[{"TitleName":"Plexar","Publisher":"Mastertronic Added Dimension","Author":"Paul Hargreaves","YearOfRelease":"1987","ZxDbId":"0003767","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 45, Oct 1987","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1987-09-24","Editor":"Barnaby Page","TotalPages":148,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Managing Editor: Barnaby Page\r\nStaff Writers: Richard Eddy, Lloyd Mangram, Ian Phillipson, Ben Stone\r\nPhotographers: Cameron Pound, Michael Parkinson\r\nTechnical Writers: Simon N Goodwin, Jon Bates\r\nAdventure Column: Derek Brewster\r\nPBM Column: Brendon Kavanagh\r\nStrategy Column: Philippa Irving\r\nEducation Column: Rosetta McLeod\r\nLondon Correspondent: John Minson\r\nContributors: Robin Candy, Mike Dunn, Paul Evans, Dominic Handy, Nick Roberts, Mark Rothwell, Paul Sumner\r\nEditorial Director: Roger Kean\r\nProduction Controller: David Western\r\nArt Director: Gordon Druce\r\nIllustrator: Oliver Frey\r\nDesign: Tony Lorton, Markie Kendrick, Wayne Allen\r\nProcess and Planning: Matthew Uffindell, Jonathan Rignall, Nick Orchard\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Roger Bennett\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Andrew Smales\r\nSubscriptions: Denise Roberts\r\nMail Order: Carol Kinsey\r\n\r\nEditorial and Production: [redacted]\r\n\r\nMail Order and Subscriptions: [redacted]\r\n\r\nADVERTISING\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nTypesetting by The Tortoise Shell Press, Ludlow\r\n\r\nPrinted in England by Carlisle Web Offset, [redacted] - member of the BPCC Group.\r\n\r\nDistributed by COMAG, [redacted]\r\n\r\nNo material may be reproduced whole or in part without written consent of the copyright holders. We cannot undertake to return any written material sent to CRASH unless accompanied by a suitably stamped addressed envelope. Unsolicited written or photo material which may be used in the magazine is paid for at our current rates.\r\n\r\n©1987 Newsfield Limited\r\n\r\nCover by Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"Producer: M.A.D.\r\nRetail Price: £2.99\r\nAuthor: Paul Hargreaves\r\n\r\nLong before a Reliant Robin had ever broken down on the M25, the Miracle Engineers had planned and built the crystal roads that led across the planet Plexar.\r\n\r\nNow the Miracle Engineers are long dead and the primitive Plexarians have taken their place. Unlike their sophisticated predecessors, they are a superstitious race who send victims along the crystal roads to appease mysterious deities. Few return from this voyage - but as a chosen 'volunteer', can you survive it?\r\n\r\nYour journey is made up of two stages: the crystal roads themselves, and the diamond twoers where the roads meet and interconnect, joining continent with continent.\r\n\r\nEach road consists of a series of interconnected squares, some of which contain lethal things that can end your life on the spot. Others merely offer the unusual, useful or hindering, sending you shooting sideways, taking you on a helicopter ride, propelling you forward across dangerous squares, or making you skitter randomly between squares.\r\n\r\nIf you've successfully navigated this roadway without too much mishap, you enter one of the diamond towers. These are weird places, full of complicated, vertically scrolling mazeworks of unidirectional conveyor belts, areas which simply vanish now and again, shivering colonies of pulsing jellies and obstructive walls.\r\n\r\nAnd in the towers are found the patrolling servicebots that drain your energy at their every touch. To protect your meagre reserves, leap away from the approaching mechanical embraces. \r\n\r\nA peril port at the top left of the screen changes colour and signifies when danger is imminent. Heed its warning well if you want a chance of survival - and never forget that against all this is the relentless countdown of the clock.\r\n\r\nCOMMENTS\r\n\r\nJoysticks: Cursor, Kempston, Sinclair\r\nGraphics: excellent; mainly monochromatic, decorative surroundings in colour\r\nSound: nothing inspiring","ReviewerComments":["'Wow, what pretty graphics,' I thought as the intro screen zinged onto the monitor, 'is the gameplay as good as the cosmetics?' Yes, Plexar is very playable, and despite the obvious similarities to Trailblazer it kept me glued to the screen for a good while. Control is easy, and the gameplay is just frustrating enough to make you want to complete just one more level…\r\nMark Rothwell\r\n82%","Bearing some similarities - well, quite a lot, really - to Trailblazer, Plexar is playable but frustrating. And it goes beyond Trailblazer with some features to vary the predicatability of your journey (transporters, for instance). Plexar can become quite tricky when the track is upside down, but it all adds to the excitement!\r\nRichard Eddy\r\n80%","On reading the instructions of Plexar I was expecting a run-of-the-mill maze variant. I couldn't have been more wrong! The graphics are excellent, and though most of the moving characters are monochromatic the colourful backgrounds disguise this. Plexar is very simple and instantly playable, and it's surprising such a simple game can be so addictive. One of my favourite features appears on the later levels, where a new dimension is added to the game - not only is there a tricky maze on the ground, but there's also one above you which has to be navigated upside down! Yet again M.A.D. has come up with an outstanding game - get it as soon as you can.\r\nRobin Candy\r\n90%"],"OverallSummary":"General Rating: A neat and enjoyable Trailblazer clone.","Page":"24","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Mark Rothwell","Score":"82","ScoreSuffix":"%"},{"Name":"Richard Eddy","Score":"80","ScoreSuffix":"%"},{"Name":"Robin Candy","Score":"90","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Blazing the trails in the third section of Plexar."},{"Text":"Flex those plexars and bounce off down the track."}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Presentation","Score":"84%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"88%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"86%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictive Qualities","Score":"88%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"86%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Sinclair Issue 23, Nov 1987","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1987-10-12","Editor":"Teresa Maughan","TotalPages":108,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Teresa Maughan\r\nArt Editor: Peter George\r\nProduction Editor: Lucy Broadbent\r\nTechnical Editor: Phil South\r\nSoftware Editor: Marcus Berkmann\r\nDeputy Art Editor: Darrell King\r\nEditorial Assistant: Angela Eager\r\nContributors: Richard Blaine, Audrey & Owen Bishop, Chris Donald, Mike Gerrard, Gwyn Hughes, ZZKJ, Tony Lee, Rick Robson, Peter Shaw, Rachael Smith, Mischa Welsh, Tony Worrall\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Mark Salmon\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Julian Harriott\r\nProduction Manager: Sonia Hunt\r\nManaging Editor: Kevin Cox\r\nPublisher: Roger Munford\r\nPublishing Director: Stephen England\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 ©1987 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":"Mastertronic\n£2.99\nReviewer: Tony Worrall\n\nA long, long time ago a race of clever dick beings known as the Miracle Engireers decided to build a fantastic new artwork of roadways on the planet of Plexar. This system of pathways was constructed entirely out of crystal, and supported at the ends by massive diamond towers. It was the most advanced, beautiful and (if used in the wrong way) deadly construction in the universe.\n\nUnfortunately the Engineers were not as smart as they thought. A passing plague wiped them out, and no one was left who understood how to operate the roads.\n\nYears later a new race of beings inhabit the planet, but the workings of the crystal roads are beyond their primitive minds. Every so often a candidate is chosen to journey through the maze in order to placate (they think) the gods. Guess who it is this time!\n\nYes, this is Plexar, a Trailblazer-like race down a series of vertically scrolling roadways. Avoid the gaps, use the special features, all in true Trailblazer style. Survive the first two sections and it's into the Tower, which is seen from above a la Shadow Skimmer. Move down the roads, follow the arrows and avoid the traps. And that's about all there is to it.\n\nThe 3-D moving pathway section, although drawn well, is far too easy to complete, and the overhead section is a little on the simple side too, as long as you watch the energy levels. Complete a section, then it's on to another part of the planet for another bash (and new backgrounds). As I said, the graphics are great, just what you'd expect from Paul (Terminus/Glass) Hargreaves - highly detailed and well used throughout. If you take away the graphics, though, there ain't much of a game left. Still, at budget price it's worth a go just to see the marvellous detail Paul has managed to cram into the program. If you enjoyed Trailblazer this is definitely for you.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"Entertaining Trailblazer clone with more depth and better background graphics throughout. A bit on the easy side though.","Page":"47","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Tony Worrall","Score":"7","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":"6/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictiveness","Score":"5/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"7/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 67, Oct 1987","Price":"£1","ReleaseDate":"1987-09-18","Editor":"David Kelly","TotalPages":116,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: David Kelly\r\nDeputy Editor: Graham Taylor\r\nStaff Writer: Jim Douglas\r\nStaff Writer: Tamara Howard\r\nArt Editor: Gareth Jones\r\nAdventure Help: Gordo Greatbelly\r\nZapchat: Jon Riglar\r\nHelpline: Andrew Hewson\r\nContributors: Richard Price, Andy Moss, Gary Rook\r\nHardware Correspondent: Rupert Goodwins\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Louise Fanthorpe\r\nDeputy Advertisement Manager: Mike Corr\r\nProduction Assistant: Alison Morton\r\nAdvertisement Secretary: Linda Everest\r\nSubscriptions Manager: Carl Dunne\r\nPublisher: Terry Pratt\r\n\r\nTelephone [redacted]\r\n\r\nSubscription Enquiries [redacted]\r\n\r\nSinclair User is published monthly by EMAP Business & Computer Publications\r\n\r\nCover Illustration: Jerry Paris\r\n\r\nSinclair User\r\nEMAP Business & Computer Publications\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nPrinted by Nene River Press, [redacted]\r\nDistributed by EMAP Publications Ltd.\r\n\r\n©Copyright 1986 Sinclair User ISSN No 0262-5458\r\n\r\nABC 84,699 July-Dec 1986"},"MainText":"Label: Mastertronic\r\nAuthor: Paul Hargreaves\r\nPrice: £2.99\r\nMemory: 48K/128K\r\nJoystick: various\r\nReviewer: Tony Dillon\r\n\r\nA long time ago in a galaxy far, far away there lived a thriving young planet called Plexar. On this planet an earlier civilisation had constructed a series of crystal roads between the 16 continents. The highways were long, beautiful and probably very useful but the Plexarions wouldn't use them because they thought they were magical.\r\n\r\nOnce a year, though, they would send a candidate to travel the roads in homage to their god and this year it's you. (Really? What a surprise.)\r\n\r\nSo what's the game about? That's easy - it's just like Gremlin's earlier Trailblazer only cheaper and with more features.\r\n\r\nOne way or another you are moving a ball along a pathway which scrolls out from the horizon. The exact gameplay varies over the levels but, like Trailblazer, the pathway is divided into a quilt of rectangles distinguished by shading. Some of these squares may be harmless bounced over. Diagonally striped ones transport you along the path - others even give you a little helicopter with which to zoom over obstacles. Other squares send you hurtling in the wrong direction, black squares with small white dots bounce you an extra square in the direction you're moving and then there are enormous black gaps in the track... Also robots roam the paths and have to be avoided, or they sap your energy.\r\n\r\nIn each continent you have three types of road to traverse. In the first you can only control left/right movement as you continuously move forward along the 3D paths. The third, however, is a vertically scrolling 2D landscape.\r\n\r\nIn all three levels, different squares have different effects.\r\n\r\nTerrific stuff. I'm off now to get a T-shirt with 'I love Plexar' written on it. So will you, it'll keep you returning for more for weeks to come.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"Trailblazer style arrives on budget thanks to MAD. In the top ten budget releases so far this year.","Page":"28,29","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Tony Dillon","Score":"8","ScoreSuffix":"/10"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"8/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment) Issue 2, Nov 1987","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1987-10-01","Editor":"Peter Connor, Steve Cooke","TotalPages":112,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Advanced Computer Entertainment\r\nFuture Publishing [redacted]\r\nTelephone [redacted], Fax [redacted], Telecom Gold 84:TXT152, Prestel/Micronet [redacted]\r\n\r\nCo-editors: Peter Connor, Steve Cooke\r\nReviews Editor: Andy Wilton\r\nStaff Writers: Dave Packer, Andy Smith\r\nArt Editor: Trevor Gilham\r\nPublisher: Chris Anderson\r\n\r\nSUBSCRIPTIONS & SPECIAL OFFERS\r\nCarrie-Anne Porter [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 1987 - No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without our permission."},"MainText":"Mastertronic (Added Dimension) bounce you down the road to oblivion.\r\n\r\nPlexar is the name of the planet on which this game is set. and the natives are round, bouncy, and extremely vulnerable.\r\n\r\nAs a perky young Plexarian you have been elected by your fellows to venture forth along the planet's crystal roads. These consist of a network of highways, connecting the various continents (which, incidentally, do not appear in the game) constructed by an ancient and now-defunct race of Miracle Engineers. The primitive Plexarians regard these highways with religious awe and annually elect one of their number to follow the yellow brick road to oblivion. This year it's your turn.\r\n\r\nThe object of the game is to travel all 16 connecting roads that span the planet, each of which is connected to the next by a 'warp-bridge' - effectively a stretch of landscape viewed from above. The gameplay on the roads themselves can be divided into two parts, the first of which has you bouncing along a continually scrolling highway in Trailblazer style. Initially you're given a choice of three roadways and you can choose which one you'd like to start on. You have a limited amount of energy and must travel the length of the road losing as little of this as possible.\r\n\r\nThe crystal roads in this phase are made up of different rectangles that affect you in various ways. Black squares suck energy whereas others will knock you sideways, bounce you forward two places (or backwards) and generally mess you about in practice, however, you don't have much control over the ball in this section. The road scrolls inexorably towards you without much variation in the obstacles and all you can do is cope with the effects of the different squares as best you can. Gameplay isn't a strong point here, but luckily this part doesn't last long.\r\n\r\nThe second phase of highway hi-jinx gives you complete control over the ball's progress and the roadways are varied in both format and challenge. You may find yourself on a single-square-width highway or having to choose between two different roads that may lead to different obstacles, swapping from one to the other. You may also find yourself bouncing happily along for miles, only to find that you've reached a dead-end and must bounce all the way back. There's a time limit, so a lot of practice and road memory is essential here.\r\n\r\nAgain there are a number of different rectangles in this phase with varying properties. Some switch you from one roadway to another, others grab hold of you and whisk you from side to side, at which point you must choose at which point to bounce off carefully and quickly. Running out of road loses you one of five lives, as does running out of time (but with the added annoyance of sending you back to the beginning).\r\n\r\nThe warp-bridge' phase is viewed directly from above as you move over a landscape that scrolls from top to bottom, avoiding hazards ranging from black holes (bridged, but only for a moment at a time) to nasty flying objects overhead that deplete your energy on contact. Again you're up against the clock, and at various points you have to choose your route carefully as the wrong one could have you up a blind alley.\r\n\r\nThe graphics are good, though the rectangles tend to strain your eyes alter a while and colour is used simply but effectively. The atmosphere of Plexar is obviously not suitable for sound transmission, other than the occasional blip, but this doesn't detract from the game. Gameplay is simple enough and it's easy to get involved, but a little luck and hard work are needed if you wish to do well. A thought-provoking gem that should provide quite a few hours of fun and frustration.\r\n\r\nAndy Smith\r\n\r\nRELEASE BOX\r\nSpectrum, £2.99cs, Reviewed\r\nC64/128 + other formats, Undecided\r\n\r\nPredicted Interest Curve\r\n\r\n1 min: 68/100\r\n1 hour: 80/100\r\n1 day: 80/100\r\n1 week: 70/100\r\n1 month: 60/100\r\n1 year: 40/100","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"Getting to know the roads keeps the interest level high.","Page":"61","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Andy Smith","Score":"887","ScoreSuffix":"/1000"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Swapping between the roads is essential in this part of the trek as one is bound to lead to a dead end. Keep on the straight and narrow at all times as a jump into the black will send you back to the start."},{"Text":"There you are - obviously pleased with yourself."},{"Text":"This rectangle will send you to the top roadway."},{"Text":"This section of the bridge could disappear at any moment so careful timing is essential."},{"Text":"Your energy remaining."},{"Text":"Your overhead view of the 'warp bridge' that carries you from one zone to the next. Steer clear of the flying nasties and disappearing bridges and just hope you're headed the right way!"}],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"BALLS ON TOP\r\n\r\nPlexar brings a new dimension to bouncing ball games with the addition of the overhead roadway - a real brain teaser since all the action on it is effectively upside down. Good hand-eye co-ordination are a must when the going gets tough, and the disorientation on the overhead highway can trick you into jumping forward when you mean to jump back - a topsy-turvey experience that often ends in oblivion."}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Visual Effects","Score":"5/7","Text":"Scrolling is smooth and everything is well-drawn."},{"Header":"Audio","Score":"3/7","Text":"Effects are short and sweet."},{"Header":"IQ Factor","Score":"5/7","Text":"You'll have to have your brain in gear most of the way."},{"Header":"Fun Factor","Score":"5/7","Text":"Entertaining frustration."},{"Header":"Ace Rating","Score":"887/1000","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]