Tartan Software
£3.95

A starship has been sent to the planet Marego to defeat the invading rebels who bring with them a precious power crystal. This crystal (so powerful it has to be stored under oil!) is gradually polluting the life-supporting atmosphere. Unfortunately, the exploration team were attacked by rebels - two escaped, though. These two agents (controlled from the mothership via inbuilt communicators) must recover the crystal and bring back some seaside, ummm, geological rock and water samples.

The top of the screen is split in two - half for each independent agent. Each is controlled using simple verb/noun commands (the instructions state that the agents were brainwashed and can now only understand simple orders - how convenient!). Control is automatically switched to the other agent after one has moved, but this can be effectively switched off by telling one agent to WAIT.

The concept of having two agents is not simply a gimmick, each has different attributes. Agent One is strong but can't understand a word of the local lingo, so he's unable to read signs etc. On the other hand, Agent Two is more of an intellectual, but hardly Arnold Schwarzenegger!

Firstly, you must get both agents together to help each other. This is made difficult by an obstructing blank door as well as each agent having problems that the other could easily solve (if only he were there). For example, Agent One can find a computer but is unable to operate 'the confounded contraption', let alone read the words on the screen. A great deal of lateral thinking is needed to solve some of the perplexing puzzles. To aid progress in this difficult environment, a useful RAMSAVE option is included, as well as the standard tape SAVE.

All this exercising of the old grey matter might get a hit much if it wasn't for the little snippets of humour. The agents reply with such classics as 'You're having me on' and 'You're winding me up', and help to give themselves some personality.

The display is well laid out and clear. Location descriptions are kept short but contain everything you need to know, while all objects can be examined. Double Agent is an innovative piece of home-grown software featuring some intriguing interaction between the two agents. An extra bonus is the very witty (terribly corny) Escape on the flip side. This simply involves escaping from a prison cell with the help of a friendly wizard and a genie. It's quickly solved, as plenty of hints are given in the text. But it's funny, and a nice freebie to complement the difficult, main text-only adventure.

And if this isn't enough value for money, Tartan Software are also offering a £50 prize for the sender of the shortest solution to Double Agent. Get cracking, the closing date is November 30...

Double Agent is available from Tartan Software, 61 Bailie Norrie Crescent, MONTROSE, Angus, Scotland DD10 9DT.

FAX BOX
Title: Double Agent
Price: £3.95
Publisher: Tartan Software, 61 Bailie Norrie Crescent, Montrose, Angus, Scotland DD10 9DT
Reviewer: Mike Gerrard

Double Agent is Tartan Software's best release yet, and definitely offers double-value. There's a free bonus in Escape, on the other side, while the main game allows you to control two separate characters, Trantoss-style, as well as offering a £50 prize to the first person to send in the shortest possible solution by 30th June, 1988.

To deal with Escape, it's described as "A bonus nonsense adventure just for fun," though that should be 'just for pun'. It involves you escaping from a locked cell, and took me about 10 minutes to solve, though I didn't mind as it's fun while it lasts and it was a freebie after all!

Double Agent is a different kettle of difficulty, though. The story is that your starship has been sent to the planet Marego to help overcome a rebel invading force from a dying planet. The rebels brought with them a crystal source of power which is slowly polluting Marego. Your exploration party has been killed by the rebels, save for two agents who escaped. Because of the treatment they received they're incapable of original thought or action, but their in-built communicators allow you to send them simple one or two-word commands. That's handy for an adventure game! One agent is strong but doesn't speak or read the Marego language, the other's the more intellectual type who can cope with the local lingo. They must work together to try to return with the crystal, and bring samples of rock and water for analysis.

There's a lovely loading screen by Shaun McClure, who gets everywhere these days, and then you're into the split-screen text-only game. Agent One reports on the left, "This is bleak and barren land with zilch in sight," while over on the right Agent Two says, "I am outside a building, the door of which looks rather strong and sturdy." The two agents aren't far from each other, though of course there's a barrier between them and getting them together is one of your early problems. A quick tip is to start your map for Two at the bottom of the page, and for One at the top! They do have to work together too, passing objects to each other and deciding who's to do which job.

At the foot of the screen is one line for your Command Input Console, and you keep control of one agent till you issue a movement command when control automatically switches to the other. You can switch any time you like, however, by typing '1' or '2', or stay with one agent by telling the other to WAIT. All in all it's a very nifty piece of programming by author Tom Frost - and he's even managed to squeeze a RAM save in there as well.

If publishers weren't so hell-bent on telling us we don't want text-only adventures, I'm sure this game would have no problem in finding a home with one of the bigger names, like Mastertronic or CRL. As it is, you should snap it up from Tartan. You'll not only be supporting the smaller software houses, but you'll discover how hard it is to prise fifty quid from a Scotsman.

Double Agent is the new offering from Tartan Software, written completely from scratch by Tom Frost and using a very original idea. Two of your agents have managed to escape from a planet Marego. They have been brutally tortured and have lost some of their faculties. However, one of them is strong but uneducated, and the other has a knowledge of languages. You are in contact with both agents and can instruct one to wait whilst you explore with the other.

Eventually you will get the two agents together and this is where the fun really starts. Most of the problems need the two agents to interact with each other to enable you to progress.

The playing screen is very attractive and clearly displayed, with the location and responses for Agent One appearing on the left of the screen and those of Agent Two on the right. You get the feeling that you are playing two adventures at once. This is not an easy game but it is very original and completely absorbing.

There is also a bonus 'just for fun' adventure on the other side of the tape, and a competition. Whoever sends in the shortest solution, complete with map, will win £50. Closing date is the 30th June 1988, so you'll have to be quick if you want to enter.

Double Agent costs £3.95 and is available from Tartan Software, 61 Bailie Norrie Crescent, Montrose, Angus DD10 9DT.