[{"TitleName":"Metaplex","Publisher":"Addictive Games Ltd","Author":"Mark Alexander, Softeam","YearOfRelease":"1988","ZxDbId":"0003145","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Sinclair Issue 35, Nov 1988","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1988-10-11","Editor":"Teresa Maughan","TotalPages":124,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Teresa Maughan\r\nDeputy Editor: Ciaran Brennan\r\nStaff Writer: Duncan MacDonald\r\nProduction Editor: Jackie Ryan\r\nDesigner: Catherine Higgs\r\nTechnical Consultant: David McCandless\r\nContributors: Guy Bennington, Marcus Berkmann, Richard Blaine, David Cadle, Jonathan Davies, Mike 'Skippy' Dunn, Greville Edwards, Mike Gerrard, Sean Kelly, Graeme Kidd, David Powell, Peter Shaw, Rachael Smith, Phil South, Ben Stone\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Mark Salmon\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Simon Stansfield\r\nAdvertisement Director: Alistair Ramsay\r\nProduction Manager: Judith Middleton\r\nMarketing Manager: Bryan Denyer\r\nPublisher: Kevin Cox\r\nPublishing Director: Roger Munford\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: Carlinpoint [redacted]\r\nReproduction: Graphic Ideas, London\r\nPrinters: Chase Web Offset [redacted]\r\nDistribution: Seymour Press [redacted]\r\n\r\nAll material in Your Sinclair ©1988 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":"METAPLEX\r\nAddictive\r\n£2.99\r\nReviewer: Marcus Berkmann\r\n\r\nHere, on the other hand, is one of those games that doesn't look like anything much but will probably keep your brain in gear for a good couple of weeks.\r\n\r\nThe idea is simple enough: you have to destroy a sort of mega-meanie holed up in a network of tunnels on an asteroid. Heard that one before? Well, yes, it's hardly original, but it's an interesting puzzle. To kill this blighter, you need to knock off four power units by pouring acid on them - getting the acid and finding the pods are the basis of the game. What complicates matters further are a number of security control units dotted about the place. These, if you land on them, open and shut doors around the place, change the direction of air currents, and generally change conditions throughout the maze. It all reminds me a bit of Pulsator, that splendid old Martech game, although it's perhaps not quite as fiendishly addictive. Judging by the generous packaging I'd guess this was originally planned as a full price release. It may not have cut it at eight quid, but at three it's a bargain...","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"89","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Marcus Berkmann","Score":"7","ScoreSuffix":"/10"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"7/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 79, Oct 1988","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1988-09-18","Editor":"Graham Taylor","TotalPages":108,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Graham 'Generalissimo' Taylor\r\nDeputy Editor: Jim 'Rourke' Douglas\r\nProduction Editor: Tamara '1st Traitor?' Howard\r\nArt Editor: Gareth Jones\r\nDesigner: Andrea '2nd Traitor' Walker\r\nAdventure: The Sorceress\r\nZapchat: Jon Riglar\r\nTechnical: Andrew Hewson, Rupert Goodwins\r\nContributors: Tony 'Bon Jovi or bust' Dillon, Chris 'Mr Blag' Jenkins\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Katherine Lee\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Alison Morton\r\nAd Production: Emma Ward\r\nPublisher's Assistant: Debbie Pearson\r\nPublisher: Terry Pratt\r\nMarketing: Clive 'Where have you taken my office?' Pembridge\r\n\r\nPhone: [redacted]\r\nFax: [redacted]\r\nEditorial and Advertisement Offices: [redacted]\r\n\r\nThis Month's Cover: Junior.\r\n\r\nPrinted by Nene River Press, [redacted]\r\nDistributed by EMAP Publications Ltd.\r\n\r\n©Copyright 1988 Sinclair User ISSN No 0262-5458\r\n\r\nSubscription Enquiries: [redacted]\r\n24 Hour Order Line: [redacted]\r\nBack Issues: Back Issues Department (SU), [redacted]"},"MainText":"Label: Addictive\r\nAuthor: In-house\r\nPrice: £9.99\r\nMemory: 48K/128K\r\nJoystick: various\r\nReviewer: Tony Dillon\r\n\r\nI've often seen games that people have praised for being 'ahead of their time'. Ultimate released loads of them. But there's no way this game could be described as 'ahead of it's time'. I can't even see how this could be called 'The game of today'. 'Maybe last week' or 'Didn't I see that on a 16K speccy at the 2nd Microfair' are slightly more appropriate. If Addictive have tried to recreate the look, feel, even the smell of the old 'collect this to destroy that so that you I lean get to the other' 1984 kind of pap, then they've done a very good job of it. If on the other hand, they've tried to write an original, fun arcade adventure that'll keep you coming back for more, then I think they need some new programmers.\r\n\r\nBut before I give you the lowdown on one of the worst full price games around at the moment, here's an award. The Alien Syndrome award for the worst packaging blurb goes to this game for it's precis of the plot. 'Deep within the labyrinth that is Metaplex, lurks Garth, sworn enemy of the Earth.\" Good stuff eh, and believe me, things don't get much better.\r\n\r\nYou, as a little roaming droid, have to destroy four power points before you can get to the hideous two-headed thing that is Garth. To destroy them, you have to drop acid on them. To get the acid, you first have to collect an empty flask, of which there are a limited number. Once you have a flask, you have to carry it to the acid room (!?!) where a large vat of dripping acid is positioned. Stand beneath the vat to fill the flask, and then take it to one of the four power points, and then drop it by standing over it.\r\n\r\nLots of nasties roam around aimlessly, occasionally deciding to mill about in front of you. Things like expanded spiders and ghosts fly about waiting to be shot. Occasionally you'll get the odd alien who'll shoot back, and I do mean occasionally.\r\n\r\nGraphics are large and colourful, that I can say. The only problem is that they are all single colour sprites, and all different colours from the other sprites on screen, which gives rise to large amounts of colour clash. Also, some of the graphics look like they were created by graphic expansion, just like the graphics in games like Heavy on the Magick. Blockiness abounds. Everything moves about very smoothly, which is almost a redeeming feature, even though it doesn't add to the gameplay at all.\r\n\r\nBasically there's no way this could be recommended. Try again, lads.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"Tedious arcade collecty thing with some outdated graphics and gameplay.","Page":"30,31","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Tony Dillon","Score":"42","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"36%","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"26%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"68%","Text":""},{"Header":"Lastability","Score":"15%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"42%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 81, Dec 1988","Price":"£1.6","ReleaseDate":"1988-11-18","Editor":"Graham Taylor","TotalPages":123,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Graham 'Oh Yeah' Taylor\r\nDeputy Editor: Jim 'Any colour will do for me' Douglas\r\nProduction Editor: Alison 'Demarkation' Skeat\r\nArt Editor: Tim 'Lager Lout' Noonan\r\nAdventure: The Sorceress\r\nZapchat: Jon Riglar\r\nTechnical: Andrew Hewson, Rupert Goodwins\r\nContributors: Tony 'I haven't done it' Dillon, Chris 'I'm keeping it' Jenkins\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Katherine Lee\r\nSenior Sales: Shane Hussien\r\nAd Production: Emma Ward\r\nPublisher's Assistant: Debbie Pearson\r\nPublisher: Terry 'I'm not your boss as such' Pratt\r\nMarketing: Clive 'Zxxx' Pembridge\r\n\r\nPhone: [redacted]\r\nFax: [redacted]\r\nEditorial and Advertisement Offices: [redacted]\r\n\r\nThis Month's Cover: Jerry 'Ninja' Parks\r\n\r\nPrinted by Nene River Press, [redacted]\r\nDistributed by EMAP Publications Ltd.\r\n\r\n©Copyright 1988 Sinclair User ISSN No 0262-5458\r\n\r\nSubscription Enquiries: [redacted]\r\n24 Hour Order Line: [redacted]\r\nBack Issues: Back Issues Department (SU), [redacted]"},"MainText":"When I reviewed Addictive's Metaplex last month, I was under the impression that it was to be released as a full-priced title and thus reviewed it so, calling it \"... the worst full price game around at the moment...\" and gave it the following marks:\r\n\r\nGraphics: 36, Sound: 26, Playability: 68, Lastability: 15, Overall: 42.\r\n\r\nIn the light of the price reduction from £9.99 to £1.99, I have re-evaluated the game. I have now awarded it a Overall mark of 47 in view of the slight increase in value. The other marks I remain the same as, whatever the cost, the game is still as bad as when I first reviewed it. I say again, try again lads.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"54","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Tony Dillon","Score":"47","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"36%","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"26%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"68%","Text":""},{"Header":"Lastability","Score":"15%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"47%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment) Issue 14, Nov 1988","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1988-10-06","Editor":"Steve Cooke","TotalPages":148,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Future Publishing [redacted]\r\nTelephone [redacted], Fax [redacted], Telecom Gold 84:TXT152\r\n\r\nEditor: Steve Cooke\r\nReviews Editor: Bob Wade\r\nFeatures Editor: Andy Wilton\r\nProduction Editor: Rod Lawton\r\nStaff Writer: Andy Smith\r\nConsultant Editors: Mark Jenkins (Music and Midi), Brian Larkin (Graphics)\r\nArt Editor: Trevor Gilham\r\nAdditional Design: Angela Neale\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Jonathan Beales\r\nAdvertising Sales Executive: Jennie Evans\r\nPublisher: Chris Anderson\r\n\r\nSUBSCRIPTIONS\r\nAvon Direct Mail [redacted]\r\n\r\nSPECIAL OFFERS\r\n(Christine Stacey) [redacted]\r\n\r\nCOLOUR ORIGINATION\r\nWessex Reproduction [redacted]\r\n\r\nDISTRIBUTION\r\nSM Distribution [redacted]\r\n\r\nPRINTING\r\nChase Web Offset [redacted]\r\n\r\nCopyright - FUTURE PUBLISHING LTD 1988 - No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without our permission."},"MainText":"Addictive step backwards.\r\n\r\nAsteroids are interesting things. According to Addictive, the one in this game houses a huge metal complex that's guarded by an evil two-headed being called Garth - who's determined to destroy the world.\r\n\r\nIt's your job to foil Garth's plans by destroying the four power units that supply him with his energy by collecting empty flasks and then filling them with acid before dropping them on the power units. Of course, nothing's ever as simple as that. Aliens roam the complex and your space buggy has a limited shield.\r\n\r\nMetaplex is a real step back in time; it's got the look and feel of very early arcade adventures and it's very frustrating to play. Fine for those who still hanker for games that are simple to play but incredibly tough to complete.\r\n\r\nReviewer: Andy Smith\r\n\r\nRELEASE BOX\r\nSpec, £2.99cs, £6.99dk, Out Now\r\nC64/128, £2.99cs, £6.99dk, Out Now\r\nAmstrad, £2.99cs, £6.99dk, Out Now\r\n\r\nPredicted Interest Curve\r\n\r\n1 min: 55/100\r\n1 hour: 65/100\r\n1 day: 50/100\r\n1 week: 28/100\r\n1 month: 10/100\r\n1 year: 0/100","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"68","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Andy Smith","Score":"404","ScoreSuffix":"/1000"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Ace Rating","Score":"404/1000","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]