Proteus + Android Pit Rescue

Crash

Use of Computer 60%

Graphics 58%

Playability 67%

Getting Started 74%

Addictive Qualities 68%

Value For Money 66%

Overall 66%

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Producer: Abacus Memory Required: 16K Retail Price: £5.95 Language: Machine code Author: Kevin Flynn Proteus is the fourth game in a series (all four may be bought in a games pack as we reported in last month's issue, price £14.95) which began with Avenger and Sentinel. This is a fast and lethal shoot em up game with asteroidal overtones. A Quadrant of the enemy galaxy, littered with planet debris and patrolled by hostile aliens, stretches between your main battle fleet and the enemy's planet. The object is to destroy the enemy's communications system which consists of four transmitters, one in each corner of the quadrant. A chart shows the quadrant with the squares containing the transmitters in yellow. The alien craft are armed with heavy laser cannons and are very intelligent. If you succeed in clearing them from a sector you will be attacked by hunter craft which fire homing missiles at you. Your craft are armed with a laser and (the famous Abacus) guided missiles. It can rotate or thrust at two speeds. In addition to destroying the transmitters, you are supposed to clear a path through the very dense debris, so that your battle fleet may advance safely. The cassette also contains a bonus game on the flip side called Android Pit Rescue. COMMENTS Control keys: A/S rotate/guide missiles, SPACE = thrust, SPACE & SYM. SHIFT = boosters on, SYM. SHIFT = fire photons, M = fire missiles, SPACE = detonate missiles, K = galactic map Joystick: none Keyboard play: exceptional fast and responsive Use of colour good Graphics: simple but effective Sound: good Skill levels: 5 speeds Lives: 5 Screens: 20 battle grids

The Abacus tetralogy moves into enemy territory with those lethal guided missiles.

Sinclair User

Gilbert Factor 5/10

Memory: 16K Price: £5.95 Proteus has a complicated scenario in which you act as pathfinder for your main fleet of starships. You have to clear a route through a screenful of planet debris, at the same time knocking out your enemy's communication points and defending yourself against enemy attack. The game is much simpler to play on-screen than the cassette insert implies. It is written to a good arcade standard, is fast-moving, and requires considerable practice for success, all the more since you cannot fire your guided missiles and manoeuvre your spacecraft at the same time. Supplied as a bonus on the B side is Android Pit Rescue, a Basic game where for a change you do not have to kill anything but rather rescue trapped miners from a flooded pit. It has the appearance of a watery Kong type of game, without the ladders, but is entertaining to play nevertheless. Proteus can be obtained from Abacus Programs.

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