Hewson
£12.99 cass
Reviewer: Sean Kelly

As anyone with half a brain will tell you, Hewson is perhaps the only company whose ability to consistently release quality material is unquestioned. Everything it releases seems to either become a Megagame or make it into the 70s and 80s. So, when I was asked to review a compilation of Hewson material, I didn't need to be asked twice. Armed with a flask of coffee, and four packets of Custard Creams, I locked myself away and set to...

NEBULUS
Nebulus is easily the best game in this package. The idea is simply to climb to the top of a revolving tower by means of stairs, lifts and doorways, whilst avoiding the many obstacles pout in your way. No screenshots can do justice to this game, which I'm still playing for hours a day, a week after getting it. A simple idea, excellently programmed, it was megagamed on its first release, and is still worthy of such glittering status even today.
'89 rating: 92°

ZYNAPS
The out and out shoot 'em up of the package, so forget the scenario. A horizontal scroller, complete with all the usual features, including the now obligatory 'power up' option. no more than visually and sonically competent, it has dated somewhat since its release two years ago, and doesn't really measure up to the Cybernoids and R-Types of today. Still not bad, though.
'89 Rating: 60°

NETHERWORLD
You are trapped in another world completely different from the one you know, so you collect diamonds to pay for your passage through the various teleports to ultimately reach home. It's an unspectacular maze game which, although competent, has a 'not quite finished' look about it. Not bad, but certainly not good by Hewson's standards.
'89 Rating: 61°

IMPOSSABALL
This game, written by John Phillips of Nebulus game, again consists of a simple idea excellently executed. You must bounce a ball along the corridor of death, destroying all the cylinders you encounter, whilst avoiding all those electrical fields, spikes and stuff. Not quite Megagame material today, but still a worth game.
'89 Rating: 82°

RANARAMA
Like an idiot you have turned yourself into a frog. You must work your way down the dungeons, getting rid of all the warlocks you've let in by defeating them at ritual combat and thus increasing your own spell and physical strength. Gaunletesque game with excellent and colourful gameplay, and more depth than most of its competitors.
'89 Rating: 87°

FIRELORD
You must seek out the sacred Firestone and return it to the dragon's safekeeping. This involves charging round a ginormous village and trading with the occupants of various houses for things like food, magic spells and an A-Z. A fairly bog standard, maze-type game, although the trading element, with its ability to cheat, does add novelty and some depth.
'89 Rating: 63°

Although a couple of the games are a little old now, and some of them have appeared on compilations before, this is still and excellent selection. There's enough here to keep the most ardent of gameplayers occupied through most of the long summer evenings, and possibly beyond. If you haven't already got three or four of these games, then this is certainly worthy of consideration. If you haven't got any of them, either hang your head in shame and wear a brown paper bag for a week, or go to your local software emporium immediately and buy it.