Your Commodore - Commodore Is Awesome

REVIEWS
guard, he heard the door slam shut behind him. No amount
of brute force or any number of bullets had any effect on the
door. The only objects of interest in the cubicle were three
buttons. A quick prod of them produced a sensation somewhat
akin to being in a lift and time machine simultaneously.
Finally, the machine stopped and another button opened a
door into a room which seemed suspiciously like a library.
Pausing only to obliterate a passing robot with an
apparently hostile intention, agent I Y started to look at the
books when a voice informed him that he had precisely 16
minutes to find and destroy five creatures. A picture of them
appeared on the small screen and although they looked like
men, I Y knew that they may well be humanoids.
Unfortunately, they looked nothing like the droid that he
had just blasted and already, his time was beginning to tick
away. It wasn't quite the mission that he had in mind but it
did involve lots of violence and there didn't appear to be
much of an alternative.
The screen shows two levels of the area that you are in
and you can see various droids, robots and humanoids
running around and firing. Lifts move you between levels
and the first thing to note is that although you can only see ARCANA
two levels on screen, an area may consist of several so that
although you are on top of the screen, you may still be able to
take a lift upwards. Teleport systems allow you to move to
different areas and there is an elementary radar system K
showing the approximate location of your targets. The only nthe
castle Arcana. Deep within the castle is the Dark
hint that you have is not to blast anything that doesn't try to
g Clavicle, the most powerful book on Black Magic ever
blast to you.
Your man is nicely animated as he runs round the library,
V
written. Naturally, Valarequil would love to know what
secrets are inside the book but there are problems. The clasp
cathedral and parks and the music helps maintain the atmo- a
of the book is sealed and the special incantation that is
sphere. Mission A.D. is a nice blend between shoot-em-up lneeded
to unlock it is only revealed when the light of
and arcade adventure and there is definitely a feel of "I'll just aShedding
Moon falls upon it. As that is tonight, the elves of
have one more go."
rEstarion
have sent you to find and destroy the book and you
earrive
at the castle with only two and a half hours to go
before the moon rises.
q
When you are as evil as this king, you don't leave any-
u
thing to chance and so the book is heavily defended. The main
iline
of defence is the small matter of seven demons. Fortu-
l nately, there also happens to be seven amulets which will
( protect you if you can find them. The second line of defence
tare
the king's many minions who are hell-bent on sapping
At
hyour
energy. You can counter these by firing bolts of magical
limentair _ t o m
e
energy supplied to you by the elves.
i
The castle itself needs to be explored thoroughly. Most of
1
b
1.ath
it is a series of maze like corridors but there are also some 30
l
aspecial
rooms spread over the four levels. These may include
i
6
-e -'gM ''&!-1 \ t •
duseful
items or help you if you are carrying a specific item.
1 ,
dTherefore,
if nothing happens when you first enter,. the
m
g1
•
r
y chances are that you will need to return later. Moving round
1 ,
/
)
the castle is straightforward. Some doors are open, some
r
locked and some just stuck so that they open when you blast
I -
d
a
t -- '4_
r
them. There are stairs leading to different levels and an
1
i
,
u
k
ancient transport mechanism to be found and used.
1
l
l
,
Although it bears a passing resemblance to Ultimate's
r;
h
earcade
adventures, I found that Arcana had a better game-
a,. -i
,
s play and was much more addictive. Definitely worth a look
4KMZ -1
tif
you enjoy this type of game. G . H .
l -
EITBI
TOUCHLINE
w
-
h
TO
ZiM2
Title:
-
e
r Mission A.D. Supplier.' Odin, Wellington House, Title: Areana. Supplier: New Generation, 2-4 Vernon Yard,
O-
N
Upper A St Martins Lane. London WC2H 9D1.- Machine:
Portobello road, London W11 20X. Machine: C64. Price:
C64. I
a Price: £9.95.
o£7.95.
L1
Originality: t 8/10. Graphics: 8/10. Playability: 7/10. Value: rOriginality:
7110. Graphics: 8/10. Playabihty: 9/10. Value:
7/10. : 1
t
8/10.
I 1
A_
h
0
YOUR COMMODORE l november 1986:56
L
-
a