Producer: Alligata
Retail Price: £2.99
Author: Xavi Martin Pucke

In times gone by, when knights were bold and crusaders roamed the land, the French (not satisfied with Golden Delicious and Citroen carts) held the treasured Holy Grail. In an attempt to keep this relic of the Last Supper, they stashed the wooden wonder deep within the Caves of Sabhatez in central France.

Now around this time Richard the Lionheart and a few trusted companions had booked their summer holidays in Jerusalem (apparently it's very nice at that time of year). On their way back, with holiday souveniers of the treasure in Solomon's temple in hand, they decided to stop a few (k)nights and put up tents in a little field near Toulouse - next to the Caves Of Sabhatez!

But the French king wasn't too happy with all these foreigners using his favourite holiday spot as a camp site. He was so incensed that, with the Pope's blessing, he sent French troops to move these sword-swingers on and protect the ancient remains. A great bloody battle arose with both sides taking heavy losses. And when all the excitement had subsided, both the Englishman's treasure and the Holy Grail had disappeared without a trace.

Hundreds of years passed, and the chalice was treated as little more than an ancient legend - till recently, when a wealthy Middle Eastern king sent a message out to archaeologists worldwide with the news that a reward lies waiting for any Indiana Jones-type character who can find the Holy Grail after all these years.

For the lucky man… not the usual holiday for two in Hawaii or a flight on Concorde, but the hand in marriage of the king's delectable young daughter and, of course, half of the kingdom.

Only one person comes forward for this 'challenge of the century', a loner of whom we know nothing, Rockman.

In Alligata's Rockman (referred to in the game as Rocman - INCONSISTENT SPELLING SHOCK), you are the fearless mercenary making your way through subterranean caverns and caves in a search for the Holy Grail.

As all adventurers know, keys and scrolls must be collected at every opportunity so you can roam through unexplored underground areas, avoiding the guards scattered throughout the mysterious hollows.

And on your quest through the labyrinthine structure you'll come across 12 ancient goblets, which must be gathered to form a magic shield. Only with this do you have any hope of finally taking hold of the Holy Grail and the King's only daughter…

COMMENTS

Joysticks: Kempston, Sinclair
Graphics: jerky scrolling, otherwise above average
Sound: strange speech...
Options: one skill level

I'm not at all keen on Rockman. The graphics are reasonable, though the scrolling is a throwback to the good ol' days of Rockford and Boulderdash. There's some gameplay, but not enough.
MIKE [49%]

This looks and plays very much like Quicksilva's Fred, but it's not so neat graphically. The main character is a little too cartoony for the straight scenario, and the playing area scrolls in characters, so things are jerky. There's plenty of colour and surprisingly little clash - a nice bit of programming. The gameplay leaves a little to be desired, though: trundling around picking things up was all very well a few years ago, but nowadays games need more. So I wouldn't recommend this - it's not playable or addictive in the slightest.
BEN [52%]

I just love the speech in Rockman! For a minute, when you load the tape, you get someone talking garbage. It's really neat! The sound is the best part of Rockman, with an average tune and many effects. The screens are colourful enough, though the scrolling and animation are awful, and the graphics seem to be made up from UDGs. But this doesn't spoil Rockman's addictive qualities. Rockman is way above average and will appeal to most people - and at this price it's a must for my collection.
NICK [70%]

Label: Budgie
Author: Xavi Martin Puche
Price: £2.99
Joystick: Cursor, Sinclair, Kempston
Memory: 48K/128K
Reviewer: Jerry Muir

There are games with simple plots, games with indescribably complex plots, but with Rocman I'm afraid the plot will be mostly guesswork, because it arrived hot from Hispania, without even an inlay card. But Jim tells me it concerns a quest for a mislaid Grail!

The synthesised speech is an indication of the polish that's gone into Rocman. The idea of a Roman (though he may be from modern day Barcelona, on his way to a fancy dress ball, for all I know) who has to trudge around, picking up objects and avoiding gliding eyeballs in caves, isn't going to win too many awards for originality. But do a thing with enough style and you can still save the day.

The thought that has gone into the scrolling scenery has really paid off, as you set your Rocam roamin' through an exotic landscape. Rocman himself is a fair size figure, large enough to show off an enthusiastic grin. The only side effect of his size is that timing jump, to avoid the eyeball nasties, is tricky, and his pace is perhaps a trifle plodding, (probably a result of all that marching round, dividing Gaul into three parts).

The game's construction is a little formulaeic, so that if you pick up an object, you won't have to walk far before you find a use for it! So, whenever you find a heart, which gives you a boost of extra strength, you can be sure that there's a sudden drop ahead to use it up.

But this is a budget game and there's enough in it to make it an amusing diversion, even if you can't help wishing that the programming and graphic skills could be used to a rather more original end. next time.

Label: Alligata
Author: Xavi Martin Pucke
Price: £1.99
Memory: 48K/128K
Joystick: various
Reviewer: Tony Dillon

Rockman... Roc... roc.. ro.ro.ro.. rockman! Yes, believe it or not, this is what your Spectrum will scream.

Were it not for the wonderful digitised speech, this game would maybe be pretty average but, as it is, it isn't. You are Rockman, stuck in a vaguely Wally-style world rescuing the Holy Grail from the caves of Sabhatez. Collect keys, hearts and scrolls to get through. Keys to open doors, scrolls to get past guards and hearts keep you alive. Also 12 cups have to be found to piece together a shield.

Rockman is quite taxing to play - just about worth buying at the price for the game alone - but it's the sound that really brings the game out. Along with the digitised speech at the start, there is a good title tune and some terrific spot effects during the game.

Supplier: Alligata
Version Tested: Spectrum

Rockman, as it says on the inlay card, or Rocman as it says on the screen, is an arcade style adventure in which your mission is to find the Holy Grail. Your reward is the hand in marriage of a Middle eastern princess plus half of her father's kingdom. Sounds attractive? Well, read on.

A window opens on the screen to show you standing at the start of your journey. Using a joystick or keys to go left-right, jump area, which is of the two dimensional, viewed side-on variety. Along the way you will find various keys which have to be picked up to enable you to gain access to other locations. You only have one life in this game but you are allowed to make three mistakes. A portrait of your good self at the base of the screen changes colour with each mistake - from yellow, through green to red before you die on your fourth mistake.

Hearts, found throughout the game, should be collected as they allow a mistake to be made without your image turning colour.

Also to be collected are twelve goblets, each of which will get a part of the shield you have to complete to finish your task.

Sound is used well, with an interesting title tune and nice walking noises as Rockman ambles on his merry way - leave Rockman alone for a couple of minutes and he turns to face you before doing a little dance until you press a key and resume play. Graphics, too, are suitably cute.

Rockman is an enjoyable and humourous game with enough fun to give you a run for your money.

Reviewer: Andy Smith

RELEASE BOX
Spectrum, £1.99cs, Out Now

Predicted Interest Curve

1 min: 4/10
1 hour: 7/10
1 day: 6.5/10
1 week: 6/10
1 month: 2/10
1 year: 0/10