[{"TitleName":"Epyx Action","Publisher":"U.S. Gold Ltd","Author":"","YearOfRelease":"1989","ZxDbId":"0011259","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Sinclair Issue 49, Jan 1990","Price":"£1.7","ReleaseDate":"1989-12-18","Editor":"Matt Bielby","TotalPages":108,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Matt Bielby\r\nArt Editor: Catherine Peters\r\nDeputy Editor: David Wilson\r\nProduction Editor: Andy Ide\r\nDesigner: Martin Sharrocks\r\nTechnical Consultant: Jonathan Davies\r\nContributors: Robin Alway, Marcus Berkmann, Phoebe Cresswell-Evans, Jonathan Davies, Mike Gerrard, Sean Kelly, Paul Lakin, Duncan MacDonald, Rich Pelley, Dave Robinson, Jackie Ryan, Phil South, Wag, Louise Willers\r\nGroup Advertisement Manager: Lynda Elliott\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Caroline Day\r\nClassified Advertisement Executive: Chris Skinner\r\nAdvertisement Director: Alistair Ramsay\r\nProduction Manager: Judith Middleton\r\nAdvertisement Production: Claire Baker\r\nMarketing Manager: Bryan Denyer\r\nNewstrade Circulation Manager: Stephen Ward\r\nSubscription Manager: June Smith\r\nPublisher: Teresa Maughan\r\nGroup Publishing Director: Richard Howell\r\nGroup Creative Director: Tony Spalding\r\nFinance Director: Colin Crawford\r\nManaging Director: Stephen England\r\nChairman: Felix Dennis\r\n\r\nPublished by Dennis Publishing Ltd, [redacted] Company registered in England.\r\nTypesetters: Point Five [redacted]\r\nReproduction: Graphic Ideas, London\r\nPrinted By: Riverside Press [redacted]\r\nDistribution: Seymour Press [redacted]\r\n\r\nAll material in Your Sinclair ©1989 Felden Productions, and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of the publishers. Your Sinclair is a monthly publication."},"MainText":"Epyx\r\n£14.99 cass\r\nReviewer: David Wilson\r\n\r\nRight, you're absolutely brassic (skint!) after Christmas, right? You want to buy a new game and you've got just enough dosh to manage it. And what better buy could there be than one of the many compilations which are want to appear at this time of year? And here's one from Epyx! Shall we check it out? No? Alright then. (Oi! Come back!! Ed) Er... right, here we go...\r\n\r\nIMPOSSIBLE MISSION II\r\n\r\nHurrah. Probably the best game here, and certainly the only YS Megagame in the compilation. By today's standards of programming it wouldn't score as high because the graphics are so dated. Its main strength is the playability. The evil Elvin Atombender is intent on world domination for the second time (you foiled him the first time in Impossible Mission I, didn't you?) and so it's up to you to infiltrate his secret tower block with your special spy equipment, find all the hidden objects and codes, solve all the puzzles, and then hoof it! If you're not put off by brain-blending puzzle solving then this is a goodie.\r\n1990 Rating: 75°\r\n\r\n4x4 OFF-ROAD RACING\r\n\r\nThis one first saw the light of day back in April when our Jack scored it a big seven out of ten. It's not bad really, a sort of Enduro Racer with 4x4 trucks instead of bikes. What it has over that game is that you can choose one of four different trucks to match the requirements of the four different terrains. You can also buy loads of 'custom' extras to help you on your way. However, the main 'prob' is that each level multiloadds. Not bad in its actual gameplay, but no more fun than Enduro which is now on budget.\r\n1990 Rating 60°\r\n\r\nCALIFORNIA GAMES\r\n\r\nBlimey! This one crops up all over the shop, doesn't it? First released in March '88 it's also been on US Gold's World Beaters compilation. Basically it's a waggler, or keyboard basher if you prefer. You and up to four chums can get to take part in six weird Californian 'sports'. These are Half-Pipe Skateboarding, Footbag (which involves keeping a bean bag in the air on your foot), Flying Disk (frisbee throwing), Roller Skating, BMX Bike Racing and Surfing. Big blocky colourful graphics, zilcho sound, and, erm, not much else. Pass\r\n1990 Rating: 60°\r\n\r\nSTREET SPORTS BASKETBALL\r\n\r\nOldest of the selection is this sports sim, first released back in August '88, and, er, roundly panned when it was given to that fun and fancy-free chappie, Jonathan, to review. Yep, it scored a big five! Well, by today's standards, it doesn't even rate that! You get to choose your teams (of three!) and the location for the match, then you get to battle it out. It involves multiloading, but even if it didn't it still wouldn't be worth it. The graphics look exceedingly dated and the control system is a very hit-and-miss affair. Worst of the bunch!\r\n1990 Rating: 40°\r\n\r\nTHE GAMES - WINTER EDITION\r\n\r\nOh no! It's another of those waggling multi-sports sims! This time you get to participate in varoius event inspired by the Winter Olympics. There's Figure Skating (snore!), Speed Skating (loads of skiing), Slalom, Downhill, Cross Country, the Ski jump and the Luge! Remarkably similar in fact to US Gold's Winter Games when you care to think about it! (But I wouldn't, 'cos I didn't like that one much either!) I've always fancied a bit of luge, but the novelty soon wears off (oo-er!)\r\n1990 Rating: 50°\r\n\r\nSo there we have it, a bit of a duffer in bargs' clothing. I remember the days, mumble muffle, when the first compilation games appeared. They were always real value for money. Nowadays, though these games were former full pricers, they are all a tad dated and, er, not really that exciting! Here the better games aren't really good enough to save the whole. Sorry, Epyx, but this compilation did nothing for me. Of course, if you like thousands of different sport wagglers then you may not be of the same opinion.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"Hardly the most innovative of games for a compilation, so, considering the price, you'd do well to think twice.","Page":"59","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"David Wilson","Score":"60","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Street Sports Basketball"}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Life Expectancy","Score":"60%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"60%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictiveness","Score":"70%","Text":""},{"Header":"Instant Appeal","Score":"60%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"60%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[{"Header":"Impossible Mission II","Score":"75%","Text":"Impossible Mission II"},{"Header":"4x4 Off-Road Racing","Score":"60%","Text":"4x4 Off-Road Racing"},{"Header":"California Games","Score":"60%","Text":"California Games"},{"Header":"Street Sports Basketball","Score":"40%","Text":"Street Sports Basketball"},{"Header":"The Games - Winter Edition","Score":"50%","Text":"The Games - Winter Edition"}]},{"Issue":{"Name":"C&VG (Computer & Video Games) Issue 97, Dec 1989","Price":"£1.2","ReleaseDate":"1989-11-16","Editor":"Julian Rignall","TotalPages":164,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"CONTACTS AND CREDITS\r\n\r\nEditor: Julian Rignall\r\nArt Editor: Andrea Walker\r\nStaff Writers: Paul Glancey, Paul Rand\r\nArt Assistant: Osmond Browne\r\nAdvertising Manager: Nigel Taylor\r\nDep Ad Manager: Joanna Cooke\r\nSales Executive: Tina Zanelli\r\nProduction Assistant: Glenys Powell\r\nPublisher: Graham Taylor\r\nThis Month's Cover: Ghostsbusters II from Activision\r\nCover Artist: Jerry Paris\r\n\r\nSubscription Enquiries to: EMAP Frontline, [redacted]\r\nEditorial and Advertisement Offices: [redacted]\r\n\r\nPrinted By: Nene River Press, [redacted]\r\nColour By: Proprint, [redacted]\r\nTypeset By: Jaz and Mr T at EMAP\r\nDistributed By: EMAP Frontline\r\n\r\n©C+VG 1989\r\nISSN No: 0261-3697"},"MainText":"EPYX ACTION\r\nCONTENTS: 4x4 Off-Road Racing, Street Sports Basketball, Impossible Mission II, California Games, The Games: Winter Edition\r\nSpectrum/Amstrad/C64 £12.99\r\n\r\n4X4 and Street Sports are both poor, but the rest of the games are good and offer of varied, long-lasting entertainment.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"93","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Julian Rignall","Score":"79","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"AMSTRAD SCORES\r\n\r\nOverall: 80%\r\n\r\nSame criticisms as the Spectrum version. Give it a go..."},{"Text":"C64 SCORES\r\n\r\nOverall: 82%\r\n\r\nAgain, the two rotten apples are 4X4 and Street Sports - the rest are great fun. Not an essential purchase by any means, but there's plenty of fun on offer."}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"79%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]