[{"TitleName":"Xevious","Publisher":"U.S. Gold Ltd","Author":"Nick Bruty","YearOfRelease":"1986","ZxDbId":"0005795","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 37, Feb 1987","Price":"£1","ReleaseDate":"1987-01-22","Editor":"Graeme Kidd","TotalPages":132,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Publishers: Roger Kean, Oliver Frey, Franco Frey\r\nPublishing Executive/Editor: Graeme Kidd\r\nSub Editor: Ciaran Brennan\r\nStaff Writers: Lloyd Mangram, Lee Paddon, Hannah Smith\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: Dick Shiner\r\nAssistant Art Director: Gordon Druce\r\nIllustrators: Ian Craig, 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 Ian Craig\r\n\r\n101,483 Total\r\n92,992 UK and EIRE"},"MainText":"Producer: US Gold\r\nRetail Price: £7.99\r\nAuthor: Probe Software\r\n\r\nAnother arcade classic makes its way onto the Spectrum. This time it's the ATARI coin-op Xevious, licensed from NAMCO.\r\n\r\nThe action takes place on for rather, slightly above) Planet Earth many years in the future. The root of the story, however, dates back to the last Ice Age, when large hairy mammoths roamed the land and man was barely out of the trees. Around that time a highly sophisticated and technically advanced race of beings called the Xevious inhabited Earth. These beings were forced to abandon their homeland because of the advancing sheets of ice. However, the snows have long since departed our humble planet and the Xevious have returned. As you might imagine, they got a bit of a shock when they find out that the primitive apes they left behind had evolved into technically advanced creatures.\r\n\r\nThe Xevious believe that the Earth is rightfully theirs, and are willing to fight to prove their point. War breaks out, and this is where you come in. You play the part of a fighter pilot on a search and destroy mission to annihilate the Xevious warriors. Controlling a Solvalu fighter jet skimming over the surface of Earth, you keep an eye open for the enemy. Xevious fighters come in attack waves, attempting to crash into your craft or blow it out of the sky. Ground installations also take pot shots at the Earthman in the sky...\r\n\r\nThe action is viewed on the right-hand part of the screen which scrolls downwards with the enemy fighters attacking from the top in set patterns and formations. The ultimate objective is to survive the attacking waves of Xevious and penetrate their Andor Genesis Mother ship. This enormous craft can be disabled by knocking out its central reactor. Doing this makes the Xevious really mad, and they resume their attacks with renewed vigour as the attack run begins again - the mission becomes more perilous each time around.\r\n\r\nXevious fighters can be blasted out of the skies with the on-board lasers while the enemy's ground-based entrenchments can be knocked out with bombs. Indestructible flying mirrors appear interspersed with the attacking Xevious craft. These nasty contraptions are difficult to spot, and colliding with one spells instant death.\r\n\r\nFive lives are available and a two-player option allows a pair of pilots to take turns at eradicating the Xevious forces.\r\n\r\nCOMMENTS\r\n\r\nControl keys: definable - up, down, left, right, fire, bomb\r\nJoystick: Kempston, Cursor, Interface 2\r\nUse of colour: monochromatic play area\r\nGraphics: not much detail, smooth scrolling\r\nSound: the occasional spot effect\r\nSkill levels: one\r\nScreens: scrolling play area","ReviewerComments":["Xevious in the arcades was one of those cult machines that you either liked or hated - I liked it. Xevious on the Spectrum however, is a boring shoot 'em up that's instantly forgettable. Graphically, this is one of the better monochromatic shoot 'em ups - the characters and scrolling area are well defined. The use of colour is a little suspect though: green-o-vision has been done before and to better overall effect. The sound is not at all bad, with a couple of tuneettes and the effects have obviously been thought about (but not too hard). All-in-all, I can't recommend this.\r\nBen Stone","At first I found Xevious quite interesting to play, but it soon dawned on me that it's basically a Space Invaders type game - the only difference being the addition of modern features such as scrolling and monochromatic landscapes. Xevious is good as shoot 'em ups go, but I feel the game lacks anything that even the most docile of players would find taxing. The game has instant appeal - which is probably why the arcade freaks liked it - but I got completely bored very quickly. The free badge is nice. The freebie poster is quite pretty-but the game holds no lasting appeal.\r\r\nPaul Sumner","Having heard bits about this arcade game (without having played it), I expected a bit more than this from Xevious. The graphics are very average, and frankly, that's my opinion of the whole thing. It's just another shoot'em up. That's it. Fine for shoot 'em up addicts no doubt, but I'm not too keen.\r\nMike Dunn"],"OverallSummary":"General Rating: A straightforward shoot 'em up.","Page":"104","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Ben Stone","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Paul Sumner","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Mike Dunn","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Another meanie bites the bullet, but the base installations are firing back."},{"Text":"Attack of the tumbling plates, as the spaceship approaches a couple of ground targets."}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Presentation","Score":"65%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"72%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"59%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictive Qualities","Score":"57%","Text":""},{"Header":"Value For Money","Score":"59%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"64%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Sinclair Issue 14, Feb 1987","Price":"£1","ReleaseDate":"1987-01-08","Editor":"Teresa Maughan","TotalPages":106,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Teresa Maughan\r\nArt Editor: Caroline Clayton\r\nProduction Editor: Sara Biggs\r\nAssistant Editor: Phil South\r\nStaff Writer: Markus Berkmann\r\nDesigner: Darrell King\r\nContributors: Steve Adams, Luke C, Mike Gerrard, Ian Hoare, Gwyn Hughes, ZZKJ, Tommy Nash, Max Phillips, Rick Robson, Rachael Smith\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 Sportscene Specialist Press 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":"US Gold\n£7.99\nReviewer: Marcus Berkmann\n\nEons ago, millenia before prehistoric man trod the earth, even before the ice age glaciers swept across Europe and altered it forever (Get on with it. Ed). Anyway, a very long time ago indeed, the earth was colonised by the Xevious people. This advanced civilisation ruled for centuries before moving on to better things. But now they've returned, and they want their planet back. Not very chummy, eh? Not surprisingly this has not gone down too well with the earth's ruling forces, so they've sent you out in your Solvalou spacecraft to give them a darn good thrashing (see me in my study, Simpkins).\n\nXevious is another scrollling shoot 'em up, a coin-op conversion in the traditions of Uridium, WAR and Lightforce. Enemy forces take the form of ground-based missile systems and flying whatchamacallits which dodge around in a thoroughly tricky manner. These Xevious are devious! Things get more difficult of course when you approach a flotilla of floating mirrors, as these'll reflect your fire back at you unless you get out of the way smartish. At the end of the line you'll face the Andor Genesis Mother Ship, a huge steaming mother of a ship that may take a bit of budging.\n\nWith this sort of conversion it seems to me that programmers have a very simple choice - graphic quality or speed. US Gold has gone for speed. So while Xevious may not be as impressive to look at as, say, Lightforce, it's much more fun to-play. Uridium managed to combine the two, with spectacular results.\n\nXevious is fast, vicious and enthralling. If you can forgive graphics that never really rise above the mundane, you should get a lot out of it.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"85","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Marcus Berkmann","Score":"8","ScoreSuffix":"/10"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"7/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"8/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Value For Money","Score":"8/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictiveness","Score":"9/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"8/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 59, Feb 1987","Price":"£1","ReleaseDate":"1987-01-18","Editor":"David Kelly","TotalPages":116,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: David Kelly\r\nDeputy Editor: John Gilbert\r\nSenior Staff Writer: Graham Taylor\r\nStaff Writer: Jim Douglas\r\nDesigner: 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\nSenior Sales Executive: Jacqui Pope\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: Stuart Hughes\r\n\r\nIf you would like to contribute to Sinclair User please send programs or articles to:\r\nSinclair User\r\nEMAP Business & Computer Publications\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nOriginal programs should be on cassette and articles should be typed. Please write Program Printout on the envelopes of all cassettes submitted. We cannot undertake to return cassettes unless an SAE is enclosed. We pay £20 for each program printed and £50 for star programs.\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: US Gold\r\nAuthor: Probe Software\r\nPrice: £9.95\r\nJoystick: various\r\nMemory: 48K/128K\r\nReviewer: Graham Taylor\r\n\r\nWhen you take away the awesome graphics from Xevious you're left with a pretty average sort of game.\r\n\r\nSo it goes. In the arcades Xevious looked astonishing. Spaceships looked really metallic and the landscape looked like it was real.\r\n\r\nWhat can you expect from the Spectrum version? It's two-colour, green and black, and some of the background features lack detail. For example, the Xevious 'roads' are reduced to lines making them considerably less impressive than in the original.\r\n\r\nThere are some positive trade offs for some of these compromises however. No attribute clash, obviously, and a fair degree of detail in the spacecraft and some of the 'set piece' background sections.\r\n\r\nClever use of shading gives some of the sprites in Xevious a solid look too, an illusion of 3D. They may not actually look like metal as in the original but they look more substantial than with most similar games.\r\n\r\nAs a game Xevious follows a classic pattern. It scrolls top to bottom with waves of aliens to be blasted or avoided, getting ever more vicious and ever more erratic in their movement as you penetrate deeper into the game. There are ground bases you can destroy with difficulty - they lob bombs in your general direction - and finally there's a mothership you destroy only by hitting it in one specific spot (in this case the central reactor).\r\n\r\nYou must have heard this one before. Apart from anything else 90 percent of Lightforce follows this formula.\r\n\r\nMainly it's about stabbing away at the joystick and watching out for stray bombs. There are some definite techniques you can learn to help you survive longer. After a half hour's play I just managed to creep on to the bottom of the high scores board.\r\n\r\nSo what do I think of Xevious? I think it's a better than average shoot 'em up and as a conversion it's pretty good.\r\n\r\nI'd like to have seen what Faster Than light would have done with it though.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"A good shoot 'em up and a reasonable conversion of an arcade classic. A definite maybe for joystick junkies.","Page":"23","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Graham Taylor","Score":"4","ScoreSuffix":"/5"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"HINTS AND TIPS\r\n\r\nLearn the layout of the gun emplacements and line your ship up, in advance, with one in turn\r\n\r\nAlways try to destroy emplacements. Start firing the moment you see one, otherwise your chances of getting past without destroying it are pretty low.\r\n\r\nEven if you have passed an emplacement keep your eyes open - they frequently lob a last bomb straight at you.\r\n\r\nLearn the patterns of the alien ships. The disc-shaped ones, for example, move in a fairly simple zig-zag that is relatively easy to avoid if you are prepared.\r\n\r\nFire continuously!\r\n\r\nDon't stay on the bottom of the screen. You may get trapped. Instead, give yourself plenty of room for movement."}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"4/5","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 69, Dec 1987","Price":"£1","ReleaseDate":"1987-11-18","Editor":"David Kelly","TotalPages":148,"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\nDesigner: Andrea Walker\r\nAdventure Help: Gordo Greatbelly\r\nZapchat: Jon Riglar\r\nHelpline: Andrew Hewson\r\nContributors: Richard Price, 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: Angus Fieldhouse\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: Americana\r\nAuthor: Probe\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 quite close to home, lived the people of Xevious. They had a world, and they called it Earth. One day, while they were out shopping, a bunch of apes had the cheek to evolve into intelligent life forms and take over. So, the Xevians decide to put a stop to the 'humans' (as they had decided to name themselves) and launched an attack.\r\n\r\nEnough of the supa-hype opening, down to brass tacks. This game, like many of its era is a vertically scrolling, shoot-'em-up, and not a very good one. It scrolls nicely enough, the backgrounds are very average, the nasties are depicted in a quite-well-depicted-sort-of-fashion, but it lacks the motivation to make it worth playing.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"Poorly programmed unplayable conversion of a a substandard arcade machine.","Page":"56","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Tony Dillon","Score":"3","ScoreSuffix":"/10"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"3/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"C&VG (Computer & Video Games) Issue 64, Feb 1987","Price":"£1","ReleaseDate":"1987-01-16","Editor":"Tim Metcalfe","TotalPages":132,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Tim Metcalfe\r\nDeputy Editor: Paul Boughton\r\nEditorial Assistant: Lesly Walker\r\nSub-Editor: Seamus St. John\r\nDesign: Craig Kennedy\r\nAdventure Writers: Keith Campbell, Steve Donoghue, Matthew Woodley\r\nAmerican Correspondent: Marshall M. Rosenthal\r\nArcades: Clare Edgeley\r\nSoftware Consultant: Tony Takoushi\r\nPublicity: Marcus Rich\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Garry Williams\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Katherine Lee\r\nAd Production: Debbie Pearson\r\nPublisher: Rita Lewis\r\nCover: Mark Bromley (Who also did last months Space Harrier spectacular!)\r\n\r\n© Jerry Paris\r\n\r\nEditorial and Advertisement Offices: [redacted]\r\n\r\nJuly-December 98,258"},"MainText":"MACHINE: Spectrum/C64\r\nSUPPLIER: US Gold\r\nPRICE: £7.95 (Spec), £9.95 (C64)\r\n\r\nWhat better way to finish off the year of the arcade conversion than with a real classic like Xevious? Well, U.S. Gold , reckons it is anyway. I, for one, can't disagree with them!\r\n\r\nThe original coin-op appeared way back in the mists of time - but the game hasn't dated. You won't find any cobwebs on this shoot 'em up. It's been converted by the underrated Probe Software team - who are also working on other arcade conversions for Activision as reported in our news section last issue.\r\n\r\nIf this is anything to go by, we're in for a few treats in the New Year.\r\n\r\nXevious is a pretty basic, horizontally scrolling zapper. You fly your space fighter over a landscape of trees, lakes and built up areas in search of your goal - the alien mothership.\r\n\r\nOn the way you'll encounter hoardes of intelligent alien attackers in many different shapes and forms.\r\n\r\nThere are also ground emplacements to deal with. These fire at you - but you're armed with bombs which you can use to blitz these buildings and the odd alien tank using the roadways which you overfly during your mission.\r\n\r\nThe scrolling is pretty smooth - and the graphics are generally black on one colour, but pretty detailed for all that. You can generally dodge alien fire because their bullets move pretty slowly, but watch out for clusters of bullets - these can really catch you out.\r\n\r\nAlso try to shoot the alien craft as far up the screen as you can this gives you more time to bomb the ground installations which send up those bomb clusters. And don't get trapped in the corners of the screen. That's old advice for experienced zappers like you - but it's still useful!\r\n\r\nAnd watch out for the awesome flying mirrors! They are real killers.\r\n\r\nCommodore graphics are a bit confusing to follow at first. The choice of colours isn't that great. But you do get the enhanced sounds of course.\r\n\r\nThere are 32 different kinds of alien ship and no wave is the same, 16 levels, four skill ratings and bonus screens - just like the arcade original.\r\n\r\nThere is a two player option plus a nice high score chart. Screen layout differs from machine to machine. The Spectrum has a split screen effect while the 64 is a full screen game.\r\n\r\nXevious is a good thumb-busting zapper for shoot 'em up fans of all ages.\r\n\r\nIt may not have the colourful graphic frills of something like Lightforce but it's still pretty addictive. Check it out.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"49","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Tim Metcalfe","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"7/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"7/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Value","Score":"7/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"8/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Computer Issue 2, Feb 1987","Price":"£1","ReleaseDate":"1987-01-15","Editor":"Gary Evans","TotalPages":84,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Gary Evans\r\nDeputy Editor: Francis Jago\r\nStaff Writer: John Barnes\r\nSub Editor: Harold Mayes MBE\r\nProduction Editor: Jim McClure\r\nProduction Assistants: Nick Fry\r\nEditorial Secretary: Sheila Baker\r\nDesigner: Chris Winch\r\nDesign Assistant: Neil Tookey\r\nHead Of Advertising Sales: Dory Mackay\r\nAdvertisement Manager: David Lake\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Tim Seymour\r\nClassified: Paul Monaf\r\nPublisher: Paul Coster\r\nFinancial Director: Brendan McGrath\r\nManaging Director: Richard Hease\r\n\r\nYour Computer, [redacted]\r\nISS 0263 0885\r\n\r\n©1987 Focus Magazines Limited\r\nPrinted by The Riverside Press Ltd, England.\r\nTypeset by Time Graphics Ltd, [redacted]\r\n\r\nDistributed by Quadrant Publishing Services, [redacted].\r\n\r\nReasonable care is taken to avoid errors in this magazine but no liability is accepted for any errors which may occur. No material in this publication may be reproduced in any way without the written consent of the publishers. The publishers will not accept responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts, listings, data tapes or discs.\r\n\r\nWe will assume permission to publish all unsolicited material unless otherwise stated. We cannot be held responsible for the safe return of any material submitted for publication. Please keep a copy of all your work and do not send us original artwork.\r\n\r\nUnfortunately we are unable to answer lengthy enquiries by telephone. Any written query requiring a personal answer MUST be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope; please allow up to 28 days for a reply.\r\n\r\nSubscriptions: UK £15 for 12 issues. Overseas (surface mail) £25 - airmail rates on request. Please make a cheque/postal orders payable to Focus Magazines (allow 5 weeks from receipt of order to delivery of first subscription copy). Send orders to Your Computer Subscriptions, [redacted].\r\n\r\nBack issues of the magazine from January onwards are available for £1.50 (UK), £3 (Overseas) from the Back Issues Department, [redacted].\r\n\r\nDistributed by Business Press International, [redacted]."},"MainText":"Various\r\nU.S. Gold\r\nShoot-'em-up\r\n£8.95\r\n\r\nMany eons ago, even before U.S. Gold bought its first arcade licence, an advanced technologically-orientated civilisation was forced to evacuate the Earth prior to the Ice Age. Now the Xevious people are returning to reclaim their heritage through conquest.\r\n\r\nThat is the scenario which the latest arcade shoot-'em-up, Xevious, uses as a background for its shoot-and-dodge gameplay. Anyone who has been to the arcades and played Xevious will immediately recognise the conversion, as it retains both the attack waves and game structure.\r\n\r\nProgrammed on the Spectrum, the first version to be completed by Probe Software, it is one of the best shoot-'em-ups programmed on the Spectrum and is up there with Lightforce and Uridium. The graphics and animation are excellent, with a huge variety of spinning and twisting aliens and totally smooth vertical scrolling.\r\n\r\nAt first, the game appears to be a little simple but having played it for a few hours, I can vouch for the fact that some of the later levels are, to say the least, infuriating. By including the fire and bomb on one button the programmers have made the killing of the ground bases less of a struggle, although at some points it still becomes incredibly hectic.\r\n\r\nAs with all good shoot-'em-ups, points are accumulated by the thousand, with anything above 50,000 being no mean feat. With both Xevious and Gauntlet in its catalogue, U.S. Gold has two all-time arcade favourites, both excellently converted, and available on time. What more could anyone ask?","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"49","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Francis Jago","Score":"4","ScoreSuffix":"/5"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"5/5","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"3/5","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"5/5","Text":""},{"Header":"Value For Money","Score":"4/5","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"4/5","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]