[{"TitleName":"Phantis","Publisher":"Dinamic Software","Author":"Alfonso Azpiri, Carlos Abril, Javier Cubedo, Luis Royo","YearOfRelease":"1987","ZxDbId":"0003676","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 58, Nov 1988","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1988-10-20","Editor":"Dominic Handy","TotalPages":132,"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\nPhotography: Cameron Pound, Michael Parkinson\r\nContributors: Jon Bates, Raffaele Cecco, Mel Croucher, Ian Cull, Simon Goodwin, Ian Lacey, Barnaby Page, Ian Philipson, Paul Sumner\r\n\r\nPRODUCTION\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nProduction Manager: Jonathan Rignall\r\nReprographics Supervisor: Matthew Uffindell\r\nArt Director: Mark Kendrick\r\nAssistant Art Director: Wayne Allen\r\nProduction Team: Ian Chubb, Melvin Fisher, Robert Hamilton, Robert Millichamp, Tim Morris, Yvonne Priest\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\nAssistant: 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\nTotal: 96,590\r\nUK/EIRE: 90,822\r\n\r\n©CRASH Ltd, 1988\r\n\r\nCover Design & Illustration by Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"A pair of Dinamic boobs!\r\n\r\nProducer: Dinamic\r\nOut of Pocket: £8.95 cass, £12.95 disk\r\nAuthor: Carlos Abril, music by Javier Cubedo\r\n\r\nOn the strange, alien world Phantis, Adios, hero of the original game, has been imprisoned by the evil Gremla's heirs. As Major Locke you have assumed the risky task of rescuing him.\r\n\r\nBut this is no simple 'blow the wall down with dynamite' job. No, first you must venture through ten levels of some of the most demanding gameplay we've seen in a long time. As in Game Over (Issue 44, 55%) which is included in the package free, the game consists of two sections, each loaded separately. The second of these can only be played by inputting the correct access code obtained from completing the first.\r\n\r\nYour mission beings with you approaching the planet Phantis in a spaceship. Unfortunately the enemy are aware of your presence and send hordes of kamikaze ships to destroy you. Should you manage to get past them, then it's onto the planet's volcanic surface where there's yet more enemy ships, as well as lethal rockfalls. Your destination is the underground cavern which leads to the swamps. Once Locke has landed there, he can mount a creature much like those at the start of The Empire Strikes Back (ie, two-legged llama-type things?!). With luck, it should carry him through the swamp.\r\n\r\nThe second section of the game involves exploring an underground forest and a lake infested with both dinosaurs AND piranhas. Get past that to the prison, and you still have kill the devils guarding it to complete the mission.\r\n\r\nColour is used liberally, and carelessly, on all levels resulting in a great deal of clash. Similarly disappointing is the sound, with a squeaky title tune and pathetic effects throughout the whole game. Actual gameplay is shallow and though you get a great quantity of levels for your money, the quality is mostly substandard.\r\n\r\nPHIL 56%\r\n\r\nTHE ESSENTIALS\r\nJoysticks: Cursor, Kempston, Sinclair\r\nGraphics: colour clash city\r\nSound: squeaky title tune with unchanging effects throughout the game\r\nOptions: definable keys. Play Part One or Two (with access code)","ReviewerComments":["You would have thought that the programmers at Dinamic might have got the message after the Game Over review in Issue 44. The main complaint was colour clash, and guess what the sequel suffers from? Any small improvement that there is in the sequel is mainly due to the backgrounds being less detailed. Unlike Phil I quite liked the tunes (our resident disc jockey speaks - Ed), however, and sound effects are average for a shoot-'em-up/arcade game. With so much content here, in effect four games if you include the two parts of the original as well, I think it's really good value. In addition the sequel is, in my opinion, a great improvement over the original making this a very attractive package and well worth getting.\r\nNick Roberts\r\n80%","Wow, Game Over and Game Over II in the same package, that would be great value for money if the games were any good. But sadly Game Over II is little better than the original. Admittedly the slightly blobby sprites are reasonable, but the hideous white splodge of colour clash which follows our hero around is terrible. The game itself is little more than a basic shoot-'em-up, and sadly to my mind not really worth the asking price. I'm sorry but it's a case of nice packaging, shame about the game.\r\nMark Caswell\r\n43%"],"OverallSummary":"General Rating: A flashy box conceals mediocre contents.","Page":"17","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Nick Roberts","Score":"80","ScoreSuffix":"%"},{"Name":"Phil King","Score":"56","ScoreSuffix":"%"},{"Name":"Mark Caswell","Score":"43","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"More of the same from Dinamic."},{"Text":"Weeeee!"}],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"GAME OVER TOO QUICKLY?\r\n\r\nOn the second section, find the gun and power pack as quickly as possible.\r\n\r\nPick up pulsating hearts, as these reward you with extra lives.\r\n\r\nCollect medallions to proceed to the next sector.\r\n\r\nWatch the heart in the status box, the smaller it becomes, and the weaker it beats, warns you that you're near to death."}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Presentation","Score":"60%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"50%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"60%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictive Qualities","Score":"57%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"60%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Sinclair Issue 36, Dec 1988","Price":"£1.95","ReleaseDate":"1988-11-10","Editor":"Teresa Maughan","TotalPages":132,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Teresa Maughan\r\nArt Editor: Catherine Higgs\r\nDeputy Editor: Ciaran Brennan\r\nStaff Writer: Duncan MacDonald\r\nProduction Editor: Jackie Ryan\r\nTechnical Consultant: David McCandless\r\nContributors: Marcus Berkmann, Richard Blaine, Mike Clowes, Mike 'Skippy' Dunn, Mike Gerrard, Gwyn Hughes, Sean Kelly, Gary Liddon, 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\nAdvertisement Production: Kathryn Balchin\r\nMarketing Manager: Bryan Denyer\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":"Dinamic\r\n£8.95 cass/£12.95 disk\r\nReviewer: Phil South\r\n\r\nHo ho ho. I remember when Game Over I came out, it was named Game Oo-er on account of it's nawty cover picture and poster ad. Hee hee hee. Well, Game Over II is it's slobberful and eyeboggingly sequel and boy does it look good!\r\n\r\nOriginally to be entitled Phantis, Oo-er II is a splenditious shoot 'em up in the great Dinamic tradition, featuring 10 levels of sharp shooting action, with two different loads, and many, many, different ways to splat and get splatted. You begin in Phase One by scrollinq across a starfield, being pounced on by enemy ships and heading towards the surface of the planet. When you get there it's into Phase Two, where you skim the surface of the planet and avoid the gobs of volcanic splodge which belch out of the ground and threaten to fry your ship to a bag of just-cooked crisps\r\n\r\nNext its underground for the Scramble/R-Type section of the game. You whip through a cavern inhabited by gribbly aliens and mechanical monsters, where you have the added problem of a roof which dips down to scratch the paint on the top of your ship and ruffle your haircut. There's a lot of big slimy caterpillars which wind through the tunnels, and you have to kill the head before you can pick off the bits of it's body. Then it's on to Phase Four, where you land on the planet itself, jump onto one of things to pulp with your photonic blade.\r\n\r\nAfter completing Phase Four, you're presented with a code number which takes you into load number two, and a whole new set of hazards. The six levels on the new load take you down a level at a time into the bowels of the planet, first on the surface, then the alien base, the underground forest (huh?) the inner lake, over the magma level in a little helicopter, and finally to the prison level where you must solve the final puzzle to finish the game.\r\n\r\nSequels don't usually turn me on much, it has to be said, but this is a nice fast and furious blastorama, extremely slickly programmed, which deserves a look if you like your games on the violent side.\r\n\r\nThis game is going to sell like hot cakes, for the free poster inside if nothing else, but I don't think it's quite as original as it could have been. But hey, if you want a bit of excercise for your trigger finger rather than the thing that keeps your ears apart and a rather nawty free poster... THEN GO FOR IT!","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"A good ol'scrolly blasterama, done to a turn.","Page":"89","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Phil South","Score":"8","ScoreSuffix":"/10"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"9/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"8/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Value For Money","Score":"8/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictiveness","Score":"8/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"8/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Sinclair Issue 75, Mar 1992","Price":"£2.2","ReleaseDate":"1992-02-06","Editor":"Andy Hutchinson","TotalPages":68,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"LOVE? PAH!\r\n\r\nLove sought is good, but giv'n unsought is better. Ha! Give us a lot of good Knicks/Pisons basketball match any day! So, what's the greatest love of your life?\r\n\r\nEditor: Andy (Honda Custom Motorbike) Hutchinson\r\nArt Editor: Andy (Shergold Meteor Guitar) Ounsted\r\nDeputy Editor: Linda (Green duffle bag) Barker\r\nActing Staff Writer: Jon (SAM) Pillar\r\nArt Assistant: Maryanne (My mum) Booth\r\nAdvertising Manager: Cheryl (Highland Toffees) Beesley\r\nProduction Coordinator: Lisa (George Michael) Read\r\nPublisher: Jane (David Cassidy and Roy Ayers) Richardson\r\nPromotions Manager: Michele (Chips 'n' Gravy) Harris\r\nGroup Publisher: Greg (Trot-along) Ingham\r\nCirculation Director: Sue (Her Greenhouse) Hartley\r\n\r\nYour Sinclair (Peace & Fudge), Future (World Domination) Publishing [redacted]\r\n\r\nSubscriptions: The Old Barn [redacted]\r\nDistribution: MMC [redacted]\r\n\r\nCover Illustration: Paul (His Kate Bush CDs) Kidby\r\nISSN 0269 6983\r\nABC Jan-June 1991 65,444\r\n\r\nYour Sinclair leaps into its scooter and vrooms around the carpark with these mighty organs: Commodore Format (Scuba Diving), Amstrad Action (Draught Bass), Amiga Format (Wadworth 6X), PCW Plus (Insomnia), PC Answers (Well balanced yacht moored in the Aegean), PC Plus (Captain Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica album), Sega Power (Eliza Smith-Meddings), Amiga Power (Sherbert Lemons), Amiga Shopper (Sophia Loren aged 23), Classic CD (Worms), Needlecraft (Mary Whitehouse), Mountain Biking UK (Manic MTB down hill rides), PC Format (London Monarchs), Public Domain (Debauchery), ST Format (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Total! (Ladies, and errmm, associated activities with said gender).\r\n\r\nBut what we really want to know is... have you ever gone to the loo and discovered too late that there's no paper and no lock on the door?"},"MainText":"GAME OVER 2\r\nSummit\r\n£3.99 cassette\r\nReviewer: Jon Pillar\r\n\r\nIn this game you're asked to play Major Locke of the Sidereal Infantry, pilot a Pelotrone Fighter through the defences of Phantis and rescue Arkos from the clutches of Gremla. And now, courtesy of the YS subtitling service, a translation, Game Over 2 - zap everything you meet in this horizontally-scrolling shoot-'em-up.\r\n\r\nAfter that, it's heartwarming to report that the game itself is rather spiffy, outstripping the original in every department. It has blazingly colourful graphics which get increasingly imaginative the further you progress. On Level One you're attacked by somewhat drab space fighters, but before long you'll be facing space serpents, raging volcanoes and oversized toads.\r\n\r\nThe gameplay is nicely balanced so that you're never unfairly swamped by baddies. And when you get blasted, you don't get sent back to the beginning of the level. Hurrah! To cut a long review short, throw away the inlay, load the game up and zap, zap, zap away. Spanish gold.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"61","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Jon Pillar","Score":"82","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"The fireflies were particularly irritating that evening."}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"82%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 80, Nov 1988","Price":"£1.6","ReleaseDate":"1988-10-18","Editor":"Graham Taylor","TotalPages":108,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Graham 'No Compromise' Taylor\r\nDeputy Editor: Jim 'Accelerate Out of Trouble' Douglas\r\nProduction Editor: Alison 'I'm Just Popping Out for a Massage' Skeat\r\nArt Editor: Tim 'High Tackle' Noonan\r\nAdventure: The Sorceress\r\nZapchat: Jon Riglar\r\nTechnical: Andrew Hewson, Rupert Goodwins\r\nContributors: Tony 'I've Lost My Glasses. Wah!' Dillon, Chris 'They Should Be Shot' 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 Leaving Until You Agree With Me' 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 'Mad Dog' 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":"Label: Dinamic\r\nAuthor: In-house\r\nPrice: £8.95\r\nMemory: 48K/128K\r\nJoystick: various\r\nReviewer: Jim Douglas\r\n\r\nWho remembers Game Over? Everyone. Why? Booby artwork. Thoroughly forgettable game. Not quite the same story with the sequel. Nearly, but not quite.\r\n\r\nYour old drinking partner, Arkos the scientist, has been banged up in the intergalactic nick by the forces still loyal to Gremla (the shocking tart adorning the front of the box) It's up to you to free him.\r\n\r\nThere are a couple of stages in GOII. You kick off in a fighter spaceship on an apparently impossible flight towards the centre of the aliens' prison complex. You can't move too quickly, so you'll have to get an angle on the aliens' attack waves if you're to stand even the slightest chance of getting through.\r\n\r\nGraphically things are pretty low-level. There has been absolutely no attempt to minimalise attribute clash and - with the exception of the explosions, which are great - it's a teensy bit basic. Still, there's no shortage of action. You can blast away quite successfully with your laser and enter into some reasonable skirmishy-dogfights with the bad guys.\r\n\r\nThe screen scrolls from right to left with the standard fare; asteroids, stars etc. After a period of time you'll find yourself in Zone 1 where there's a floor to crash into and life becomes unspeakably difficult. Huge red balls shoot up from craters in the rocky surface and do their utmost to collide with you. Owing to the plain obstinacy of your ship on the movement front, you need to predict when one of these guys is about to appear, rather than merely reacting when one pops up.\r\n\r\nAs well as the red balls, blue bubbles fall from the top of the screen and hamper your progress. There are a number of aliens, too, which fly up from behind you and smash you to bits.\r\n\r\nIf you're picking up the feeling that GOII is bloody impossible, well, you wouldn't be far wrong. It's all a bit erratic. The action is all there, but your spaceship is too big and you keep crashing into things. The aliens rarely pose much of a threat, except in unfair caught-up-the-backside sort of ways. It took me ages and ages to get through the open-air bit and 2 seconds to clear the following underground chamber section.\r\n\r\nZone 3 of the first part is the weakest point of the whole game. You climb down from your spaceship and climb aboard an absurd space-ostrich. Here you've got to walk along a riverbank combating galactic toads and suchlike with an extremely hopeless boomerang item.\r\n\r\nAt the end of this stage, you are endowed with the mystical secret code number of Dinamic which lets you load and play Part 2, which is a whole lot more interesting. Map and explore, pick up items and gradually work your way towards the scientist (the one you're rescuing - remember?)\r\n\r\nGame Over II is by no stretch of the imagination a great game, but there is lots and lots of it, and there's quite a bit of variety too. Coupled with the fact that you get the first game Game Over, imbecile on the B side of the disc, it's worth a look, but don't expect lasting appeal.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"Above average sequel. Worth a look as a bumper deal with Part 1.","Page":"50,51","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Jim Douglas","Score":"62","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"60%","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"30%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"65%","Text":""},{"Header":"Lastability","Score":"60%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"62%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 121, Mar 1992","Price":"£2.1","ReleaseDate":"1992-02-18","Editor":"Garth Sumpter","TotalPages":68,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Garth Sumpter\r\nDesign: Yvette Nicholls\r\nSoftware Editor: Big Al 'Bagels' Dykes\r\nGirlie Tipster: Hannah Smith\r\nAdditional Design: Jane Davies \r\nSU Crew: John Cook, Pete Gerrard, Phillip Fisch, Graham Mason, Matthew Denton\r\nAd Manager: Tina Zanelli\r\nAd Production: Emma Ward\r\nMarketing Man.: Mark Swallow\r\nMarketing Women: Sarah Ewing, Sarah Hilliard\r\nPublisher: Graham Taylor\r\nManaging Director: Terry Pratt\r\n\r\n(c)1992 EMAP IMAGES\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nColour by Proprint\r\nPrinted by Kingfisher\r\n\r\nNo part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored in an electronic retrieval system or used to wrap your chips without the consent of the Publisher (if you offer him a chip he'll think about it though). And on behalf of the SU Crew we'd just like to say that it's great to be back on Earth Even with wars, famine, disease and misery it's a better place than some of the deepspace cruisers that we've been playing on for the last two months."},"MainText":"Label: Alternative\r\nMemory: 48K\r\nPrice: £3.99 Tape\r\nReviewer: Big Al Dykes\r\n\r\nWell, well I've always dreamed of owning a zippy spacecraft with awesome weaponry and a good line in forward, backward, upwards and downwards movement, so slap me with a soggy Marmite sandwich if this game doesn't fit the bill.\r\n\r\nA classic arcade format space shoot 'em up, Game Over II involves a rescue mission in deep space with ten levels of frantic action taking place above, on and below ground. The variety of gameplay is impressive for a budget game. The main Character, known as Commander Locke gets to ride a strange beast (no, not the Garthmobile) and fly around using a spacecraft and jetpack without fear for his own safety or for parking tickets.\r\n\r\nTo cut a long story short, (well relatively so) you must reach a prison planet against all the odds, flying over it's volcanic danger zones before landing and then capture and use an 'Adrec' (a strange cross between a kangaroo, a horse and a sad Australian TV presenter) to get you through the swamp. (Can you tell what it is yet kids?). Other levels include an underground forest, a subterranean lake and finally, the fiendishly well-guarded prison itself which all make Game Over II quite a difficult blast that demands lightning-quick reactions, lots of practice and a strip of Elastoplast for those finger blisters.\r\n\r\nUnfortunately I couldn't get a Sinclair joystick to work with it but keyboard control is good. There are 24 different enemies to contend with, some are easy enough, almost suicidal, but others are dangerous beyond belief, especially the ones that creep (or fly at lightning speed) at you from behind.\r\n\r\nWith large clear graphics and plenty of colour, Game Over II contains more than enough speed and good fightin' action to keep most combat-crazy space veterans blister-fingered and well plastered right to the end.","ReviewerComments":["The old ones are definitely the best and I still carry the blister marks left from Game Over. The sequel uses a similar recipe of blistering pace and lip-biting action.\r\nGarth Sumpter"],"OverallSummary":"More old style arcade action from Alternative; not a re-releasse but nevertheless guarnateed to jog some memories out there in arcade land. Game Over II is a lengthy, rivetting blast that doesn't break any new ground but could break some fingers with it's fast gameplay.","Page":"37","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Alan Dykes","Score":"70","ScoreSuffix":"%"},{"Name":"Garth Sumpter","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Enemies come on fast and furious in Game Over II."},{"Text":"Space tied meets asteroids. Quickly, blast 'em to pieces!"},{"Text":"Vicious star fighters line up to shoot at our hero, I'm so scared!"}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"70%","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"56%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"71%","Text":""},{"Header":"Lastability","Score":"74%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"70%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment) Issue 15, Dec 1988","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1988-11-03","Editor":"Steve Cooke, Graeme Kidd","TotalPages":172,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Future Publishing [redacted]\r\nTelephone [redacted], Fax [redacted], Telecom Gold 84:TXT152\r\n\r\nEditor: Steve Cooke, Graeme Kidd\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: David Lilley\r\nPublisher: Kevin Cox\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":"Daring-do from Dynamic.\r\n\r\nit is not over yet. There are still baddies for the intrepid hero encountered in Game Over to deal with, and so he sets off on another mission, this time to free the imprisoned hero of the rebellion.\r\n\r\nA spot of horizontal Galaxians warms you up, then it's time to Scramble over a volcanic landscape before descending into a cave system and doing battle with squirly serpents, enemy fighters and bolts of pure energy. Survive that, and it's time to mount a strange steed and gallop across swampland on the quest for the access code that allows you to sample the second load. A strange space-hopper sequence leads into a spot of arcade adventuring underground before you gain the controls of a helicopter, fly over another volcanic zone to duff up the guards in the prison that holds Arxos, the man you're trying to save.\r\n\r\nLots of different things to do, but nothing spectacular - a pick 'n' mix of gamestyles in a short and sweet selection.\r\n\r\nReviewer: Graeme Kidd\r\n\r\nRELEASE BOX\r\nAtari ST, £19.95dk, Out Now\r\nAmiga, No firm plans for this version\r\nIBM PC, £19.95dk, IMMINENT\r\nC64/128, £8.95cs, £12.95dk, Imminent\r\nSpectrum, £8.95cs, £12.95dk, Out Now\r\nAmstrad, £8.95cs, £12.95dk, Imminent\r\n\r\nPredicted Interest Curve\r\n\r\n1 min: 60/100\r\n1 hour: 65/100\r\n1 day: 58/100\r\n1 week: 40/100\r\n1 month: 15/100\r\n1 year: 7/100","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"The urge to complete subsequent levels keeps you going for a while.","Page":"74","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Graeme Kidd","Score":"513","ScoreSuffix":"/1000"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Major Locke is in his ship and blasting away at the incoming waves of aliens."}],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"ATARI ST VERSION\r\n\r\nGraphics: 6/10\r\nAudio: 5/10\r\nIQ Factor: 2/10\r\nFun Factor: 4/10\r\nAce Rating: 513/1000\r\n\r\nPredicted Interest Curve\r\n\r\n1 min: 60/100\r\n1 hour: 65/100\r\n1 day: 58/100\r\n1 week: 40/100\r\n1 month: 15/100\r\n1 year: 7/100"},{"Text":"SPECTRUM VERSION\r\n\r\nA good deal, in that you get Game Over I included in the package. Effectively a compilation of linked budget-standard games that is fun but not enthralling."}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"5/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Audio","Score":"4/10","Text":""},{"Header":"IQ Factor","Score":"4/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Fun Factor","Score":"5/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Ace Rating","Score":"513/1000","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"The Games Machine Issue 12, Nov 1988","Price":"£1.25","ReleaseDate":"1988-10-20","Editor":"Jon Rose","TotalPages":132,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"EDITORIAL\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nEditor: Jon Rose\r\nAssistant Editor: Nik Wild\r\nFeatures Editor: Barnaby Page\r\nStaff Writers: Robin Hogg, Warren Lapworth, Robin Candy\r\nEditorial Assistant: Vivien Vickress, Caroline Blake\r\nPhotography: Cameron Pound, Michael Parkinson (Assistant)\r\nContributors: Jon Bates, Mel Croucher, Robin Evans, John Woods, Stuart Wynne, Jon Rose\r\n\r\nPRODUCTION\r\n[redacted]\r\nProduction Manager: Jonathan Rignall\r\nArt Director: Mark Kendrick\r\nAssistant: Wayne Allen\r\nProduction Team: Matthew Uffindell, Ian Chubb, Yvonne Priest, Melvin Fisher, Robert Millichamp, Robert Hamilton, Tim Morris\r\nEditorial Director: Roger Kean\r\nPublisher: Geoff Grimes\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Roger Bennett\r\nAdvertisement Sales Executives: Andrew Smales, Sarah Chapman\r\nAssistant: Jackie Morris [redacted]\r\n\r\nMAIL ORDER\r\nCarol Kinsey\r\n\r\nSUBSCRIPTIONS\r\nDenise 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] - 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 THE GAMES MACHINE. 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 Erica Gwilliam 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 THE GAMES MACHINE - including written and photographic material, hardware or software - unless it's accompanied by a suitably stamped, addressed envelope. Unsolicited written or photographic material is welcome, and if used in the magazine is paid for at our current rates.\r\n\r\n©TGM Magazines Ltd, 1988\r\nA Newsfield Publication ISSN 0954-8092\r\n\r\nCover Design by Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"Spectrum 48/128 Cassette: £8.95, Diskette: £14.95\r\nAmstrad CPC Cassette: £8.95, Diskette: £14.95\r\nPC Diskette: £24.95\r\n\r\nLOCKE ON TARGET\r\n\r\nDinamic are probably best known for for Game Over. There was nothing innovative about the game but its promotions featured an illustration of a scantily-clad female, areas of whose flesh were hurriedly covered up after protest over the no-holds-barred original. The sequel's advertising is less controversial, but will still, no doubt, raise eyebrows over its raunchiness.\r\n\r\nIn times past, Lieutenant Arkos fought for the honour of Gremla, the vindictive Ruler of the Galaxy. However, her power-crazed evil became too much, and he turned to the life of a hero. Travelling over and through the worlds vital to Gremla's mighty empire, he fought using laser gun and grenade, slaying all monsters who crossed him. The galaxy was free, and all celebrated long and joyously.\r\n\r\nThe partying came to a depressing halt when it was discovered that Arkos had disappeared without trace. Gremla's heirs had incarcerated him in the depths of the jail-planet, Phantis. The already legendary Arkos could not be left to rot and face a tortured miserable death, so a new super warrior was selected to free him. That's you, buddy.\r\n\r\nPHANTIS SEA OF ALIENS\r\n\r\nThe game begins as you speed through space, approaching Phantis within your sleek spacecraft, firing at waves of alien Senoliz ships with your nose-mounted laser. Soon a fiery volcanic sector is reached, where reconnaissance bombers and ground-to-air missiles are joined by natural forces.\r\n\r\nEmerging on the other side to the shallow, slimy waters of a swamp, you capture and saddle up a reptilian biped you use as a steed. A swirling photonic blade is yours with which to despatch the swamp inhabitants, who use pterodactyl and giant toads as transport.\r\n\r\nIn the second load of the game, you begin on foot - although a jetpack allows you to be airborne for a short time. In these stages, you have a limited amount of energy, shown by a heart in the status panel. A life is lost when the heart shrinks to its minimum size.\r\n\r\nGame Over II is a mixture of shoot-'em-up styles, none of which stand up in their own right, but together, with the original form a reasonable package. Much more could have been done with the fighter spaceship stages - laser-only weaponry would have been considered restrictive a few years ago, let alone today, when add-on weapons are all the rage. This is typical of the basic gameplay on offer. whose saving grace is the variety of transports used.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"Bright colours are used throughout, generally arranged so as to avoid clash as much as possible (though things get scruffy in the second load). This creates a very lively look, especially on laser fire and explosions in the first stages. Definition is nothing special, but the fast pace at which this version runs makes up for any visual inadequacies. Collision detection is generous at times, but as the game is quite difficult, this helps make Game Over II more fun to play.","Page":"64","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"It is sad the packaging artwork for the Game Over series is always better than the games - Spectrum screen."},{"Text":"The three differing styles of game help to make Game Over II more bearable - Amstrad screen."}],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"\"A mixture of shoot-'em-up styles\""},{"Text":"AMSTRAD CPC\r\n\r\nOverall: 60%\r\n\r\nColourful vehicles, creatures and scenery are countered by a reduced screen size and slow, jerky movement. Manoeuvring is made difficult by this, and the mild claustrophobia can get annoying. The simple action breaks through this however - helped along by a pacey title tune and suitable effects - for a playable blast."},{"Text":"PC\r\n\r\nOverall: 63%\r\n\r\nDespite the attractive blue hues of the packaging photos, only the simple capabilities of the CGA are used. The strange colour schemes are positively surreal in some stages! Impressive laser sounds - for the PC's simple audio facilities - accompany the game, which has a speed equal to the Spectrum version. Arcade games of this type being of some rarity on the PC, Game Over II is worth a look."}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"62%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]