[{"TitleName":"The Train: Escape to Normandy","Publisher":"Electronic Arts","Author":"Imagitec Design Ltd, Nick Wilson, Rick Banks, Paul Butler","YearOfRelease":"1988","ZxDbId":"0005373","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 57, Oct 1988","Price":"£1.25","ReleaseDate":"1988-09-22","Editor":"Dominic Handy","TotalPages":124,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"EDITORIAL\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nEditor: Dominic Handy\r\nSub Editors: Barnaby Page, David Peters\r\nStaff Writers: Mark Caswell, Philip King, Lloyd Mangram, Nick Roberts\r\nPhotography: Cameron Pound, Michael Parkinson\r\nContributors: Jon Bates, Raffaele Cecco, Andrew Chapman, Ian Cull, Paul Evans, 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 Manager: Roger Bennett\r\nSales Executives: Andrew Smales, Sarah Chapman\r\nAssistant: Jackie Morris [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 Frances Mable 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":"Blast nazis and save art\r\n\r\nProducer: Electronic Arts\r\nOut of Pocket: £8.95 cass, £14.95 disk\r\nAuthor: Accolade\r\n\r\nYou'd be wrong if you thought this was childs-play - The Train: Escape To Normandy is a serious simulation set in the occupied France of World War II. It's 1944. The Germans have stolen France's most valuable art treasures, and are taking them back to the Fatherland on a train.\r\n\r\nYou are brave French Resistance leader Pierre Le Feu. Mad, you're going to seize the train and deliver its precious cargo to the Allies in Normandy.\r\n\r\nThe mission starts at Metz station. Your injured colleague, Le Duc, has to change the points on the track while you give covering fire. Germans appear at windows in the station house and fire at you. Ducking to avoid their bullets, you're equipped with a machine gun to knock the smiles off those Nazi faces.\r\n\r\nTime to climb aboard the train itself. A multitude of levers and dials faces you, plus a fumace, which can be opened to shovel in coal from the hopper. From time to time, enemy planes attack from front or rear. Switch to the appropriate view and deal a blast of machine gun death to the swooping planes.\r\n\r\nOne feature which looks strange for a game set in wartime France, is that with the red ground and blue trees it looks more like the planet Mars. But with attacks from the German troops coming thick and fast, I suppose you haven't really got time to admire the scenery.\r\n\r\nA map screen shows the position of the train relative to the various stations and bridges, while the report screen shows the amount of damage sustained by the train and its cargo.\r\n\r\nComing to a halt at bridges results in a battle against enemy gunboats, while on stopping at enemy stations, Pierre must again give covering fire to his partner. Once inside, Le Duc can send messages to the Resistance using Morse code.\r\n\r\nThe Train isn't all about diligently watching gauges, but contains a fair bit of strategy. The three skill levels should help to preserve its appeal, but it's still a challenge on the easiest one! I will say this only once - I like it!\r\n\r\nPHIL 78%\r\n\r\nTHE ESSENTIALS\r\nJoysticks: Kempston, Sinclair\r\nGraphics: odd-looking red and blue colour scheme for the track, but otherwise effective\r\nSound: simple spot effects - where's the whistle?\r\nOptions: three skill levels to choose from","ReviewerComments":["A few more sound effects would have contributed something to the tension as well - it's a bit disappointing to pull the whistle only to hear... zilch. Still - with three difficulty levels and a strong incentive to get to the end of the journey, this is one iron horse it would be shame to miss.\r\nPaul Sumner\r\n82%"],"OverallSummary":"General Rating: More of a strategy game than a train driving game, there's nothing quite like it.","Page":"24,25","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Phil King","Score":"78","ScoreSuffix":"%"},{"Name":"Paul Sumner","Score":"82","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"All this trouble to get a ticket!"}],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"ON THE FOOTPLATE\r\n\r\nIf the steam pressure is too low, close the throttle and stoke the furnace.\r\n\r\nAt the stations, keep the fire button pressed to make shooting the guards an easier task.\r\n\r\nAfter destroying a gunboat, immediately move left/right, keeping the same cannon inclination to destroy the boat at the same screen height.\r\n\r\nWhen moving down the track, keep switching between front and rear views to spot attacking planes sooner."}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Presentation","Score":"79%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"79%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"83%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictive Qualities","Score":"74%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"79%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Sinclair Issue 34, Oct 1988","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1988-09-13","Editor":"Teresa Maughan","TotalPages":124,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Teresa Maughan\r\nDeputy Editor: Ciaran Brennan\r\nArt Editor: Darrell King\r\nStaff Writer: Duncan MacDonald\r\nProduction Editor: Jackie Ryan\r\nDesigner: Catherine Higgs\r\nContributors: Guy Bennington, Marcus Berkmann, Richard Blaine, Jonathan Davies, Mike Gerrard, Graeme Kidd, Rachael Smith, Phil South\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Mark Salmon\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Simon Stansfield\r\nAdvertisement Director: Alistair Ramsay\r\nProduction Manager: Judith Middleton\r\nAdvertisement Production: Claire Leggitt\r\nMarketing Manager: Bryan Denyer\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":"Accolade\r\n£8.95 cass/£14.95 disk\r\nReviewer: Sean Kelly\r\n\r\nLe chicketydum. le chicketydee, le chicketydum, le chicketydee, le WOOH WOOOOOOOH!\r\n\r\nYou're Monsieur Le Feu (That's Mister The Fire to you), brave and fearless hero of the Resistance, who laughs in the face of the Nazi tanks and bombers, and makes rude gallic gestures at them. Your latest venture is, to 'borrow indefinitely' a train filled with French art treasures, and get it to Normandy before sunrise. Why before sunrise? I'm not sure. Perhaps it's a vampire train. But fortunately Monsieur Le Duc (That's Mister... er... The Duck to you) another gallic hero of the Resistance is on hand to provide any chuffin' assistance you might need.\r\n\r\nThe perilous journey begins at Metz station, where you must take pot shots at the German guards whilst Le Duc is loading up the coal, and checking the tyre pressures. Once the Nazis have been dealt with, you leap onto the train, and begin your journey, which is where the difficulties start. The engine must be constantly checked to ensure that the right pressure is maintained, and the temperature is high; but not too high. Water and coal levels must be monitored, and coal must be used efficiently - shovel too much in at once and the engine boiler gets damaged, too little and the speed begins to fall -not good when you have hundreds of kilometres to travel before daylight. The throttle and various whistles must also be managed, and trying to brake too suddenly will wear the brakes out.\r\n\r\nThen, just as you're getting used to sorting this little lot out without crashing, smashing or spontaneously combusting, Le Duc, in his useful helpful manner, tells you that a German 'plane is attacking the front (or back) of the train. When Ducky does this, it's time to man the machine gun and blast the 'plane out of the sky, only to head back to the engine room to find everything going haywire.\r\n\r\nThere certainly is plenty to do in this game, which is a curious mixture between a shoot 'em up and a simulation. The shoot 'em up sections of the game are straightforward, and fairly tedious.\r\n\r\nSimulation fans, though, 'stoke on. All your options are controlled from the joystick, and the engine driving screen is well laid out and easy to manipulate. Attempting to plan a route and keep all the engine parts functioning properly is great fun and ambushes, damaged tracks, and Resistance rendezvous all add to the sense of atmosphere and urgency, and even after three nights continuous play on the easiest level, I never came close to actually finishing the run.\r\n\r\nNot a game for arcade fans, but if you're looking for an introduction into the world of simulations, and particularly train ones, you could do worse than this atmospheric romp through wartime France. Trainspotters rejoice!","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"Naff shoot 'em up sections, but the train driving simulation and atmosphere more than make up for them.","Page":"90","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Sean Kelly","Score":"7","ScoreSuffix":"/10"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"6/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"8/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Value For Money","Score":"7/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictiveness","Score":"8/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"7/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 79, Oct 1988","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1988-09-18","Editor":"Graham Taylor","TotalPages":108,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Graham 'Generalissimo' Taylor\r\nDeputy Editor: Jim 'Rourke' Douglas\r\nProduction Editor: Tamara '1st Traitor?' Howard\r\nArt Editor: Gareth Jones\r\nDesigner: Andrea '2nd Traitor' Walker\r\nAdventure: The Sorceress\r\nZapchat: Jon Riglar\r\nTechnical: Andrew Hewson, Rupert Goodwins\r\nContributors: Tony 'Bon Jovi or bust' Dillon, Chris 'Mr Blag' Jenkins\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Katherine Lee\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Alison Morton\r\nAd Production: Emma Ward\r\nPublisher's Assistant: Debbie Pearson\r\nPublisher: Terry Pratt\r\nMarketing: Clive 'Where have you taken my office?' Pembridge\r\n\r\nPhone: [redacted]\r\nFax: [redacted]\r\nEditorial and Advertisement Offices: [redacted]\r\n\r\nThis Month's Cover: Junior.\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: Electronic Arts\r\nAuthor: Accolade\r\nPrice: £8.95\r\nMemory: 48K/128K\r\nJoystick: various\r\nReviewer: Jim Douglas\r\n\r\nZut alors! etc. The Train from E.A. boasts one of the ropiest themes on which to base a game I've ever come across: A huge locomotive stuffed full of French art to be carted off to Germany at the end of WWII, a group of French Resistance fighters (yourself) and as many Germans as you can shoot.\r\n\r\n(I don't know how you feel, but personally I won't be that concerned if every piece of froggy art ever contrived were lost forever, but that's all by the way).\r\n\r\nWhat we have is a multi-stage arcade/simulation of stealing, driving and protecting the train on its hair-raising journey from the depot at Metz to Riviere where you meet up with the Allies.\r\n\r\nThe first stage is a largely uninspiring affair involving moving a cursor around a screen depicting the train in the sidings at Metz. You have to shoot out the Germans who lurk in the windows of the shacks, each time you pot one, one of your fellow Resistance boys will move further up the track towards the signal box. Once he's there he will change the signal to green and you'll be able to shoot off 'dans le train', as they say in France.\r\n\r\nThe problem in this stage is that the Germans keep shooting back, forcing you to duck their gunfire. Since the joystick only controls the cursor, you've got to hit the space bar every time. Everything gets a bit frustrating, and this stage goes on for ever.\r\n\r\nEventually, though you get on to the main driving-the-train section. The screen now depicts the control 'panel' of the train - throttle, brake, stove etc, just as you start to get the hang of things, you'll notice on your Map screen that you're about to shoot off in the wrong direction, and you'll have to go through an elaborate process of blowing your whistle a number of times to let the Resistance know that you want the points at the next junction changed to the appropriate position.\r\n\r\nThe Germans don't give up, though. They'll send fighter planes after you and you'll have to shoot 'em down in a 3-D night-gunner scenario (which isn't at all bad). Crossing bridges can turn into a real nightmare. Hordes of enemy boats mill around and you'll have to shoot them down in order to continue.\r\n\r\nThe Train, it has to be said, isn't the most exciting game in the whole world. While it's well programmed, the initial idea seems to be way off beam. It's nice to look at and would make a great movie (I'm sure it's been done - TH) but a computer game? Whatever next. The Sound of Music?","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"Watchable, though thoroughly bizarre arcade/history game.","Page":"28","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Jim Douglas","Score":"68","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"78%","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"50%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"60%","Text":""},{"Header":"Lastability","Score":"70%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"68%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment) Issue 17, Feb 1989","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1989-01-05","Editor":"Graeme Kidd","TotalPages":124,"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 (Don't believe everything you read in the masthead last month!)\r\nProduction Editor: Damien Noonan\r\nConsultant Editor: Brian Larkman (Graphics)\r\nAdventure Editor: Steve Cooke\r\nContributors: Gwyn Hughes, Phil South, Tony Tyler Andy Wilton\r\nArt Editor: Trevor Gilham\r\nAssistant Art Editor: Angela Neale\r\nProduction: Diane Tavener\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\nWessex Reproduction [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":"Electronic Arts, £8.95cs, £14.95dk\r\nC64 version reviewed Issue 7 - ACE rating 641\r\n\r\nA splash of strategic planning and a fair old slice of arcade action in this train-driving sim cum shootem-up. Good graphics, but still not too much gameplay.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"69","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Ace Rating","Score":"641/1000","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: £9.95, Diskette: £14.95\r\n\r\nBased around the 1965 film of the same name, The Train involves hijacking a German goods train carrying France's national art treasures and riding it back through occupied territory to the safely of Riviere in Normandy. En route bridges are crossed, tracks switched and stations stopped at to refuel and send messages to the Resistance. The Germans send soldiers, enemy fighters and patrol boats out to stop the train in its tracks.\r\n\r\nDespite an atmospheric first screen and detailed backdrops in the combat scenes, the graphics are of average quality. Planes and boats lack colour and detail and the game's realism and war-time atmosphere suffer through errors - red ground and blue trees.\r\n\r\nThe combat sections, while adding variety to the games proceedings, are shallow and undemanding and as such offer little entertainment value. Controlling the train, while hardly complex, has its attractions and is enjoyable within limitations.\r\n\r\nThe lack of depth in the subsections and low level of incentive to continue with the game once completed were problems encountered in the C64 game, they have unfortunately manifested in this version.\r\n\r\nThe Train has potential and the idea of combining arcade action and simulation works well. It's a shame the sub-games which play a major part in Nick Wilson's conversion are simplistic, lacking in challenge and very quickly run out of steam.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"53","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Blue trees and red ground help to destroy any atmosphere created by the gameplay."}],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"COMMODORE 64/128 Overall: 71% TGM004"}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"61%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]