[{"TitleName":"Xen","Publisher":"Super Sparklers","Author":"Mark Rivers","YearOfRelease":"1987","ZxDbId":"0005785","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 39, Apr 1987","Price":"£1","ReleaseDate":"1987-03-26","Editor":"Roger Kean","TotalPages":132,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Roger Kean\r\nSub Editor: Ciaran Brennan\r\nStaff Writers: Lloyd Mangram, Richard Eddy\r\nAdventure Editor: Derek Brewster\r\nStrategy Editor: Philippa Irving\r\nTech Tipster: Simon Goodwin\r\nContributing Writers: Jon Bates, Brendon Kavanagh, John Minson\r\nProduction Controller: David Western\r\nArt Director: Gordon Druce\r\nIllustrator: Oliver Frey\r\nProduction: Seb Clare, Tim Croton, Mark Kendrick, Tony Lorton, Nick Orchard, Michael Parkinson, Cameron Pound, Jonathan Rignall, Matthew Uffindell\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Roger Bennett\r\nAdvertisement Assistant: Nick Wild\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\nBookings [redacted]\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 Magazine 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: Sparklers\r\nRetail Price: £2.99\r\nAuthor: Mark Rivers\r\n\r\nFar away in the constellation of Alpha-Centauri, the Xenon race once lived in peace. Now however, their gentle world has been invaded by the evil armies of Argon. Long ago their planet, Xen, was protected by the Xenon Space Defence Corps, but superior enemy forces have devoured its finest men and arms. Now one crack fighter, Peladus is the sole survivor of that fighting force. If the people of Xen are to avoid permanent enslavement by the Argon dictatorship he is their only hope.\r\n\r\nSwarms of enemy space craft come into attack, some faster and more manoeuvrable than others. You have control of Peladus' fighter, which can be moved to the left and right, forwards and back. They attempt to destroy your fighter by using kamikaze tactics, flinging their craft into yours. Contact with them means a loss of one life. Your fighter has three lives, the number of lives remaining to you is registered on the right hand side of the screen. Be careful not to get caught in the blast as an enemy craft explodes, as this can take out your own fighter. Such blasts can be avoided by flying your space tighter backwards. Ten points are awarded for every enemy ship wiped out.\r\n\r\nBoth ground and spaceborne forces must be defeated before your mission is accomplished. By careful aiming, using the on screen sight, the pink ground based installations of the enemy can be taken out. For each of these destroyed, 100 points are awarded. When six bases have been devastated, the tighter receives an extra life to carry on in battle. The number of bases destroyed is indicated on the left hand side of the screen.\r\n\r\nBefore your mission is finally accomplished, four zones have to be liberated; the Outer Platforms, the Fields, the Desert, and the Inner Platforms. Only then can the people of Xen truly call themselves free once more.\r\n\r\nCOMMENTS\r\n\r\nControl keys: Defineable, Up, Down Left and Right\r\nJoystick: Kempston, Cursor, Interface 2\r\nUse of colour: wonderfully colourful but can be slightly confusing\r\nGraphics: detailed and nicely scrolling backgrounds\r\nSound: funky tune and worthy spot effects\r\nSkill levels: one\r\nScreens: one continuously scrolling playing area","ReviewerComments":["Zap zap, dodge, zap zap, zap zapity-zap (yawn!), dodge KAPAOWW!... Need I say more? (Yes! - Ed)... Xen is a Lightforce clone, and I doff my cap to Sparklers for even attempting one. At first sight this looks as though it could be quite a good one, but the gameplay is severely lacking. A couple of plays should be enough to convince anyone that this isn't a game that'll keep them up half way into the night. The graphics are surprisingly good, but I feel that a little too much colour has been used, making the action confusing at times. On the whole I wouldn't recommend this - pretty, but boring.\r\nBen Stone","Lightforce immediately came to mind when playing Xen. Though if the idea works, I don't see why they shouldn't copy it a bit graphically. The sound on the title screen is a superb bit of buzz, and it's complemented by some very good spot effects during the game. The backgrounds are very detailed and well drawn. Unfortunately the opposing ships am let down by too much colour being used on them. This results in quite a large amount of flicker when they move about the screen. This is only a small problem though, the game is very addictive and fun to play. Definitely worth the asking price.\r\nPaul Sumner","Well, if it isn't Lightforce - oh, hold on - no it's not. Doesn't half look like it though. So, what has PLAYERS cut price shoot 'em up got to offer that's sparkling with originality? As far as I could see, nothing - except that it has a tendency to place you in some very awkward positions - considered a 'challenge' by some, but just plain unplayable to me. Colour looks as if it has been used well, but when the action hots up it doesn't take much to make everything confusing visually. There's also little idea of depth - it just appears so two dimensional - which isn't the effect that is really needed here. On the plus, side, Xen has a reasonable price tag, but it still didn't do an awful lot for me.\r\nRichard Eddy"],"OverallSummary":"General Rating: A brave attempt to simulate Lightforce, but lacks that games playability.","Page":"118","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Ben Stone","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Paul Sumner","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Richard Eddy","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Cameron's in deep trouble as there's no lives left, no bases destroyed, only 130 points scored and the enemy keeps on coming. We'll soon be advertising for a new photographer at this rate."}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Presentation","Score":"76%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"88%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"57%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictiveness","Score":"54%","Text":""},{"Header":"Value For Money","Score":"63%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"64%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 62, May 1987","Price":"£1","ReleaseDate":"1987-04-18","Editor":"David Kelly","TotalPages":116,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: David Kelly\r\nDeputy Editor: Graham Taylor\r\nStaff Writer: Jim Douglas\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\nSinclair User is published monthly by EMAP Business & Computer Publications\r\n\r\nCover Illustration: John Higgins\r\n\r\nTypeset by PRS Ltd, [redacted]\r\nPrinted by Nene River Press, [redacted]\r\nDistributed by EMAP Publications Ltd.\r\n\r\n©Copyright 1987 Sinclair User ISSN No 0262-5458\r\n\r\nABC 90,215 July-Dec 1985"},"MainText":"Label: Creative Sparks\r\nPrice: £2.99\r\nJoystick: various\r\nMemory: 48K/128K\r\nReviewer: Gary Rook\r\n\r\nV-class space fighters come cheap these days... only £2.99. Gone are the days when you had to save up plenty of your intergalactic credits or interstellar spondoolies or whatever you care to call them. No, nowadays for a mere £2.99 you get the business: photon guns, pink bombs, instant response and thrust. Just as well really, as those evil Argons are at it again, as if not content with controlling half of the Known Universe already, they have decided to pick on the peace loving people of Zenon.\r\n\r\nEnter you - last survivor of Xenon Space Defence Corps, whose sole mission is to save the Planet from Argon domination. Very noble of you, it's just a pity that you decided to pick this game to do it, as there are a lot better ones around for a hero of your calibre. Don't get me wrong. It's not all bad, the opening synthesised music is pretty atmospheric, and the explosion graphics are extremely well done, apart from that the sound FX are naff, and for some reason the Argons don't shoot at you at all. they just fly kamikazee-like, hell bent on colliding with you instead. There are four zones to be liberated before you have won, and points are awarded for each enemy craft eliminated with the added bonus of extra lives if you bomb six bases. The game is a vertical scrolling shoot 'em up which lacks a lot of finesse, and quite frankly very little skill is needed to finish it. I would in all honesty think quite hard about the 'highly addictive' tag given it on the inlay cover, more a case of 'highly boring' if you ask me. Which brings us nicely on to the price, at £2.99, considering what you get now for £1.99, this is too much.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"Tired old re-hash of an even more tired game avoid unless completely desperate. And it's an expensive cheapie.","Page":"67","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Gary Rook","Score":"2","ScoreSuffix":"/5"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"2/5","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 71, Feb 1988","Price":"£1","ReleaseDate":"1988-01-18","Editor":"David Kelly","TotalPages":108,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"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, Tony Bridge, Chris Jenkins, Tony Dillon, Gary Rook\r\nHardware Correspondent: Rupert Goodwins\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Mike Corr\r\nSales Executive: Steve Prescott\r\nClassified Sales/Production: Alison Morton\r\nPublisher's Secretary: Debbie Pearson\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: Jim Davis\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 1988 Sinclair User ISSN No 0262-5458\r\n\r\nABC 84,699 July-Dec 1986"},"MainText":"Label: Top Ten\r\nAuthor: In-house\r\nPrice: £1.99\r\nMemory: 48K/128K\r\nJoystick: various\r\nReviewer: Tony Dillon\r\n\r\nApproach any computer games addict and ask him or her 'What is the most popular type of game?' and he will say 'Arcade'. Baffle that person even more by inquiring 'What is the most popular type of arcade game?' and you'll more than likely get the reply 'Vertical scrollers'. So, a signed photograph of Jonny 'Babyface' Riglar to the first SU reader who can shout out what kind of game Xen is. That's right, it's a vertically scrolling shoot-'em-up. You fly your ship upwards over an alien base, shooting, a la Xevious, whilst dodging the enemy flak and bombing the bases. Gripping stuff. I had a great stuggle gripping my stomach to make sure it stayed under control. The scrolling in Xen is really awful and the main sprite and all the other little bits in the game are jerky end badly animated, though the colour is done quite well. Still, not well enough to make it decent.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"Boldly tries to go where only Lightforce has been before and unfortunately fails miserably.","Page":"37","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Tony Dillon","Score":"4","ScoreSuffix":"/10"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"4/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"ZX Computing Issue 37, May 1987","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1987-04-23","Editor":"Bryan Ralph","TotalPages":92,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Bryan Ralph\r\nAssistant Editor: Cliff Joseph\r\nConsultant Editor: Ray Elder\r\nAdvertising Manager: Peter Chandler\r\n\r\nDesign: A.S.P. Design Studio\r\nA.S.P. Advertising and Editorial [redacted]\r\n\r\nPrinted by Chase Web, [redacted]\r\n\r\nAdvertisement Copy Controller: Andy Selwood\r\n\r\nDistributed by: Argus Press Sales and Distribution Ltd, [redacted]\r\n\r\nZX Computing Monthly is published on the fourth Friday of each month. Subscription rates can be obtained from ZX Subscriptions, [redacted]\r\n\r\nThe contents of this publication, including all articles, designs plans, drawings and other intellectual property rights herein 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 company.\r\n\r\nArgus Specialist Publications Limited. ©1987"},"MainText":"Creative Sparks\r\n£2.99\r\n\r\nAfter a number of pretty average budget titles, Creative Sparks have come up with a pretty average budget shoot 'em up called Xen. Apart from the fact that they've probably infringed somebody else's copyright somewhere in the packaging of the game there's not an awful lot to say about the game.\r\n\r\nIt's one of those games where you control the last surviving craft in the space fleet which defends your home planet, and it's up to you to save the world from the alien fleet. The aliens in this game are called Argons, and they've landed a number of ground installations gathered together in four sectors on the planet's surface. These installations are protected from the air by other alien craft, but you've still got to blast your way through and bomb the lot.\r\n\r\nUsing reviewer's shorthand I suppose that Xen could best be summed up as a budget Lightforce, unfortunately it isn't in the same league as the original. The prime requisite for any shoot 'em up has to be the speed and responsiveness of control - a shoot 'em up that plods along at a snail's pace is a waste of time and while Xen isn't that slow it isn't really fast enough to build up much excitement. The graphics are all quite blocky, though there is some quite smooth scrolling and animation. There's nothing obviously wrong with Xen, but it's too average to stand out amongst the crowds of other similarly priced titles.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"38","Denied":false,"Award":"Globert","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"Good","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]