Computer + Video Games - Commodore Is Awesome

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move quicker and can take out
the deadly, orange ball spewing
nasties at a safe enough
distance to stop you weakening
your craft. You can't stay
airborne constantly as certain of
the nasties crawl along the
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planet surface and cannot be
destroyed from above. There
are also certain obstacles that
need to be cleared.
Some games start off easily
and then toughen up after the
second level or so. None of this
shilly shaliying around in
Xenon.
You are right in the heat of
the action from the very start. A
third of the way through the
level you are confronted by a
• This hulk has two guardian beetles and requires
hits to destroy.
huge, beetle-like alien that is
easily five times the size of your
ship.
Several direct hits have to be
registered before an orange ball
develops in the centre of the
monster, pulsates, and finally
blows allowing you to pass.
The ground based domes are
lethal - constantly opening and
closing - spitting out energy
sapping balls.
Building your ship is crucial -
and fun! Pick up the letters to
add wing litters, a rotating
guardian ship, side lazers,
diagonal lazers, super flame
throwers. If you collect them all
your ship becomes one moving
dispenser of mega death.
M
The game has an annoying
way of levelling the odds once
you get to the giant alien at the
end of levels. It strips you of
your extra weapons - leaving
just the wing lazers.
There is nothing particularly
original about Xenon, It's just
the way that it is done that
makes it special and sets it
apart. You get the impression
when you are playing it that the
designers plotted every single
ground installation and alien
flight path with cunning smiles
on their faces - probably
chuckling amongst themselves
and saying: 'The bastards will
never do this."
It's tough - you'll see. One of
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those games that is never
meant to be completed. If you
clock this you've really got
something to crow about. I
think Melbourne House should
get badges printed and send
them out to the people who
manage it.
Xenon is an interesting point
of comparison between the ST
and Amiga. Both versions are
brilliant- but the Amiga is
better. It's faster and the music
just wipes the floor with the ST.
Constantly changing and
reacting to the joystick and
featuring sampled guitar riffs
and tremendous explosions.
Melbourne are promising
Spectrum and 64 versions of
the game - but I wouldn't buy
until you see the C+VG review.
I am not entirely sure the
design of the game is strong
enough for it to hold up on
those machines,
It's difficult for me to tell you
how good Xenon is. All the
cliches are too well worn. You
know what I mean, statements
like "it's worth buying an ST
just to play this' - that kind of
crap, All I will say is that in five
years of reviewing computer
games this is the best shoot-
'em-up I've played.
This is arcade entertainment
to play at home and no bull.
P GRAPHICS
SOUND
lo• VALUE
lib. PLAYA/Min
• No advanced shoot 'em up is complete without slimy bra
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