Producer: C.R.L.
Memory Required: 48K
Retail Price: £5.95
Language: Machine code
Author: Paul Simmons

It is the year 2000 and the world has been overcome by a bunch of out-of-town aliens who have set up their HQ on top of the CRL skyscraper (bit of wishful thinking here). Your task is to climb the skyscraper (inside - this isn't a Kong game!) and destroy their heavily fortified base atop it.

The CRL skyscraper is shown with an arrow pointing out where you are at present. As soon as the game proper starts you realise that what we have here is a 'Panic' game where holes must be dug for monsters to fall into and where they can be banged on the head and sent to their death. Depending on the type of monster you must shove them through one, two or even three floors.

What makes this game different from most 'Panic' types, is that most of the ladders have a door at their top, and, while shut, these doors keep the monsters at bay or trapped between two levels of the six on each screen. Opening a door will reveal a monster ready to pounce down the ladder on to you. This means a strategy for killing them off has to be worked out before a door is opened.

Subsequent screens are varied, with ladder positions changing and the numbers of monsters increasing, their speed as well. More of them become white and then purple. Your man can dig holes and fill them, he may also jump down one level through a hole.

COMMENTS

Control keys: Z-V left, B-M right, second row for up and third row for down, also fill and dig respectively. The cursors may also be used
Joystick: Kempston, ZX 2, Protek, AGF
Keyboard play: responsive and good key positions
Use of colour: good
Sound: good
Skill levels: 1 but progressive difficulty
Lives: 4

This is definitely a 'Panic ' game, but with so many frills added that it becomes much more than a 'Panic' game, requiring forward planning to get through a screen. I notice that there is just enough oxygen to get through a screen, which makes timing exceptionally important. Screen layout is very clear with large smooth moving characters. I like the way CRL have set the action inside a skyscraper where you must clear all the floors of aliens. as it does give you an incentive to get to the top. The various elements of this game combine to make it one of the most difficult 'Panics' ever. Colour and sound have been well used and it is a hard, addictive game to play.

One of the best "Panic" games for the Spectrum as far as the graphics go. They are large and well animated, fast moving and fun. However, I found the game too difficult to make it very addictive, even when a strategy for opening a door has been worked out.

Looking at all the floors of the CRL skyscraper is a bit daunting, especially when you then encounter the ground floor with all its ladders and doors. This is an extremely fast 'Panic' game which demands quick and accurate reactions if you're to survive very long. "The keys have been well laid out and used, only four being required as dig and fill are also the up and down keys. This is just as well with the speed needed. Good graphics and sound all added up to an addictive game as far as I was concerned and definitely one of the better "Panic" games around.

HEADBANGERS - PANIC GAMES

Armed with little more than a trusty spade, nimble fingers and wilting joystick, our two arcade playing reviewers, CHRIS PASSEY and MATTHEW UFFINDELL, enter the dusty platforms in search of monsters 'Panic' games involve climbing ladders to various levels within the screen, digging holes in the floors and letting the monsters fall into them. When you trap a monster in this manner, there is usually a short time in which to reach it, bang it on the head so that it falls through to its death, filling in the hole as it goes. Failure to kill it in time will result in the beast escaping and becoming a super monster. The more super a monster becomes, the more holes it must fall through in one go, which means digging holes in a vertical line. You have an ever-diminishing supply of oxygen, so speed is important. This selection contains some close copies and some slight variations on the theme.

PANDEMONIA
CRL
Memory Required: 48K
Retail Price: £5.59

This game gives a wide choice of keys and joystick options. It is a slight variation on the original 'Panic' with you having to open doors and get up to the top of a skyscraper. The graphics are excellent, the best of the bunch in fact. But the game lacked playability, and it is certainly the hardest game of the lot. Hardness it not a bad thing, but I really found it difficult to get anywhere. A sort of strategy is required before 'opening' a door. The oxygen feature is also included. A reasonable game that would be far better if it were just a little easier.
CP

Pandemoia is quite unlike all other 'Panic' games due to all the features which have been added. For instance, the entire game takes place in the CRL skyscraper, object being to get to the top and destroy the alien HQ. Some of the ladders, which connect five platform levels, have doors placed above them. Opening one reveals a hungry looking monster. Several different screens adds variety to the game. Your characteristic man moves and digs very well and he is controlled by a responsive, well laid out keyboard. The monsters are also drawn very nicely with three or more different types on screen at once - luck has it that they are not too intelligent. The ladders are large and easy to move up or down. Colour and sound has been put to good use. Overall the best 'Panic' here where forward thinking is essential and this game should take some time to master.
MU