The Hunt for Magenta October

By Rebelstar without a Cause

Genre: Strategerine

This little beauty from Rebelstar marks our 75^th entry so far, and as we are approximately ¾ of the way through the year we mayyyyy just manage the big 100 this year.  Let’s see.

THFMO (short for The Hunt for Magenta October) is an advanced strategy game with a sub-maritime theme, if that’s a word.  Picture the scene, a Russian submarine captained by a Russian who’s also Scottish, has gone missing.  An American sub is after it for some reason or other.  Sound familiar?  It should, as this game is clearly based on the hit submarine based film starring Gene Wilder - Crimson Tide.

You press ‘W’ to start and quickly realise there is an intense turn based strategy game ahead.  Some may find the screen layout a bit too minimalist - there is no text and the game doesn’t even bother with UDGs, in this case our submarines are represented by the humble ‘o’.  But for me it aids the tension, you can literally cut the water with a knife.  To play the game you move around the screen using QAOP and occasionally (or every 5 keystrokes if you prefer) the magenta sub surfaces so you can chase it.

When you finally reach your quarry there is a world of possibility – well one, and don’t get your hopes up too much.

Thankyou Rebelstar!

Download here.

S.N.A.I.L

By Wookiee
Genre: Arcade Horror

 Behold.  The CGC has arrived.  This amazing competition is not only about making crap games, but also about breaking boundaries.  Space Nuclear Assault Infiltration Legionnaire just may be the slowest Spectrum BASIC game to have ever existed.  What’s even better is that I don’t think it was intended to be so, as you can sense this game has some heart – (and no delay loops to falsely slow the code).

Be sure to load this game in 128k mode (Tape loader option), as in 48k mode, or on a 48k Spectrum you will become very familiar with the ‘C Nonsense in BASIC’ statement.  The reason for this is the regular use of the 128k only ‘PLAY’ command, and I have to say it’s worth it.  The multi channel AY chip of the higher memory Spectrum is designed for catchy music and advanced effects, yet somehow Wookie has managed to combine this with the spectrum beeper to make a cacophony of grating beeps (bonus points for ripping off Frere Gustav from the Spectrum BASIC manual – and repeating the chorus enough to genuinely annoy).  Though I do have to yield that the crash noise isn’t at all bad.

So assuming you make it past the initial hurdles, on to the game.

 

To play S.N.A.I.L is amazing, the instructions suggests fast paced arcade fun, promising bombers, fighters, interceptors and flak bursting all around, yet somehow it plays like a turn based adventure!  Though I’m trying to see the best in it, and as long as you think of it as a turn based game it’s not actually that bad!  While there’s not much that can be done about the randomly appearing flak bursts, you can spot enemy behaviour and act accordingly.  And you certainly have time to do so, I literally had time to pour a cup of tea, remove the bag and add the milk before leisurely returning to my seat to face the onslaught of the Badong empire!  The biggest pain is when you do lose a life, you have to go right back to the bottom of the screen and trundle back up it again.

 

To lose a life in S.N.A.I.L must be akin to being a fly unexpectedly caught by a sluggish looming newspaper roll.

If you crank up the emulator the game is easy, but it’s interesting that at ‘normal’ speed it is very hard, in fact at the time of writing I have yet to complete it.

In summary, an appalling arcade game but not quite so bad strategy game.  It's got nice UDGs and heart.....still crap though.

Thankyou Wookiee!

Download here.