Producer: Pulsonic (Warwick Leisure)
Memory Required: 48K
Retail Price: £2.99
Language: BASIC

Warwick Leisure under the marketing name of Pulsonic, have launched a range of new games for various computers (eight for the Spectrum) at an extraordinary low price - £2.99. At that sort of price one would expect that the collection would contain nothing very new, and on the whole this is the case, with a few reasonable games and some very poor ones. The question remains to be asked, despite the low cost, are the games worth it?

Submarine Strike is a sort of simplified version of Hunter-Killer (Protek). You are the captain of a submarine with a mission to destroy as many enemy ships as possible with 10 torpedoes. The enemy has to get ships from Base A to Base B, which show up on the centrally placed radar. A map facility shows the total playing area and relates to the radar's more limited view. Hazards include reconnaissance planes which must be destroyed, enemy air attack, land-based guns, suffocation if submerged too long, running aground in shallows, and sea attack if your torpedoes miss their target. The screens include the map, control room with scanning radar of the immediate area, speed indication, depth, course, torpedo supply, on-board computer warning, air-raid warning and air-raid over indicator, then there is a periscope view for attacking shipping and also for shooting down aircraft.

Controlling the sub is quite simple with self-evident keys described in the inlay card. Messages are given you by the computer along the lines of, enemy shipping movements, imminent aircraft attack and damage reports. The mission is terminated if an enemy ship reaches base, you run out of air or fuel, run aground, use up all torpedoes, or if you are spotted by reconnaissance planes.

COMMENTS

Control keys: M=map, I=computer, C=change course, S=speed, D=dive, U=surface, P=pan periscope, F=fire, R=reload
Use of colour: average
Graphics: reasonable, good radar
Sound: poor
Skill levels: 1

Of the Pulsonic games, this was about the best one, I thought. Although it couldn't be described as a highly technical simulation, it certainly manages to be fun to play. The radar screen is actually quite effective, with the scanning line rotating round, and recreating the image each time. The depth indicator is rather primitive, merely a sub shape on top of or under the blue water, with a graphic representation of the sea bed. I think this one is worth the price, although it'll never replace Hunter-Killer for the real simulation addict.

I found this game quite good. It has reasonable graphics and control is not too bad either. Generally, even at £2.99 Pulsonic games seem to be poor value. This is due to the fact that they use so much BASIC and many of them are very dated. However, this one is probably just worth the asking price.

The graphics work quite well, especially the radar, and things happen quite quickly. It's easy to get killed off, especially when twice in a row you are spotted by reconnaissance planes. There is a chance to shoot them down but your gunners seem to take ages to reload after a shot. Plotting your way round the largish area of sea and islands can be enjoyable if you like simulations. This is a fairly simple one, but I would think it worth it despite the BASIC programming.

MACHINE: Spectrum 48K
CONTROL: Keys
FROM: Pulsonic, £2.99

Your submarine is loaded with ten torpedoes. The enemy is trying to move its ships from one base to another. Your mission is to stop as many ships as possible.

The submarine 'Spectrum' is one of the most advanced of its time. An on-board computer will give you any information that its sensors are able to discover about the enemy shipping. It jars that such a sophisticated machine has a cutesy way of responding with a 'Hi There!' and a jingle every time you communicate with it.

While hunting for the enemy your sub is under constant threats: from land-based guns; air attacks if you stay too long on the surface; and suffocation if you stay underwater too long. It's also possible to run aground if the water is too shallow and the enemy ships have a nasty habit of fighting back if you attack them.

Luckily for you your computer will give you advance warning of impending danger allowing you to take evasive action. Ignore its advice at your peril!

A radar helps you track down enemy ships and shows where the land masses are. This is a very good display even if it does scan a little on the slow side. Meters are given to monitor fuel and air supplies. You can refuel at one of the fuel dumps which are marked on your charts. You automatically take on air when you surface - a small diagram on the right of the display shows whether your sub is on the surface or submerged and how much water is beneath you.

Submarine Strike is a slow game to play but that doesn't mean that it isn't exciting. Once you get the scent of an enemy ship it will be full speed ahead and no mercy will be shown.

Spectrum 48K
Novelty
£6.95
Pulsonic

Hi there! Good shooting captain! Enemy plane Destroyed! Variable not found. 7410:2 These are just some of the messages that greet you as you play this simple game of submarine warfare. You get the standard instrument display, map display, periscope display. You shoot down enemy planes - don't forget to load - and also sink tankers, flat-tops, etc. You have to aim off to the left for some reason which adds an element of trickiness.