[{"TitleName":"Tanium","Publisher":"Players Software","Author":"Colin Swinbourne, Jabba Severn, Kevin Parker, Mike Brown, Peter Austin, Proteus Developments, Andy Severn","YearOfRelease":"1988","ZxDbId":"0005128","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 52, May 1988","Price":"£1.25","ReleaseDate":"1988-04-28","Editor":"Steve Jarratt","TotalPages":100,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"EDITORIAL\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nEditor: Steven Jarratt\r\nSoftware Editor: Dominic Handy\r\nStaff Writers: Katharina Hamza, Mark Caswell, Nick Roberts, Lloyd Mangram\r\nTechnical Writers: Jon Bates, Simon N Goodwin\r\nEditorial Assistant: Frances Mable\r\nPhotography: Cameron Pound, Michael Parkinson (Assistant)\r\nContributors: Robin Candy, Paul Evans, Roger Kean, Julian Rignall\r\n\r\nPRODUCTION\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nArt Director: Markie Kendrick\r\nAssistant Art Director: Wayne Allen\r\nDesign & Layout: Yvonne Priest, Melvyn Fisher\r\nPre-Print Manager: Jonathan Rignall\r\nReprographics/Film Planning: Matthew Uffindell, Nick Orchard, Ian Chubb, Robert Millichamp\r\nProduction Controller: David Western\r\nEditorial Director: Roger Kean\r\n\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Roger Bennett\r\nSales Executive: Andrew Smales\r\nAssistant: Jackie Morris [redacted]\r\nMail Order: Carol Kinsey\r\nSubscriptions: Denise Roberts\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nTypesetting 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\nNo 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":"Producer: Players\r\nRetail Price: £1.99\r\nAuthor: Colin Swinbourne\r\n\r\nSix years ago, an alien force set about terrorising the galaxy. As top gun of the Terran Spacefleet, our hero single-handedly repelled the invaders and, with the galaxy at peace, he the retired to the planet Sloar.\r\n\r\nIt wasn't peaceful for very long, however: the aliens are at it again. They have captured the planet Tanium, so our intrepid pilot is sent to quell the uprising - again.\r\n\r\nThe game starts with the player's ship zooming across the skies of Tanium, whereupon vicious alien hoards appear hell-bent on eliminating him. Destruction of alien formations earns the player a bonus, which takes the shape of increased firepower and speed.\r\n\r\nThe mission is aggravated by barriers that stretch vertically across the screen: careful flying is needed to negotiate the small openings in them.\r\n\r\nFive lives are provided, although contact with either enemy ships, their laser fire or the barriers is fatal. Once a ship is destroyed, any extra equipment collected is also lost, so more blasting is needed to replace it.\r\n\r\nCOMMENTS\r\n\r\nJoysticks: Cursor, Kempston, Sinclair\r\nGraphics: small, mainly monochrome ships against a boring black background\r\nSound: shooting effects only","ReviewerComments":["The attack of the planet Tanium is colourfully portrayed; unfortunately, the 'Quariad' class fighter seems to be a second-rate mechanical mistake. Even with extra speed and firepower, control of the craft is painstakingly slow. Your laserfire is almost invisible and the aliens' advance is quite leisurely. This makes for some pretty insipid blasting, and lack of manoeuvrability inevitably involves the loss of lives. When this happens there's no explosion of any kind - you have to keep your eye constantly on the energy meter and 'number of lives' display. On the whole, cosy retirement on the planet Sloar is definitely a preferable option.\r\nKati Hamza","Tanium is yet another game in the same vein as Side Arms and Agent X II, but this is quite good for a change! The graphics are neat and stand out well from the background. Colour is used as well as can be expected and it gets more colourful as you progress. There are some excellent alien patterns and some very detailed ships to blast away. Tanium also has a few good sound effects but the programmers haven't exactly gone mad with their synths. One addition that would have made it even more of a challenge is if the aliens actually shot back instead of just colliding with you. Still, a great game if you feel like a good blasting session!\r\nNick Roberts"],"OverallSummary":"General Rating: A poor clone of the horizontally scrolling arcade shoot 'em up.","Page":"14","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Kati Hamza","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Nick Roberts","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Presentation","Score":"49%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"53%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"42%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictive Qualities","Score":"45%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"45%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Sinclair Issue 33, Sep 1988","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1988-08-11","Editor":"Teresa Maughan","TotalPages":116,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Teresa Maughan\r\nDeputy Editor: Ciaran Brennan\r\nArt Editor: Darrell King\r\nTechnical Editor: Phil South\r\nProduction Editor: Jackie Ryan\r\nDesigner: Catherine Higgs\r\nContributors: Guy Bennington, Marcus Berkmann, Owen & Audrey Bishop, Richard Blaine, Jonathan Davies, Mike 'Skippy' Dunn, Mike Gerrard, Graeme Kidd, David McCandless, Duncan McDonald, Nat Pryce, Peter Shaw, Rachael Smith, Ben Stone\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Mark Salmon\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Simon Stansfield\r\nAdvertisement Director: Alistair Ramsay\r\nProduction Manager: Judith Middleton\r\nMarketing Manager: Bryan Denyer\r\nArt Director: Hazel Bennington\r\nPublisher: Kevin Cox\r\nPublishing Director: Roger Munford\r\nFinance Director: Colin Crawford\r\nManaging Director: Stephen England\r\nChairman: Felix Dennis\r\n\r\nPublished by Dennis Publishing Ltd, [redacted] Company registered in England.\r\nTypesetters: Carlinpoint [redacted]\r\nReproduction: Graphic Ideas, London\r\nPrinters: Chase Web Offset [redacted]\r\nDistribution: Seymour Press [redacted]\r\n\r\nAll material in Your Sinclair ©1988 Felden Productions, and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of the publishers. Your Sinclair is a monthly publication."},"MainText":"TANIUM\r\nPlayers\r\n£1.99\r\nReviewer: Nat Pryce\r\n\r\nThe enemy (aliens as usual. I s'pose) have captured Tanium, the second most strategically important planet this side of the 'Sanvolgrani Rift'. You must fly your 'Quariad' class stealth fighter over the planet destroying as many enemy ships as possible. Now that's what I call a good mission - nice and simple!\r\n\r\nAs sideways scrollers go, Tanium is rather bland. 'Sticky' controls and slow movement spoil the flow of what should be a fast and frantic blaster and the add-on weapons seem to have no effect and aren't explained anywhere in the instructions. My verdict? Not very playable or addictive and not particularly good value, even at this low price.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"50","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Nat Pryce","Score":"5","ScoreSuffix":"/10"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"5/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]