Space Odyssey

Big K

Graphics 1/3

Playability 1/3

Addictiveness 2/3

Overall 1/3

Fin Fahey 1/3

MAKER: Abacus Software FORMAT: cassette PRICE: £14.99 (set of four) Software is being packaged more and more like lager. This one's a cut-price four-pack from Abacus, and works out at about half normal Spectrum price. Furthermore two of the cassettes have an extra bonus game on the other side. So clearly the problem isn't the quantity offered here, but what about the quality? I have to say that unfortunately, these aren't the most stunning arcade games in the universe. Sentinel is a sort of Asteroids variant, your ship can be rotated left and right, or thrust applied. You must avoid obstacles, such as your own space station, or the asteroids and aliens. The object is to stop the aliens before they take out the space station. Fireflash is a sort of Missile Command scenario, but rather fiddly and overcomplicated. You have to dire defence missiles to stop the alien invaders reaching your planetary surface. Proteus is a real-time Star Trek. You move from quadrant to quadrant of the galaxy, clearing the route of alien craft to allow your battle fleet to pass. I thought this much the best of the four - it gives the player plenty to do. Finally Avenger is a kind of sub-Scramble, and has you flying over an alien landscape, taking out fuel dumps and other installations on the way. You have to watch out for nuclear reactors though, in case you go up in a rather spectacular mushroom cloud. On the reverse of Fireflash is Destroyer, a rather simple-minded naval game, and Proteus has Android Put Rescue on its flipside, which has you moving from level of a collapsed pit rescuing trapped miners. It's unfair to criticise these latter two, as they are a free bonus, however, I thought the four main programs could have been better, even at this price. The graphics are rather tacky-looking, and although the game design differs in many ways from the arcade originals, the changes, to my mind, detract from the playability, rather than increase it. I'm carping a bit though. After all these are games, they are playable and they are cheap. Possibly a good stocking filler.

C&VG (Computer & Video Games)

FOUR FOR THE PRICE OF ONE! Computer games are gradually becoming more and more complex. A good example of this is a new series of four games for the Spectrum called Space Odyssey. The four games form an epic arcade-style adventure through time and space. The first part is called Sentinel in which you have to guard the gateway to your universe from attacks by alien space squadrons. Fireflash, part two of the adventure, concerns the attack of the enemy forces of your home planet. The future of the planet is in your hands. The saga is continued in Proteus. Fresh from your victory on your home planet, you must blast your way through the remaining aliens. Space Odyssey is concluded in the Avenger. You have finally reached the enemy planet. Can you destroy enough alien installations to win the final battle? The four games can be bought in a special pack for only £14.95 or separately for £5.90 each from Abacus Programs for the 16 or 48K Spectrum.