PUZZLING PLOT FOR PLAYER

MICRO: Spectrum 48K
FORMAT: Cassette
SUPPLIER: Softel, 5 Durwood Drive, Glenrothes, Fife, Scotland

The cassette cover boasted: "Full colour 3D high raised graphics". I had a bad feeling, any firm who cannot spell on their cassette covers are obviously not taking the care necessary.

The game has a very strange plot: you are going to be taken to a space ship upon which you will travel to a prison planet. You have to stow away on the ship, leave the ship early to go to the planet, you have to find the encampment in which you are to be put, and lead the prisoners to rebellion. Surely it would be easier to let them take you there and just control the rebellion.

The game is in three parts, all basic programs. The first part is the instructions, the second is the adventure on board the starship, and the third is, I presume, the adventure on the planet. I say presume because this is one of those adventures that hasn't been finished and never will be.

The game is boring, and impossible. Softel sent a hint sheet with my copy, though I doubt it will be widely distributed. I progressed using the hints on the sheet and then my progress stopped.

The first location is the ground car. The drawing shows two boxes in a room with a door at the end. There is only one exit. The door is locked, and you have nothing with you. The room has nothing in it. Sounds like a good meaty start doesn't it? Unfortunately you would have to be a supernatural-lateral thinker if you want to solve the problem.

The solution, for those who have bought this game and are totally stuck at the first location, is to LIFT THE SEAT (of the ground car, whose seats are not shown in the picture), TAKE THE EXTINGUISHER (which is under the seat), PULL THE PIN (which for some inexplicable reason does not set the extinguisher off) and PICK THE LOCK WITH THE PIN.

The hint sheet says that the puzzles get more difficult as the game progresses, is this possible?

The programmer gives a warning that pressing break will cause an immediate system crash. This is a simple lie obviously designed to put off the pirate/cheat.

The game cannot really be recommended to anyone who does not have an IQ of 350 and a mind like Dr de Bono. If the sound of the puzzle above interests you, and you think that you could have worked out the solution with no clues, then buy the game, otherwise, steer clear, and spend your money on something else that is perhaps, dare I say, easier.