindless violence of an Arnie film was at last woven successfully into a respectable and playable game. Not so with Terminator 2. As the film was full of special effects, it seems Ocean decided that they should also try to give their Speccy conversion a rather special look too. Level One is a head-to- head beat-'em-up with an Arnie sprite which looks and moves so much like Arnie. Those who are familiar with the film will delight as T1000 s (the baddy's) arms metamorphosise into two spikes and try to stab you (just as they did in the film). Unfortunately, this beat-'em-up frenzy takes place at about 0.00001 mph rendering the entire level totally unplayable. Then there's Level Two - a naff old Spy Hunter drive-your-bike-along- a-scrolling-road level. Level Three is the only highlight - another chance to have a go at a computerised version of one of those slidey puzzle games, rearranging Arnie's hand and Arnie's head. But two good levels out of seven doesn't really make much of a game. Ignore T2 and put the money towards a copy of the video instead.

Well, girls - take your pick! One the left we have the lovely T101 who likes crab sticks and fly-fishing. John prefers a quiet night in with some grated potato. Whom do you prefer?

You put your left foot in, your left foot out. In, out, in, out - you shake it all about. You do the hokey-cokey and you turn around and that's what it's all about. Ohh, the hokey-cokey, ohhh... etc.

Sinclair User

Graphics 89%

Sound 50%

Playability 78%

Lastability 72%

Overall 79%

Garth Sumpter

Tony Kaye 79%

Label: Ocean Memory: 128K only Tape: £3.99 Reviewer: Tony Kaye The movie was an all time classic and when we saw the original screen shots of the game we thought that it locked pretty darn spanky too. Could it all have been a case of judging the book by its cover though? (You know the old saying... were very superstitious around here!) Well partly, yes and no. The graphics looked excellent and it certainly didn't look as though it was going to be just another platformer. The game roughly follows the plot of the film - which is more than I can say for most platform licences. The first of seven levels involves the T101 (you) versus the T1000 in a beat 'em up bout. You can continue on into on obstacle beating race against time in a storm gully, mounted on a Harley Davidson. Two puzzles, some more boxing action and some shoot 'em up van racing antics round things off. The graphics and animation are very well executed and there are some lovely digitised Terminator images in the intro sequences. The problem wIth T2 lies in its playability - or rather lack of it. The puzzles are ok, the chase scenes are basic but good enough fun but the one on one fighting scenes are rather boring and slow. T2 is a good looking curiosity game but that's really all.

Crash

Presentation 87%

Graphics 91%

Sound 86%

Playability 82%

Addictivity 84%

Overall 88%

Mark Caswell 86%

Nick Roberts 89%

Arnie and his pals are back again with a blockbusting game of the smash hit movie. Nick Roberts often gets mistaken for the Terminator when he carries that oozy 9mm around with him (and 'cos of his bulging muscles and macho stance, ha ha - Ed) so he got to do the review…! Ocean £10.99 cass 128K only It's the future, and the ultimate horror has come true. Man and machine no longer live in perfect harmony. It's war, but despite the machines having awesome power and strength, the rebels are still winning. The computer that controls all the machines soon had the solution, sending a Terminator back in time attempt to destroy the leader of the rebels when he was at his most vulnerable - a child. The year is 1994 and John Conner is in danger. With a Terminator out for his blood, he doesn't stand a chance on his own. In a bid to save their leader from destruction, the rebels have sent a warrior of their own back in time to battle against the Terminator. One of its own kind. This is where you come in. HASTA LA VISTA, BABY! You play Arnie as the T101 Terminator and have seven levels of action to attempt. Level one sees you lace to face with the T1000, fighting the shape-shifting machine to delay its pursuit and allow John to escape. You then jump onto your Harley Davidson with John on the back, but the T1000 is in hot pursuit in a truck! Recreating a scene from original Terminator movie, Arnie starts twiddling with his arm for level threes sliding puzzle, then its back to the violence. The three game styles repeat with slight variations for the remaining levels of the game. The beat-'em-up sections have different backdrops, Arnie's bike is swopped for a SWAT van and the puzzle is to repair the big man's eye. IT'S NOTHING PERSONAL The graphics in Terminator 2: Judgment Day are absolutely fantastic throughout. Ocean have got some wicked graphic artists working for them at the moment and they're making good use of them. Animation on both the T101 and T1000 in the fighting scenes is excellent. The T1000 melts and gloops around the screen very convincingly and there are plenty of fist-crunching moves to use against the computer-controlled meanie. The game's big downfall is the lack of variety in the levels. Repeating three game styles to make up seven levels is a bit of a con, really, even though the difficulty's set so high most people will find it difficult to get past level two: I found riding the Harley Davidson through the streets totally impossible. The tips in the inlay say to follow the arrows painted on the road, but everything scrolls by so fast you don't get chance to see any flippin' arrows! Ocean have got a really strong line up this Christmas with every game highly polished and professionally presented. It is going to be hard for Santa to choose between this, Hudson Hawk, Smash TV, The Simpsons and the rest of them - they're all so brilliant. Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a great conversion of the film, the repetition in the levels the only fault which I could find, and believe me. I looked hard! Buy it. No problemo. NICK 89%

After his punch up, the T101 jumps on his bike and rides off into the sunset.

Fists out for the lads, showing the T100 who's boss! Arnie is back and is he Baaaddd!

Fun, fun, fun, with the T101 as you go on a joyride. But you;d better look out for road and air hogs!

Gosh Arnie, you are just soo dreamy. Even the T1000 is melting at your feet.

Plastic surgery doesn't work for everyone. The doc must have been drunk when he did this one.

That's a handy screenshot! Better sort out Arnie's tendons or he'll go limp wristed.

FIVE WAYS TO HYPE A FILM 1: When Mark visited an arcade down in the big smoke he was swamped with T2 stickers. He made a fortune selling them to the kids that hang around outside CRASH Towers! 2: One of the best ways to promote a film is to get a software company to make a game of it just before it's released on video! 3: Hurry, hurry, hurry. For a limited period only, you can get the T2 game with a free metal badge! Hour's that for value? 4: T-shirts, posters, mugs and other promotional stuff is always useful to get a film licence a good review. Unfortunately none of these were supplied to CRASH. 5: I wonder when the T2 slippers are coming?

PARADOX CORNER Terminator II: Judgement Day, the movie, is absolutely magic - except when you try to work out the logic of the time travel aspect. After hours and hours of arguing, we at CRASH decided the situation was completely impossible, there wasn't any logic and the whole scenario's rubbish. Here's why: 1: If organic matter won't go through the time machine, the two metallic Terminators shouldn't have arrived intact. (Mind you, it was a good excuse to see Arnie naked - Ed.) 2: The Skynet defence machine which started the machine rebellion was devised from the chip in Arnie's arm, which fell off before Sarah Connor wasted him in the first Terminator film. But the Skynet machine wouldn't have been invented if Arnie hadn't come back. And he only came back because of the Skynet machine, so it's a circle of impossibilities. Who devised Arnie's chip in the first place? Answer: Nobody, therefore it could not exist. 3: At the end of Terminator II, all traces of both machines are destroyed, and the world is saved from its dreadful fate. If that's the case, John Connor, who was conceived of someone he sent back from the future, should have disappeared as soon as Arnie kicks off, because without the Terminator, there wouldn't have been a machine rebellion and time machine. Therefore, there would've been no way a man from the future could've sired young John 4: The scientist who invented Skynet blew himself up halfway through the film, along with Arnie's old arm. In which case, Arnie, John Connor and the T1000 should have disappeared because they would never have existed, etc. 5: A nice girl like Sarah Connor wouldn't sleep with someone the first night so John wouldn't have been conceived - she would have waited until she was married, surely? Well there y'go - there's five impossibilities (well, four and a possibility too shocking to contemplate). Anyone who thinks they can work it out and make sense of the film ought to themselves into a mental hospital as soon as possible.

Your Sinclair

Life Expectancy 87%

Instant Appeal 83%

Graphics 81%

Addictiveness 82%

Overall 88%

James Leach 88%

Ocean £10.99 cass (128K only)/£15.99 disk Reviewer: James Leach When Arnie says 'I'll be back' he really means it! T2 has got to be biggest, most amazing-looking film ever - the sort you watch about seven times, then go and get on video. So you can imagine how much I was looking forward to seeing the Ocean game. And, as if by magic, here it is. Right. Terminator 2 is one of those famous Ocean three-games-in-one jobbies. I think the best thing would be for me to sort of look at each level. So, er, I'll just do that then, shall I? Good. Level One is a bit of a punch-their-heads-in game. You're all alone in the corridor with Mr T1000 who is made of a weird mercury-type substance which, when bashed, globs back into its proper shape. You're both trying to smack each others metallic brains in and, being Terminators, the violence level is remarkably huge. It's a great section with plenty of neat effects, bits of the T1000 reform as different shapes and his arms turn into spikes and so on. HASTA LA VISTA, BABY! At the bottom corners of the screen are two piccies of the T1000 and Arnie. As they get bashed around, their skin drops off (eurrggh) and the insides of their faces show through. Nasty, eh? Get through Level One and you find yourself on a motorbike with John Connor (the lad you're trying to protect) on the back. It's a vertical scroller and is as fast as a weasel with tummy troubles. You view your bike from above and behind you is the T1000 in a rather scary lorry, trying to rum you down. What a cad, eh? This levels very, very fast. By my calculations, you've got about 0.13 of a second to avoid all the wrecked cars and the pools of oil that lie in your path. If you've got good reactions, you're gonna love this! Right, if you get through that little lot okay, you're onto Level Three. Here you've got to do a bit of an op on Arnie's arm. It's one of those difficult arrange-the-squares puzzles with an evil time limit which'll have your hair falling on the floor quicker than you can say Duncan Goodhew. The display is really swanky, and the joystick movement works well too. Yep, those bods at Ocean certainly know how to string a game together! Level Four is a bit like Level one, except that T1000 is a tad tougher. Bash him 'til he gives up and runs away. And that's it basically. It all looks very nice and everything, but you've seen it all before. Level Five now. Rearrange the blocks (yes, just like Level Three) 'til' Arnie's face is in one piece. It's even harder than Level Three the truth be told. There are lots of great colours here, so crank up the contrast on your telly for this bit. But, arrgghh! That blasted me limit - it gets me every time! Level Six sees you in a van on a vertically scrolling road. It feels a bit like, you guessed it, Level Two. It's just as fast, but its got different graphics and the T1000 is in a helicopter, trying to ram you. But nay fret. you've got target crosshairs and you can blast that molten dude to kingdom come. It's a very slick level, is Level Six, so you'll have lots of fun with it! Level Seven is the last level (phew) and it's another fighty one. The T1000 has lost his powers to regenerate, so every smack you give him weakens the nasty fellow permanently. But he's still a bit hard, what with his spiky arms and all, so take a care. AND THAT'S THE LOT? How much do you blimming want? Seven levels, based on three types of gameplay, is a lot of code, Each level is different enough to get into (so you won't get bored) and the game is just so jolly quick that your heart will pound and your sweat will flow. (Not mine, matey. Ed) if you've got a good joystick, you probably won't have by the time you finish playing Terminator 2! Any criticisms? Well its a blasted difficult game to beat. The scrolling bits are the hardest, but the fighting sequences aren't exactly a pushover either. If you don't complete the puzzly bits in the time allowed you still recover energy for your battered and knackered Terminator, depending on how many pieces you managed to get right. Useful, if not downright blimming vital, I'd say. Yep, T2 is an absolute corker of a stormer of a multi-level game. You really need to have seen the movie to understand what all the bits mean, but of course you can still play and win without having to sit glued to the cinema screen for a couple of hours. If the game was a wee bit easier, at least on the driving level, it might have made Megagame status. But that, and the fact that each level does sort of repeat, means that it falls short by a degree or two. Still, if you're an Arnie fan (and let's face it - who isn't? Ed), you'll love it. 48K dudes will be dead annoyed that it isn't available on their machine. Upgrade now, guys!

Here's Mr Molten. He's a bit tough, and able to withstand shotgun blasts to the head. Split him in half and he just reforms! Pah!

Hurrah! Here Arnie's not as tough as the T1000 but he's our fave (and the film's hero). You play him in the game, so practice saying "I'll be back" a lot.

It looks as if someone's rearranged Arnie's face. It's up to you to get it all hunky and handsome again.

John's only a little lad but his heart is in the right place (behind his ribs). He's the reason the Terminators are fighting. The T1000 wants him dead. Oooh!

Oh dear, Arnie's just been knocked over by the nasty big T1000. The poor boy doesn't know what's hit him! It really isn't fair. Y'see, that metallic man is cheating by using his arms as huge spikes and by kicking and punching Arnie really hard. The faces below the display show how much damage each Terminator is taking. As the get bashed, their flesh disappears and you see more and more of their hideous metal skeletons. Ugh. Arnie definitely looks better with all his skin wrapped round him!

Sarah Connor is John's mum. She's been locked in a loony bin for a few years, but there's nowt wrong with her that a good fight wouldn't cure.

The road is a fiendish level. You've got to get the Harley weaving around (or over) all those objects.

This looks a bit handy! Here you move the segments of Arnie's computer hands to get it all working again.

ARNIE TRIES TO SPEAK Arnie: Hallo YS dudes! You vant me to talk about mein funky movie und game, ja? YS: No, there isn't time. Arnie: Oh you unpleasant YS scumbags. Uzi 12 millimetre I'll be back!

BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN THE FILM YET! Well, if you don't want to know what the movie is like, don't read on. Right, that's got rid of them. Okay, there are two Terminators. One was sent back to rub out John Connor (who, if he grows up, will lead a rebel band against the Terminators. The other is Arnie (hurrah!). His job is to protect John. The two cyborgs battle it out between them with loads of serious hardware and manage to destroy most of LA along the way. Each level of T2 (the game) is taken from a part of the film, Arnie and the T1000 really do get to punch and kick each other quite a lot. In a completely brilliant bit the T1000, in a rather large lorry, chases Arnie and the little lad (who are sat tight on their Harley Davidson) along a storm drain. There's also a fab part where Arnie's driving a van with John and Sarah (John's mother) and blasting millions of machine rounds out of the back at the Mr. Unstoppable in a helicopter. At the same time! It's got some of the best chopper flying I've ever seen (and I've seen quite a lot actually), Elsewhere in the film there are a few non-violent bits where John tries to make his Pet Terminator act like a really cool guy by teaching him full of various Californian phrases and hand-slapping techniques. This is where Amie learns to say "Hasta la vista, baby". Linda, YS's resident linguistic expert, informs me that this is Spanish for "I go to the house". Er, makes sense. Anyway, the best bit has got to be the hand-to-hand fight at the end of the film. It's absolutely mega-stonking, and has the best computer-generated graphics in any film ever (You're quite a fan, aren't you? Ed). And the weirdest thing is that if you manage to play through the complete Ocean game (without using cheats), the chances are you'll be as knackered as both the Terminators! Cor!

Here he is - the metallic robot that almost steals Arnie's thunder. The T1000 kills a cop early on in the film and nicks his shape. He can be any shape he wants, though. He even disguises himself as a floor! (Well he shouldn't let people walk all over him).

Read it at Your Sinclair Rock'n'Roll Years

Sinclair UserSinclair User Silver

Graphics 90%

Sound 73%

Playability 85%

Lastability 78%

Overall 84%

Garth Sumpter

Ian Watson 84%

He feels no pity, no pain, no fear, he's a remorseless killing machine, and it's nothing personal - so why does the Arnie character in Terminator 2 seem to spend most of his time involved in lame bouts of fisticuffs? It's a nice rag bag of styles and stimuli, and generally what makes T2 such a success is the sheer variety of what's on offer. Each section may not be mindblowingly exciting, but lumped together they provide a challenge that's constantly got a trick up its sleeve. Enjoyable, but... It could have been better. Welcome to Judgment Day. There are seven levels in all, three where T101 and T1000 (you and him respectively) do their best to punch, kick, knee and headbutt each other into submission, two where a frantic car (bike/helicopter/lorry etc) chase calls for masses of grit and co-ordination, and two pictorial puzzles where extra energy can be gained by literally re-arranging Arnie's arm and face! The fight sections are fun but rather limited, the chase scenes will have you somewhere near the edge of your seat, and the puzzles are guaranteed to make you rip out gigantic tufts of hair in frustration.

God! Garth in the morning? I don't know who is worse.

It's not only us mortals who need a helping hand. Arnie needs a new hand.

Things are definitely hotting up for the poor old T1000. Aaaaah!

FILM FAX Terminator 2 is breaking all box-office records, but it also broke a record before it was even released being the most expensive film ever made ($100 million) with the highest payment ever made to a staring actor ($12 million plus a share of the profits!). James Cameron, the director, got a reputation for extreme extravagance enforced by one occasion when he wanted a truck coming from the right hand side of the screen and it was filmed from the left. The shot couldn't be retaken so the film was flipped over and the driver and road signs erased and redrawn by computer so that they were both the right way round. Although Arnold hates sequels and would not do one for any of his other films he wouldn't rule out a Terminator 3! Schwarzenegger is giving his acting career a break and has just directed an episode of Tales from The Crypt. When finishing filming on Terminator Cameron concluded that they had made a pretty good film, but had no idea that it would be the success it has been.

The phrase "Terminator Two" is a prime example of what's known as alliteration. Other such exciting grammatical forms include assonance, and erm... tons of others probably. And they say reading SU isn't educational! Pah! Arnie may play a born again merciless cyborg assassin in the smash movie Terminator 2, but his tin pot character is by no means the first robot to appear on the silver screen. That accolade belongs to Robbie, the nuts and bolts manservant of cult feature Forbidden Planet. Other movie robots include, C3PO and R2D2 (Star Wars), Tweeky (Buck Rogers) and practically the entire cast of Blade Runner. Do sheep dream of electric androids? Maybe not... Did you know that both the film and the game Terminator 2 were nearly never made because Arnie had originally planned to spend the whole of 1991 learning Yugoslavian. Happily for us though the film's director was a fluent speaker and managed to combine making the feature with rudimentary grammar lessons. Did you know that? Well, I'd be surprised if you did, because we've just made the whole thing up!