[{"TitleName":"Rapedes","Publisher":"Visions Software Factory Ltd","Author":"Kevin J. Bezant, Phil Davis","YearOfRelease":"1983","ZxDbId":"0004027","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 4, May 1984","Price":"£0.75","ReleaseDate":"1984-04-19","Editor":"Roger Kean","TotalPages":128,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Roger Kean\r\nConsultant Editor: Franco Frey\r\nProduction Designer: David Western\r\nArt Editor: Oliver Frey\r\nClient Liaison: John Edwards\r\nStaff Writer: Lloyd Mangram\r\nContributing Writers: Matthew Uffindel, Chris Passey\r\nSubscription Manager: Denise Roberts\r\n\r\n©1984 Newsfield Ltd.\r\nCrash Micro is published monthly by Newsfield Ltd. [redacted]\r\n\r\nTelephone numbers\r\nEditorial [redacted]\r\nSubscriptions [redacted]\r\nAdvertising [redacted]\r\nHot Line [redacted]\r\nNo material may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent from the copyright holders.\r\n\r\nColour origination by Scan Studio, [redacted]\r\nPrinted in England by Plymouth Web Offset Ltd, [redacted].\r\nDistribution by Comag, [redacted]\r\nAdditional setting and process work by The Tortoise Shell Press, [redacted].\r\n\r\nSubscriptions: 12 issues £9.00 UK Mainland (post free)\r\nEurope: 12 issues £15 (post free).\r\n\r\nWe cannot undertake to return any written or photographic material sent to CRASH MICRO unless accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope.\r\n\r\nCover by Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"Producer: Visions\r\nMemory Required: 16K\r\nRetail Price: £5.95\r\nLanguage: Machine code\r\nAuthor: Kevin Bezant\r\n\r\nIf you have read the review of G-Force by Euro-Byte, you will have noticed that we said the other Euro-Byte program was Pod, but that it is being marketed by Visions under the name of Rapedes. However Pod is written by Boris Baginekl, whereas Rapedes is written by Kevin Bezant. Are Bezant and Baginski one and the same? Both programs under their own names are availble and a quick glance at the graphics will convince anyone that these two are one and the same program - even if the authors are not! There are a few minor differences which we point out before the Criticism.\r\n\r\nRapedes is in fact a classic 'Centipede'. Your ship may more left and right as well as up and down to about one-third the screen height. There are green mushrooms which erode with four shots, a large spider and snail, red mushrooms and, as the level of play gets higher, falling centipede segments. The centipede itself is made of alternating blue and yellow circles.\r\n\r\nThe principal differences between Rapedes and Pod (apart from the names of the author) are that Pod costs £6.45, has only one speed (fastish) and a different key layout - a rather awkward one which uses G/H left /right and Y/B up down with T/N/V/U for the diagonals. It does, however, have continuous fire, which Rapedes does not. For collectors of the unusual we would recommend buying both versions!\r\n\r\nCOMMENTS\r\n\r\nControl keys: Sinclair keys, 6/7 left/right 8/9 up/down, 0 to fire. Eight-directional movement\r\nJoystick: Kempston, ZX 2\r\nKeyboard play: very responsive, although awkward to use\r\nUse of colour: good\r\nGraphics: simple, but effective with detail and fast\r\nSound: average\r\nSkill levels: 5 speeds\r\nLives: 3\r\nFeatures: 1 or 2-player games","ReviewerComments":["This is not a bad \"Centipede\" version but control is difficult (on both). The graphics are nothing special, although okay. I preferred Pod because of the autofire, especially as this is a long centipede!\r\r\nUnknown","The key responses are very good, but poorly placed keys don't help. The graphics are very fast block movement and detailed, and there is good sound. I thought the copy was a good one and accurate to the original with plenty of addictive quality.\r\r\nUnknown","This is a good game which could have been much better if the keys were better positioned. They are hard to get used to because they are all in a row. The graphics and detail for the Hall of Fame are also good.\r\nUnknown"],"OverallSummary":"General Rating: Above average to good.","Page":"124,125","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"A pretty classic 'Centipede' hides under the name of Rapedes."}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Use of Computer","Score":"52%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"63%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"64%","Text":""},{"Header":"Getting Started","Score":"64%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictive Qualities","Score":"62%","Text":""},{"Header":"Value For Money","Score":"61%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"61%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Personal Computer Games Issue 4, Mar 1984","Price":"£0.75","ReleaseDate":"1984-02-16","Editor":"Chris Anderson","TotalPages":184,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Chris Anderson\r\nProduction Editor: Roderick George\r\nArt Editor: Ian Findlay\r\nTechnical Editor: Stuart Cooke\r\nStaff Writers: Steve Cooke, Peter Connor\r\nEditorial Assistant: Samantha Hemens\r\nSoftware Consultant: Tony Takoushi\r\nCartoons: Kipper Williams\r\nProgram Control Guardians: Jeff Riddle\r\nGame-of-the-month poster: Mark Watkinson\r\nScreenshots: Chris Bell\r\nCover Photography: Ko Kon Chung\r\nGroup Editor: Cyndy Miles\r\nArt Director: Jim Dansie\r\nPublishing Manager: Mark Eisen\r\nAssistant Publishing Manager: Sue Clements\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Herbert Wright\r\nAssistant Advertisement Manager: Jan Martin\r\nAdvertisement Production: Simon Carter\r\nSales Executives: Joey Davies, Marion O'Neill, Louise Hedges\r\n\r\nPublished by VNU Business Publications, [redacted]. Typesetting by Spectrum Typesetting, [redacted] Origination by Fourmost Colour [redacted]. Printed and bound by Chase Web Offset [redacted]. © VNU Business Publications 1984."},"MainText":"MACHINE: Spectrum 16/48K\r\nJOYSTICK: Kempston, Optional\r\nCATEGORY: Arcade\r\nSUPPLIER: Visions\r\nPRICE: £5.95\r\n\r\nAverage version of Centipede - clear if unambitious graphics a choice of game speeds, and a nice fat spider is easy to hit.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"99","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Chris Anderson","Score":"3","ScoreSuffix":"/10"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"4/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"4/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Ease Of Use","Score":"3/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Originality","Score":"1/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Lasting Interest","Score":"2/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"3/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"ZX Computing Issue 12, Apr 1984","Price":"£1.95","ReleaseDate":"1984-03-29","Editor":"Ray Elder","TotalPages":156,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Ray Elder\r\nEditorial Assistant: Fiona Eldridge\r\nGroup Editor: Wendy J Palmer\r\nAdvertising Manager: Barry Bingham\r\nDivisional Advertising Manager: Beverley McNeill\r\nCopy Controller: Ann McDermott\r\nManaging Editor: Ron Harris\r\nChief Executive: T J Connell\r\n\r\nOrigination and design by MM Design & Print, [redacted]\r\nPublished by Argus Specialist Publications Ltd, [redacted]\r\n\r\nZX Computing is published bi-monthly on the fourth Friday of the month. Distributed by: Argus Press Sales & Distribution Ltd. [redacted]. Printed by: Garnett Print, Rotherham and London.\r\n\r\nThe contents of this publication including all articles, designs, plans, drawings and programs and all copyright and other intellectual property rights therein belong to Argus Specialist Publications Limited. All rights conferred by the Law of Copyright and other intellectual property rights and by virtue of international copyright conventions are specifically reserved to Argus Specialist Publications Limited and any reproduction requires the prior written consent of the Argus Specialist Publications Ltd.\r\n\r\n©Argus Specialist Publications Limited 1984"},"MainText":"Rapedes, or the Centipedes Revenge, is a copy of the age old arcade game, Centipedes. The scenario is as follows: a centipede is moving across the screen one side to the other getting closer to you all the time. The screen is scattered with mushroom type objects through which the centipede cannot go so it has to come a step closer to you instead. These mushrooms can be shot at and destroyed by your laser if required.\r\n\r\nThe aim of the game is to shoot every segment of the centipede. As a segment is destroyed, it turns into a mushroom whilst the other segments move towards you independently. Once a centipede is totally destroyed, a new and more vicious one will appear. The scenario is good, as seen by the success of the arcade version, but is it not rather outdated?\r\n\r\nVerdict: The graphics are nice but every movement is so painfully slow. If and when a spider appears to wreak havoc, it is so slow and predictable that it is hardly worth worrying about. The explosions are little better and in some cases far worse. An old theme has been copied poorly with obvious programming shortcuts which highlight a less than brilliant game. The potential is there, as can be seen from Artic's version of Centipedes, a version which is fast, furious and very exciting. What a shame this one is not.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"101","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"James Walsh","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Lasting Appeal","Score":"50%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"50%","Text":""},{"Header":"Originality","Score":"40%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"50%","Text":""},{"Header":"Use Of Machine","Score":"50%","Text":""},{"Header":"Value","Score":"50%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Personal Computer News Issue 62, May 1984","Price":"","ReleaseDate":"1984-05-26","Editor":"Cyndy Miles","TotalPages":66,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editorial\r\nEditor: Cyndy Miles\r\nManaging Editor: Peter Worlock\r\nSub-Editors: Harriet Arnold, Leah Batham\r\nNews Editor: David Guest\r\nNews Writer: Ralph Bancroft\r\nHardware Editor: Ian Scales\r\nFeatures Editor: John Lettice\r\nSoftware Editor: Bryan Skinner\r\nPeripherals Editor: Ken Garroch\r\nListings Editor: Wendie Pearson\r\nEditor's Assistant: Nickie Robinson\r\nArt Director: Jim Dansie\r\nArt Editor: David Robinson\r\nAssistant Art Editor: Floyd Sayers\r\nPublisher: Mark Eisen\r\nPublishing Secretary: Jenny Dunne\r\nGroup Publisher: John Cade\r\n\r\nAdvertising\r\nGroup Advertising Manager: Duncan Brown\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Bettina Williams\r\nAssistant Advertisement Manager: Sarah Barron\r\nSales Executives: Christian McCarthy, John Bryan, Laura Cade, Paul Evans, Debbie Quinn, Yvonne Charatynowicz\r\nProduction: Nikki Payne\r\nAdvertisement Assistant: Karen Isaac\r\nSubscription Enquiries: Gill Stevens\r\nSubscription Address: [redacted]\r\nEditorial Address: [redacted]\r\nAdvertising Address: [redacted]\r\n\r\nPublished by VNU Business Publications, [redacted]\r\n© VNU 1983. No material maybe reproduced in whole or in part without written consent from the copyright holders.\r\nPhotoset by Quickset, [redacted]\r\nPrinted by Chase Web Offset, [redacted]\r\nDistributed by Seymour Press, [redacted]\r\nRegistered at the PO as a newspaper"},"MainText":"NAME: Rapedes\r\nSYSTEM: Spectrum\r\nPRICE: £5.95\r\nPUBLISHER: Visions, [redacted]\r\nFORMAT: Cassette\r\nLANGUAGE: Basic\r\nOTHER VERSIONS: None\r\nOUTLETS: Mail order/retail\r\n\r\nJEEPERS CREEPERS\r\n\r\nSub-titled The Centipede's Revenge, this seems to be a version of Centipede, albeit a good one.\r\n\r\nOBJECTIVES\r\n\r\nIf you've spent the last year stuck in a compost heap, in Centipede you're based at the foot of the screen and must shoot the wriggling segmented creature as it descends. It zig-zags in a straightforward manner until diverted by a mushroom or other obstacle. Hit a body segment rather than its head and it splits into two new creatures.\r\n\r\nFIRST IMPRESSIONS\r\n\r\nVisions appears to have caught the increasingly contagious disease (Cassetium Garbagium) in which you fill the cassette insert with this and that but forget to include instructions - rather important in this case as after you've selected the Kempston or keyboard option you're invited to 'select Speed 1-5.' Do that and you're straight into a game without knowing the control keys.\r\n\r\nIN PLAY\r\n\r\nThe game itself is a good colourful version of the arcade classic, and that's more important than initial irritations. You have three lives, with a bonus every 20,000 points, the H key will hold the game and there's the essential Hall of Fame at the end.\r\n\r\nYour laser can move in eight directions using the joystick or, more awkwardly, two keys simultaneously on the keyboard, and it can patrol as far as about one quarter the way up the screen. Spiders bounce across the bottom in an unpredictable manner - sometimes staying for ages and then suddenly pouncing on you if you don't see them off.\r\n\r\nFrom time to time a snail will crawl across the top, looking so like Brian from The Magic Roundabout that I found it hard to shoot it, and there are little bugs which descend leaving mushroom trails behind them, and which appear to be indestructible.\r\n\r\nThe five-speed options range from the extremely fast to the tediously slow, which should satisfy everyone, but the game could have done with more sound than incessant laser, pings. Also, a rapid fire option would have saved a lot of wear and tear on the old digits.\r\n\r\nVERDICT\r\n\r\nVersions of Centipede for the Spectrum are about as numerous as, well, legs on a centipede, and this one's as good as most if you get that uncontrollable urge to kill a creepie-crawlie.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"47","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Mike Gerrard","Score":"4","ScoreSuffix":"/5"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Lasting Appeal","Score":"3/5","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"2/5","Text":""},{"Header":"Use Of Machine","Score":"4/5","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall Value","Score":"4/5","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]