[{"TitleName":"The Munsters","Publisher":"Again Again","Author":"Bill Caunt, Mark Edwards, Peter Hickinson","YearOfRelease":"1989","ZxDbId":"0003329","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 61, Feb 1989","Price":"£1.25","ReleaseDate":"1989-01-26","Editor":"Dominic Handy","TotalPages":100,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"EDITORIAL\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nEditor: Dominic Handy\r\nAssistant Editor: Stuart Wynne\r\nStaff Writers: Mark Caswell, Philip King, Lloyd Mangram, Nick Roberts\r\nContributors: Jon Bates, Raffaele Cecco, Ian Cull, Ian Doggett, Paul Evans, Ian Lacey, Barnaby Page, Ian Phillipson\r\nEditorial Assistants: Caroline Blake, Vivienne Vickress\r\n\r\nPRODUCTION\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nSenior Designer: Wayne Allen\r\nDesigners: Melvin Fisher, Yvonne Priest\r\nPhotography: Cameron Pound, Michael Parkinson\r\nProduction Manager: Jonathan Rignall\r\nReprographics Supervisor: Matthew Uffindell\r\nProduction Team: Ian Chubb, Robert Hamilton, Robert Millichamp, Tim Morris\r\n\r\nEditorial Director: Roger Kean\r\nPublisher: Geoff Grimes\r\nAdvertisement Director: Roger Bennett\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Neil Dyson\r\nSales Executives: Sarah Chapman, Andrew Smales\r\nAssistants: Jackie Morris, Lee Watkins [redacted]\r\n\r\nMail Order: Carol Kinsey\r\nSubscriptions: Denise Roberts\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nTypeset by The Tortoise Shell Press, Ludlow. Colour origination by Scan Studios [redacted]. Printed in England by Carlisle Web Offset, [redacted] - member of the BPCC Group. Distribution by COMAG, [redacted]\r\n\r\nCOMPETITION RULES\r\nThe Editor's decision is final in all matters relating to adjudication and while we offer prizes in good faith, believing them to be available, if something untoward happens (like a game that has been offered as a prize being scrapped) we reserve the right to substitute prizes of comparable value. We'll do our very best to despatch prizes as soon as possible after the published closing date. Winners names will appear in a later issue of CRASH. No correspondence can be entered into regarding the competitions (unless we've written to you stating that you have won a prize and it doesn't turn up, in which case drop the Sticky Solutions Department a line at the [redacted] address). No person who has any relationship, no matter how remote, to anyone who works for either Newsfield or any of the companies offering prizes, may enter one of our competitions. No material may be reproduced whole or in part without the written consent of the copyright holders. We cannot undertake to return anything sent into CRASH including written and photographic material, software and hardware - unless it is accompanied by a suitably stamped addressed envelope. Unsolicited written or photo material is welcome, and if used in the magazine is paid for at our current rates.\r\n\r\n©CRASH Ltd, 1989\r\n\r\nISSN 0954-8661\r\n\r\nCover Design & Illustration by Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"Just a normal family really!\r\n\r\nProducer: Again Again\r\nLitres of Blood: £9.99 cass\r\nAuthor: Bill Caunt, Peter Hickinson, grpahics by M Edwards\r\n\r\nFans of the old black and white TV series, currently being rerun on Channel 4, will know that the Munsters are a typical (post-) nuclear American family. There's Grandpa the Vampire, Herman Munster - a sort of self-made man, his wife Lily and their children. Eddie the Wolfboy and the sickeningly normal Marilyn.\r\n\r\nThe game begins with Lily aghast to find the rest of the family has vanished. The lovely Marilyn has been spirited away (groan) to a nearby Chateau. Controlling Lily, you must roam the house shooting the ghosts and ghouls to increase your spell power. When you've enough power the search is on for the rest of the family, starting with Herman.\r\n\r\nOnce Herman and Grandpa are found, control switches to them. After a short period guiding his Mark Caswell-like friend, Grandpa turns into a bat and makes tracks for vortices). While Grandpa goes to fetch the hearse (the Dragula), our lovable monster searches for wolfman Eddie, finally meeting up with Grandpa at the car. While racing along in Dragula they are attacked by zombies standing in the middle of the road, you must lift the car over them so they can get to the chateau.\r\n\r\nI must admit to being a closet fan of the classic TV series, so I couldn't wait to play the game. But although it's a fair arcade adventure, I was disappointed by the lack of connection between its scenario and the series. There's so little humour in the game, just screen after screen of repetitive ghost-blasting. All the screens are in black and white too, but then so is the TV series! The Munsters is not a bad effort, but I'm sure more imaginative gameplay could have been devised for such a fascinating licence.\r\n\r\nPHIL 67%\r\n\r\nTHE ESSENTIALS\r\nJoysticks: Cursor, Kempston, Sinclair\r\nGraphics: characterful and attractive\r\nSound: continuous 128K theme tune","ReviewerComments":["The Munsters takes the arcade/adventure format of games like Pyjamarama and adds its own, uniquely ghoulish tone. Presentation is a little disappointing with the well-drawn graphics totally lacking colours in the main play area. The soundtrack is only average, with adequate sound effects. Gameplay is the most important thing, though, and this is where I have my strongest doubts. The puzzles aren't bad, but it's all too easy to die, making exploration slow and painful. Also, the need for spell power means a lot of the time is spent shooting enemies to get it, and one touch from a certain ghost and it's all gone. While not a bad game, the constant deaths mean only the most determined will persist with this.\r\nNick Roberts\r\n71%","Although this appears on first sight to be little more than a collect-'em-up with ghost-bashing overtones, a few attempts reveal that a sharp mind is also needed. In some cases certain objects have to be collected to kill the more stubborn of the spooks, whilst one item has an electrifying effect if used correctly. A good rendition of The Munsters theme plays throughout the game in 128K mode, and the graphics are nicely drawn and animated. Whether you're a Munster, fan or not, I urge you to take a look.\r\nMark Caswell\r\n75%"],"OverallSummary":"General Rating: A scary good time but very tough.","Page":"62","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Nick Roberts","Score":"71","ScoreSuffix":"%"},{"Name":"Mark Caswell","Score":"75","ScoreSuffix":"%"},{"Name":"Phil King","Score":"67","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Pick up the book on the left to zap Samara's uncle on the right."}],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"HANDY'S HERMAN HINTS\r\n\r\nSome ghouls can only be killed by carrying the correct object.\r\n\r\nThe best places in which to build up spell power are the bedroom and the room at the top of the right-hand stairs.\r\n\r\nIf ghosts start appearing at a fast rate, just pop out of the room and come back in again - they will now appear more slowly.\r\n\r\nFill up your spell power bottle before going through the graveyard: you'll need it to zap the rising zombies."}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Presentation","Score":"74%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"73%","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"70%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"69%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictive Qualities","Score":"67%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"71%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Sinclair Issue 39, Mar 1989","Price":"£1.6","ReleaseDate":"1989-02-16","Editor":"Teresa Maughan","TotalPages":100,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Teresa Maughan\r\nArt Editor: Catherine Higgs\r\nDeputy Editor: Matt Bielby\r\nProduction Editor: Jackie Ryan\r\nStaff Writer: Duncan MacDonald\r\nDesigner: Thor Goodall\r\nEditorial Assistant: David Wilson\r\nTechnical Consultant: David McCandless\r\nContributors: Marcus Berkmann, Richard Blaine, Ciaran Brennan, Jonathan Davies, Mike Gerrard, Sean Kelly, Catherine Peters, Rachael Smith, Phil South\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Simon Stansfield\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Stephen Bloy\r\nAdvertisement Director: Alistair Ramsay\r\nProduction Manager: Judith Middleton\r\nAdvertisement Production: Katherine Balchin\r\nMarketing Manager: Bryan Denyer\r\nPublisher: Terry Grimwood\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 ©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":"Again Again\r\n£9.99\r\nReviewer: Phil South\r\n\r\nWhat do they mean, Again Again? Have we seen this game before? No we haven't, so what's the crack? Oh. Again Again is the sister label to Alternative Software, eh? Hmm.\r\n\r\nThe Munsters made a welcome return to the screen when Channel Four began re-showing programmes from the sick sixties. (Most of you weren't around then, I know, but you didn't miss much. In fact, The Munsters, Batman and The Monkees were some of the best bits and you've probably seen them.) But what about a computer game for the eighties? Hmm, I don't know?\r\n\r\nAdmittedly the game is a state of the art, multiload arcade adventure with nice big sprites wandering around the Munster mansion, and horrid little flying sprites, and big characters chasing you. BUT when all is said and done it is still just a pick 'em up/shoot 'em up!\r\n\r\nIn look and feel the game resembles the Rocky Horror Show (remember that?) and this is no big surprise. You wander around the mansion picking up mystery objects in the hope that you can rid the place of flying gribblies. You have 'spellpower' and you limply throw these balls of spell at the flying creatures and they explode - sometimes. Some of them are impervious to your spells, unless you hit them more than once. And your spell power, indicated by the level of juice in the bottle on screen, drops each time you get hit by one of these creatures. Pretty regular fare, I think you'll agree, nosepickers. The dippiest thing about the game is that you only have one life. Why insist on that point of realism in the plot when the rest is so improbable, hmm, mon petite chuckie eggs? No reason at all, as far as I can see.\r\n\r\nSo what's the verdict on this Munster monster multiload? I think it should have been left in the dungeon till Again Again came out with a better idea. Fans of the series will like it for the tie-in, but don't expect anything too special. Still it is a large game, so offers reasonable value.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"TV tie-in, based on sixties monster show, from the makers of Terramex, but not as good.","Page":"50","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Phil South","Score":"6","ScoreSuffix":"/10"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"8/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"6/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Value For Money","Score":"7/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictiveness","Score":"6/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"6/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Sinclair Issue 61, Jan 1991","Price":"£1.85","ReleaseDate":"1990-12-06","Editor":"Matt Bielby","TotalPages":108,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Matt Bielby\r\nArt Editor: Sal Meddings\r\nProduction Editor: Andy Ide\r\nStaff Writer: Linda Barker\r\nDesign Assistant: Andy Ounsted\r\nContributors: Robin Alway, Marcus Berkmann, Jonathan Davies, Cathy Fryett, Mike Gerrard, Kati Hamza, Paul Lakin, Jon North, Rich Pelley, Keith Pomfret, David Wilson\r\nAdvertising Manager: Simon Moss\r\nPublisher: Greg Ingham\r\nAssistant Publisher: Jane Richardson\r\nPublishing Assistant: Michele Harris\r\nCirculation Director: Sue Hartley\r\nManaging Director: Chris Anderson\r\nProduction Manager: Ian Seager\r\nProduction Coordinator: Melissa Parkinson\r\nSubscriptions: Computer Posting [redacted]\r\nMail Order: The Old Barn [redacted]\r\nPrinters: Riverside Press [redacted]\r\nDistributors: MMC [redacted]\r\n\r\nYour Sinclair is published by Future Publishing Ltd [redacted]\r\n\r\n©Future Publishing 1990. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission."},"MainText":"THE MUNSTERS\r\nAlternative\r\n£2.99\r\nReviewer: Rich Pelley\r\n\r\nNo, not Kylie and Jase, but that weird family of blue-tinted B-movie stars (well, telly stars, actually) from absolutely ages ago in what appears to be another one of those re-release thingies if I'm not very much mistaken. Basically it involves the four Munsters - five if you 'count' the dragon (chortle) rushing around their flip-screen monochrome haunted house (not haunted by themselves, but by the baddies) trying to a) find each other, b) find the car, c) drive to hell and d) rescue Marilyn, a friend captured by the old Duke (that's right - Ken Dodd). You control a different Munster per level incidentally.\r\n\r\nSounds like a piece of cake, right? Er, no. Well, yes, I suppose it is pretty easy, it's just that it's sooooo blinkin' tedious - it just takes so long to move from room to room 'cos you have to spend all the time shooting things to avoid losing energy. On the plus side, the graphics are clear and large, and the sound's quite good too, but that isn't really much use when the game suffers from complete boringness. Not recommended (unless you like crap games, that is).","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"85","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Rich Pelley","Score":"52","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"They're spooky and they're loopy, they're... Oh, wrong theme tune. Ahem."}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"52%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 83, Feb 1989","Price":"£1.6","ReleaseDate":"1989-01-18","Editor":"Graham Taylor","TotalPages":100,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Graham 'phew' Taylor\r\nDeputy Editor: Jim 'shiny shoes' Douglas\r\nProduction Editor: Alison 'get lunky' Skeat\r\nArt Editor: Tim 'diced carrots' Noonan\r\nAdventure: The Sorceress\r\nZapchat: Jon Riglar\r\nTechnical: Andrew Hewson, Rupert Goodwins\r\nContributors: Tony 'ratty' Dillon, Chris 'snivel' Jenkins\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Martha 'eejit' Moloughney\r\nAd Production: Emma Ward\r\nPublisher's Assistant: Debbie Pearson\r\nPublisher: Terry 'serene' Pratt\r\nMarketing: Clive 'it's alright I'm here now' Pembridge\r\n\r\nPhone: [redacted]\r\nFax: [redacted]\r\nEditorial and Advertisement Offices: [redacted]\r\n\r\nThis Month's Cover: Jerry 'fluffy bunny' Parks\r\n\r\nPrinted by Nene River Press, [redacted]\r\nDistributed by EMAP Publications Ltd.\r\n\r\n©Copyright 1989 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: Again Again\r\nAuthor: In-house\r\nPrice: £9.99\r\nMemory: 48K/128K\r\nJoystick: various\r\nReviewer: Steve Mahoney\r\n\r\nAgain Again .. Don't worry, you have not found the SU pervy page. Again Again is a new spiffy software house whose first release is a game based on the dead (har har) good cast of the Munsters.\r\n\r\nIn case anybody doesn't know, the Munsters are a bunch of 'normal' people; Herman is a version of Frankenstein's monster, Lilly is the mortician like daughter of grandpa the vampire. Lastly there's Lilly's son Eddie according to the information we received is just a crazy mixed up kid (aren't we all?). Anyway, if you still want to know more, watch the flippin' programme.\r\n\r\nOf corpse (chuckle) the idea is a good one for a computer game, but after a couple of games, I was plagued with boredom and close to smashing the computer to bits in a fit of frustration. The deadly dull (guffaw) problem is that the whole thing is just too hard to play; you only have a weak weapon and the ghosts get you sooooooo quickly that you'll probably be dying (waaahh ha ahgh haaa!) to load something else.\r\n\r\nGraphically The Munsters is okay, the main characters that you move are big, funny and look like the people (if you can call them people) from the TV show.\r\n\r\nSound is only a ghost (haBARF! SHUT UP! - GT) on the 48K, but there is a sort of rendition of the theme music all the way through the game on the 128.\r\n\r\nConsidering the difficulty of The Munsters, you'll have to spend a good few hours playing it before you get anywhere (unless you are hypermegagameplayerfrom beyondtimeandspace) and I think you'll probably have to have grave (I can't laugh, I'll Barf again) determination to get anywhere. I think that A.A. probably wanted to produce a game which would test any gameplayer's skill, but The Munsters is teethgrindingly hard.\r\n\r\nIf you're one of those 'Oh I never miss an episode, it's just soo great' sort of people, you'll probably enjoy The Munsters for its tie-in value, but otherwise, guys-n-ghouls (yes I know that one was bad) it's not worth raising the money to buy it.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"OKay-ish game, but hellishly difficult.","Page":"24","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Steve Mahoney","Score":"45","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"60%","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"50%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"30%","Text":""},{"Header":"Lastability","Score":"40%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"45%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment) Issue 18, Mar 1989","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1989-02-02","Editor":"Graeme Kidd","TotalPages":140,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Future Publishing [redacted]\r\nTelephone [redacted], Fax [redacted], Telecom Gold 84:TXT152, Prestel/Micronet: 0458 74011\r\n\r\nEditor: Graeme Kidd\r\nReviews Editor: Bob Wade\r\nStaff Writers: Steve Jarratt, Andy Smith\r\nProduction Editor: Damien Noonan\r\nConsultant Editor: Brian Larkman (Graphics)\r\nAdventure Editor: Steve Cooke\r\nContributors: Simon N Goodwin\r\nArt Editor: Trevor Gilham\r\nAssistant Art Editor: Angela Neale\r\nProduction: Diane Tavener, Claire Woodland, Vivien Dean, Naomi Steer, Louise Cockroft\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Jonathan Beales\r\nAdvertising Sales Executive: David Lilley\r\nPublisher: Kevin Cox\r\n\r\nCover by Simon Bisley\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\nSwift Graphics Ltd [redacted]\r\nD P Graphics [redacted]\r\n\r\nDISTRIBUTION\r\nSM Distribution [redacted]\r\n\r\nPRINTING\r\nChase Web Offset [redacted]\r\n\r\n© FUTURE PUBLISHING LTD 1989\r\n\r\nNo part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without our permission."},"MainText":"Again Again's monster licence.\r\n\r\nGhosts ghouls and things that go bump in the night are all commonplace in the Munster household, where this arcade adventure from new software house Again Again is set. Turning a cult TV series into a good computer game is a tall order for such a young company - have they pulled it off?\r\n\r\nAlmost, is the answer. In the game you start off playing the part of Lilly and have to rescue Marilyn (the only normal member of the family) from the clutches of Old Nick. This is only achievable by starting at the Munster house and wandering through the rooms collecting objects and destroying nasties that guard the exits/entrances to other locations.\r\n\r\nYou're armed - if that's the right word - with a limitless supply of spells which are best used to destroy the hordes of ghosts that come flying from the walls. Contact with the ghosts results in some of your limited energy being sapped, but destroying them earns a points bonus and a little more spell power - a bottle at the top of the screen fills up as your power increases. Some of the real baddies can't be destroyed just with spells though, so you must collect the right object first.\r\n\r\nAgain Again have captured the flavour of the TV series, but the game style is old hat and you won't be riveted to your computer for long.\r\n\r\nReviewer: Andy Smith\r\n\r\nRELEASE BOX\r\nAtari ST, £19.99dk, Out Now\r\nAmiga, £19 99dk, Out Now\r\nSpec 128, £9.99cs, Out Now\r\nAmstrad, £9.99cs, Out Now\r\nC64/128, £9.99cs, Out Now\r\nMSX, £9.99cs, Out Now\r\n\r\nPredicted Interest Curve\r\n\r\n1 min: 70/100\r\n1 hour: 65/100\r\n1 day: 80/100\r\n1 week: 50/100\r\n1 month: 30/100\r\n1 year: 10/100","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"An old game style, but nicely executed.","Page":"50","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Andy Smith","Score":"607","ScoreSuffix":"/1000"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Lilly goes wandering around the garden. Fortunately her energy level is still high, but those zombies just keep climbing out of the soil. Touch a zombie, and energy is rapidly drained."}],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"SPECTRUM VERSION\r\n\r\nSprites and backgrounds are fine, and the animation is very good in places. The title tune's pleasant but there is not much in the way of spot effects. A playable - if dated - arcade adventure."},{"Text":"ST VERSION\r\n\r\nThe sprites and background are colourful and well-animated. The title tune is good too, and if you like the old game style, you'll get some enjoyment from The Munsters.\r\n\r\nGraphics: 8/10\r\nAudio: 7/10\r\nIQ Factor: 4/10\r\nFun Factor: 7/10\r\nAce Rating: 613/1000\r\n\r\nPredicted Interest Curve\r\n\r\n1 min: 75/100\r\n1 hour: 65/100\r\n1 day: 80/100\r\n1 week: 50/100\r\n1 month: 30/100\r\n1 year: 10/100"}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"8/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Audio","Score":"6/10","Text":""},{"Header":"IQ Factor","Score":"4/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Fun Factor","Score":"7/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Ace Rating","Score":"607/1000","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"C&VG (Computer & Video Games) Issue 88, Feb 1989","Price":"£1.2","ReleaseDate":"1989-01-16","Editor":"Eugene Lacey","TotalPages":116,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Eugene Lacey\r\nDeputy Editor: Julian Rignall\r\nArt Editor: Andrea Walker\r\nStaff Writer: Paul Glancey\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Garry Williams\r\nSales Executive: Johanna Cook\r\nCopy Control: Lora Clark\r\nPublisher: Terry Pratt\r\n\r\nSubscription Enquiries to: EMAP Frontline, [redacted]\r\n\r\nEditorial and Advertisement Offices: [redacted]\r\n\r\n108,892 (Jan-June 1988)."},"MainText":"MACHINES: ST/Amiga/Spec/C64/Ams/MSX\r\nSUPPLIER: Again Again\r\nPRICE: ST/Amiga £19.99, Spec/C64/Ams/MSX £9.99 cass\r\nVERSION TESTED: ST/Spectrum\r\n\r\nThe antics of the weirdest sitcom family this side of the Brady Bunch form the basis of this debut game for Again Again, the full-price label of Alternative Software. And what an inauspicious debut it's turned out to be. Allow me to elaborate.\r\n\r\nMarilyn, the only member of the family who could be described as human, has been kidnapped by \"Old Nick\", and being the kindly family they are, the Munsters rally round to save her. Lilly Munster has to roam the Munster mansion, blasting the massed ranks of Old Nick's ghoulie army with magic fireballs. Certain nasties are stronger than others, and to deal with them Lilly has to destroy lower-ranking ghosts to build up her spell power, providing her with more potent fireballs to fling. Hidden throughout the play area are mystery objects which allegedly help take care of the ghosts, but none of the items I picked up seemed to improve Lilly's chances.\r\n\r\nThe real pain in the bot (with both versions tested) is that you can spend ages just blasting ghosts to build up your spell power (which is a pretty boring task), then unexpectedly run into an indestructible ghost and lose all of your energy in microseconds. And because you only get one life, that's the end of the game! Consequently, you don't get the chance to do any serious exploring or puzzle solving so there's no feeling of progress, only bags of frustration.\r\n\r\nThe graphics on both versions are average, but the detail on the backgrounds does tend to confuse the action in the foreground. At least they successfully recreate the look of the series, which counts for something.\r\n\r\nThe use of sound in both versions is pretty limited, adding norra lot to the atmosphere at all. The programmers of the ST version have provided it with some mediocre spot effects and a rendition of the TV theme tune which is quite jolly first time round, but becomes plain annoying after it's been repeated for the umpteenth time.\r\n\r\nAs you've probably guessed, I wasn't all that keen on The Munsters. The standard of programming almost reaches average, but there seems to have been very little thought put into the game design. I would baulk at spending ten quid on the Spectrum version, but would faint at shelling out twenty of my favourite coins for an ST version which is little better. Not a game I would recommend, even to Munsters fans.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"35","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Paul Glancey","Score":"30","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Loads of marauding ghosts."},{"Text":"Not a very good tie-in."},{"Text":"Shoot at the ghoulies."}],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"ST SCORES\r\n\r\nGraphics: 67%\r\nSound: 44%\r\nPlayability: 28%\r\nValue: 21%\r\nOverall: 27%"},{"Text":"UPDATE...\r\n\r\nAll versions, unfortunately, have the same design. So, although graphics and sound might be different, you'll still find the game annoying whether you own an MSX, C64 or whatever."}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"46%","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"43%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"26%","Text":""},{"Header":"Value","Score":"29%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"30%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"The Games Machine Issue 15, Feb 1989","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1989-01-19","Editor":"Jon Rose","TotalPages":124,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"EDITORIAL\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nEditor: Jon Rose\r\nReviews Editor: Nik Wild\r\nFeatures Editor: Barnaby Page\r\nStaff Writers: Robin Hogg, Warren Lapworth, Robin Candy\r\nEditorial Assistants: Vivien Vickress, Caroline Blake\r\nResearcher: David Peters\r\nPhotography: Cameron Pound, Michael Parkinson (Assistant)\r\nContributors: Jon Bates, Mel Croucher, Robin Evans, Richard Henderson, Jez San, John Woods\r\n\r\nPRODUCTION DEPARTMENT\r\n[redacted]\r\nProduction Manager: Jonathan Rignall\r\nSenior Designer: Wayne Allen\r\nArt Director: Mark Kendrick\r\nReprographics Supervisor: Matthew Uffindell\r\nProduction Team: Ian Chubb, Yvonne Priest, Melvin Fisher, Robert Millichamp, Robert Hamilton, Tim Morris, Jenny Reddard\r\n\r\nADVERTISING AND ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENTS\r\nEditorial Director: Roger Kean\r\nPublisher: Geoff Grimes\r\nGroup Advertisement Director: Roger Bennett\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Neil Dyson\r\nAdvertisement Sales Executives: Andrew Smales, Sarah Chapman\r\nAssistant: Jackie Morris, Lee Watkins [redacted]\r\nGroup Promotions Executive: Richard Eddy\r\nMail Order: Carol Kinsey\r\nSubscriptions: Denise Roberts [redacted]\r\n\r\nTypeset by the Tortoise Shell Press, Ludlow and on our Apple Macintosh II running Quark Xpress 2.0. Colour origination by Scan Studios [redacted]. Printed in England by Carlisle Web Offset [redacted] - a member of the BPCC Group. Distribution effected by COMAG, [redacted].\r\n\r\nCOMPETITION RULES\r\nThe Editor's decision is final in all matters relating to adjudication and while we offer prizes in good faith, believing them to be available, if something untoward happens (like a game that has been offered as a prize being scrapped) we reserve the right to substitute prizes of comparable value. We'll do our very best to despatch prizes as soon as possible after the published closing date. Winners names will appear in a later issue of TGM. No correspondence can be entered into regarding the competitions (unless we've written to you stating that you have won a prize and it doesn't turn up, in which case drop Viv Vickress a line at the PO Box 10 address). No person who has any relationship, no matter how remote, to anyone who works for Newsfield or any of the companies offering prizes, may enter one of our competitions.\r\n\r\nNo material may be reproduced in part or in whole without the written consent of the copyright holders. We cannot undertake to return anything sent into TGM - including written and photographic material, hardware or software - unless it's accompanied by a suitably stamped, addressed envelope. We regret that readers' postal enquiries cannot always be answered. Unsolicited written or photographic material is welcome, and if used in the magazine is paid for at our current rates. Occasional material from Electronic Game Player reproduced by kind permission of Sorjana Publications, California. Other Newsfield publications are CRASH (Spectrum), ZZAP! (Commodore 64/Amiga), FEAR (fantasy and horror) and MOVIE - THE VIDEO MAGAZINE. Now that's interesting, but why are you reading all this when there 120 pages to go?\r\n\r\n©TGM Magazines Ltd, 1989\r\nA Newsfield Publication ISSN 0954-8092\r\n\r\nCover Design by Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"Spectrum 48/128 Cassette: £9.99\r\nAtari ST Diskette: £19.99\r\n\r\nDON'T KNOW THEM FROM ADAMS\r\n\r\nThis spooky licence, released on Alternative's new full-price label, was reported in TGM011, and was met with some interest. The black and white American television comedy series has been a success for almost 20 years, and in Britain has been shown regularly on Channel 4. It concerns a bizarre monstrous family and their adventures amid an ordinary American town.\r\n\r\nHead of the household is the clumsy lumbering Herman, a Frankenstein's monster of many parts. His wife is the streak-haired vampirish Lily, daughter of the similarly blood-sucking scientist known as Grandpa. Herman and Lily's off spring is little Eddie, while their niece, Marilyn, is the only ordinary person of the bunch. The family also have a pet, Spot - a huge fire-breathing dragon that lives under the stairs.\r\n\r\nTheir lives are disrupted by denizens of the underworld. Marilyn is captured by the evil, malicious 'Old Nick' (a way we often describe our reviews editor) - the distraught family naturally plan to rescue her. Their troubles do not end there however, as zombies, ghouls and ghosts invade their mansion and put all but Lily to endless sleep.\r\n\r\nYou guide Lily through the many rooms of the mansion and out into the grounds, searching for magical items to save the family. Enemies dispatched b spells cast increase your spellpower, but contact with them reduces not only this but your energy level. High levels of spellpower enable you to kill strong enemies who guard useful objects.\r\n\r\nEDDIE THE KID\r\n\r\nObjects are manipulated to bring Herman to life, who you then control to free Grandpa and Eddie. Meeting up with Grandpa at the hearse dragster, Herman automatically drives the vehicle to the Chateau where Marilyn is held - where you then guide the dragon and his fiery breath.\r\n\r\nOnce at the Chateau, the last evil creatures are fought back until Marilyn is rescued and the family reunited.\r\n\r\nThe games designers obviously spent little time looking at the TV series before opting for a walking (and later, flying) shoot-'em-up with minor arcade adventure elements - little in the game, other than its title and music, reminds you of the fun characters. Slim sprites bear only slight resemblance to their screen originals and humour is non-existent, so no atmosphere is generated. The simple gameplay may appeal to some, so if possible, try before you buy.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"The play area is mostly black and white, in fitting with the programme, but has colour in clash-avoiding areas - and Lily is more elegant as she walks speedily around. Sound is notable in 128K, with a very nice version of the music. Still a tricky game, but more playable than the ST version.","Page":"48","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Herman and Grandpa stare at Lily through spell entranced eyes - she must save them (ST screen)."},{"Text":"Oops, you should have topped up your spell level before going out to the garden (Spectrum screen)."}],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"\"Slim sprites bear only slight resemblance to their screen originals.\""},{"Text":"ATARI ST\r\n\r\nOverall: 57%\r\n\r\nSome impressive visual effects introduce the game, which has nicely shaded, detailed backgrounds and sprites. However, even accepting the small number of pixels to work with, the characters' faces are crudely fashioned. Some enemies are horribly vicious, relieving you of your single life or taking a sizable portion of your energy - The ST's simple sound chip performs a reasonable rendition of the lively TV theme music, and there are a few appropriate effects."},{"Text":"OTHER FORMATS\r\n\r\nThe cobwebbed C64, Amstrad CPC, MSX (all Cassette £9.99, Diskette £14.99), and Amiga (£19.99) versions should be on the shelves by the end of January."}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"65%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]