Brian the Bold

Crash

Atmosphere 54%

Vocabulary 58%

Logic 65%

Addictive Quality 45%

Overall 58%

Derek Brewster 58%

DEREK BREWSTER'S ADVENTURE TRAIL CHICKEN AND EGGHEADS The 128K Spectrum has been around now for some time, and apart from some early commissioned software, and the exemplary efforts of Mastertronic, every software house old enough to remember computers like the Oric. Enterprise, and Memotech is saving its efforts until the 128 has a proven sales record. Admittedly, there have been question marks over the computer's future since the takeover by Alan Sugar, but everyone knows that it may take some time to produce a successor, and that when it arrives it will no doubt be fully compatible with the 128. May I just put forward the argument that if the successor is not compatible then this is a matter for Alan Sugar to worry about and not any potential 128 purchaser. There has been much advice on this issue in magazines and the general consensus is that the public should wait and see. All I can say is heaven knows what would have happened to the Sinclair phenomenon if such advice was offered in 1982 amid rumours of the 48K's unreliability. Presumably, everyone would have ended up with Atari microcomputers which were (and still are) superb value for money, and the home software industry might never have gained the poise and standing it has now earned for itself. Alan Sugar is caught in a marketing quandary over the positions of his Amstrad and Spectrum concerns. He claims far too much for the likes of the CPC 464 and its derivatives and is too dismissive of the huge Spectrum games world he has inherited. I suggest the potential micro purchaser keeps well clear of such political manoeuverings and simply goes out and buys the microcomputer which offers the best software backup at the most competitive price. If this be the 128 Spectrum then so be it. Sold in sufficient numbers, the 128 will ensure both software support in the near future, and hardware compatibility in the longer term - no matter who provides them. SOMETHING TO CROW ABOUT? Adventuring began with the mainframe Colossal Cavern and due to the inherent limitations of mainframes, text without pictures was the order of the day. Along came the ZX Spectrum in 1982 and, although many adventures remained text-only, mimicking the original, the first faltering steps were taken towards full-blown illustrations with the likes of The Hobbit and Fantasia Diamond. Some time later, graphics (as pictures on computers are invariably called) became quite sophisticated, and respectable even, as some specialist graphic computer artists got to grips with the Spectrum, most notably Banner of Interceptor (Jewels of Babylon, Warlord) and Teoman Irmak of the old Adventure International (Gremlins, Touchstones of Rhiannon). Now, you might think it a little hypocritical to mention these games. After all, when they were released I refused to be swayed simply by their graphics but instead reviewed the adventure as a whole - remember this was when Level 9 were releasing games with simple graphic styles but immense intricacies of plot and composition, and games as good and innovative as Sherlock and Lords of Midnight were about. The reason why good graphics could not co-exist with complexity of gameplay was simply the restriction on memory. Surely now with 128K, adventures can combine the two and produce something worth crowing about. BRIAN THE BOLD Producer: Central Solutions Retail Price: £0.99 Author: Edward Beck It is the tenth year in the reign of Good King Frederick. No more do the people enjoy a happy existence. The last few months have been a misery for each and every person of the realm. Everyone is miserable because King Frederick's beautiful daughter, Princess Leanora has been kidnapped. It is thought Bragen, an evil warlock, was behind this wrongdoing and it is said the daughter is held captive in the Black Tower. Several of the king's champion knights have failed in their quest to rescue the princess and now there is a reward for anyone who succeeds. You are Brian, a peasant boy with very little knowledge but a great imagination. You have often dreamt of daring escapades in which you achieve great wealth. Secretly, you leave home and travel to the king's castle. The result is not altogether surprising - you are not permitted to enter the hallowed cloisters of the sovereign's castle. When you tell the guards of your intention to rescue the princess they smile and tell you to go home before you get hurt. Maybe they are right, but standing dumbstruck outside the imposing castle, your dreams take on a new clarity. It is indeed your destiny to set out for the Black Tower and rescue the lair princess. As introductions go, the above isn't too bad as at least you come out of them knowing exactly what you have to do. What I'm not so keen on is the break in loading where you have to press a key to read for skip) the instructions. I wonder how many other people tend to go and make cups of tea while a game is loading? I think me reviewing this game points out the folly of a company like CENTRAL SOLUTIONS releasing a great batch of games all at the same time. Because of the constraints of time (especially in adventure reviewing) the reviewer tends to pick one or two at random from the mass of cassettes, seeing as there is nothing to distinguish between those releases of some merit from those just thrown into make up the numbers and create the impression of grabbing a fair slice of market share. What with choosing at random, and rejecting quickly those which wouldn't load first time so as to get onto those that would, I ended up reviewing Brian the Bold which is not a good adventure. The location descriptions are terse and inadequate. Examining and even picking up objects is met with a puzzled silence, and the pictures are simply awful (and slowly drawn to boot). COMMENTS Difficulty: moderate Graphics: awful Presentation: Spectrum characters Input facility: verb/noun Response: Quill