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It seems that the arrivals in the software market will please primarily fans of simulators. After all, two magnificent games of this genre have finally appeared in Moscow. We are talking about such masterpieces as:
"F-19 STEALTH FIGHTER"
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1989 "MICROPROSE SIMULATION SOFTWARE"
An adaptation of the well-known IBM game made by "MICROPROSE SIMULATION SOFTWARE" in 1989. In this game, you become a pilot of the F-19, a stealth aircraft. You start your career as a junior lieutenant and gradually advance by completing a variety of missions. You will have to operate in Libya, the Persian Gulf, Russia, and Central Europe (the game takes us back to the times of the Cold War, the "Iron Curtain," and the Warsaw Pact countries).
Yes, this game is worth playing - the authors managed to port the program from a more powerful computer with minimal losses. The game features a very wide range of settings, allowing both beginners and seasoned pilots to enjoy flying. The missions are well-balanced, making the game quite dynamic - you won't have to wait for half an hour at the screen for your aircraft to reach its target. (As can happen in "FIGHTER BOMBER," for example).
But in any barrel of honey, there is a spoonful of tar - this program is no exception. In this case, the game feels somewhat "unpolished" - the static images are carelessly drawn, the graphics lack filling and the removal of invisible lines, the sound is present but minimal. It is also surprising how the enemy aircraft are represented - are these really "crop dusters" flying around? Moreover, the program sometimes does not respond immediately to key presses, and if you hold them down longer, they start to "stutter." It is quite strange that when the "ENS" system (turning without rolling) is enabled, you cannot switch to a small-scale map. And to top it all off, we were surprised to find that our aircraft easily climbed to an altitude of ... 64 kilometers! Not bad... for "Burana."
But are we being too picky?! After all, of all the flight simulators we've seen on SPECCY, this program looks the best. It is especially nice that after landing, you will be shown a more detailed flight analysis than in other games, demonstrating the results of your efforts (you may be promoted or awarded). And if everything went well, a cheerful company will gather again in the officer's club bar. Of course, each pilot can save their status on disk instead of going through all the missions in a row until their eyes hurt.
So, if you love to fly over the endless expanses of our homeland in the evening and take out a couple of "Mavericks" in some anti-aircraft town near Murmansk - this game is for you.
CARRIER COMMAND
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1992 REALTIME GAMES SOFTWARE LTD.
This is the second coolest simulator that has appeared in Moscow. Its arrival was accompanied by various rumors, for example, that this game is the second part of the sensational "BATTLE COMMAND"; some claimed that this program is just a hacker remake of "B.C." and nothing more.
In fact, none of this is true. CARRIER COMMAND has nothing to do with tank simulators; here you will have to solve more complex tasks. As can be understood from the title, you are offered to become the captain of a huge aircraft carrier.
The action takes place in the distant future, so the aircraft carrier is equipped with a whole system of various combat means. In addition to being able to fire from ship guns, you also have three "Manta" system aircraft at your disposal - you can control them yourself (then the game turns into a flight simulator), or you can program the autopilot. But that's not all - in addition to the aircraft, you also have combat gliders, and for defense, you can use special robots - defensive drones. The aircraft carrier itself includes automatic repair workshops and even a small factory for producing military equipment. Your task, as far as we understood, is to establish control over enemy islands and deploy some production there. What can I say, the game is very complex and interesting. It requires you to solve strategic tasks to a much greater extent than just managing an aircraft, glider, etc.
The graphics in the game resemble those of BATTLE COMMAND, although, frankly speaking, it falls short. Here, filled textures are used only for depicting large objects. Smaller ones are drawn over them without filling. The water is shown in a very distinctive way.
By the way, our hackers have integrated a HELP application into the game, which allows you to immediately understand the purpose of most of the icons on the screen. This is very convenient, thank you very much.
DIZZY 7 (CRYSTAL KINGDOM DIZZY)
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(C) 1992 CODE MASTERS LTD.
Another long-awaited novelty - the branded series DIZZY, already the seventh in a row. In Eggland, a tragedy has occurred - ancient treasures, the nation's heritage, have been stolen. Your task is to return them to their rightful place.
The first thing that catches the eye when getting acquainted with the program is the graphics. It has changed, and in the opinion of many, not for the better. The game has much more moving objects that need to be constantly jumped over - the space is teeming with some birds and snakes a la SCEPTRE OF BAGDAD. This movement is done quite carelessly, which somewhat spoils the overall impression.
It should be noted that the game has become noticeably easier. It cannot be compared in difficulty to DIZZY 6, and even more so with DIZZY 5. The authors divided the game into four parts so that a person who has completed one of them immediately starts with the next one. This is quite a successful innovation.
The first part requires mental effort to complete, the second is a bit more difficult, while the third is much easier - the number of items and puzzles decreases while the number of purely arcade obstacles increases. As for the last, fourth part, there are practically no puzzles - only four items are scattered throughout the crystal maze, not counting the three treasures you bring.
To complete the mission, you will need to win a logic mini-game - a variant of "bulls and cows."
In summary, it can be said that nothing groundbreaking should be expected from this game. We think true DIZZY fans will easily complete this series in one or two days, especially since the authors did not create overly complex obstacles even in the arcade component of the program. If you are the owner of an immortal version of this game - we can only pity you.
Moreover, in this version, Dizzy has eternal life (and putting infinite on such a game is simply sacrilegious), he also has virtually infinite energy and transparency. After this, the presence of passwords for all parts of the game in the scrolling text is no longer surprising. A reasonable question arises: do these infinitizers consider all other players to be complete idiots? Or did they set the difficulty for themselves? Fortunately, you can still answer "NO" to the question about immortality...
HUDSON HAWK
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(C)1991 OCEAN SOFTWARE LTD.
The company "OCEAN" has established a good reputation for releasing games based on well-known films. This program is no exception, as the plot of the game is based on the film "Hudson Hawk." In the game, you will control, unlike the film, only one character - a thief nicknamed "Hudson Hawk." You will need to steal several works of art by Leonardo da Vinci, along with parts of a special crystal. Then the crystal will be assembled, and you will have to steal it from under the noses of its owners and fly away on a hang glider.
The program features very smooth graphics. The set of movements available to the hero is impressive - he can walk, run, crawl, climb ropes and ladders, etc. Moreover, he does all this very smoothly. Thanks to the authors' efforts, the game implements inertia, which significantly complicates precise control.
The game is filled with amusing characters and obstacles. As for puzzles, there are many more at the beginning of the game than at the end. Unfortunately, the further the player progresses, the less he will have to engage his brain and the more he will have to rely on the accuracy of movements. The difficulty of the game increases sharply from mission to mission. Overall, this game leaves a very pleasant impression.
MAGIC JOHNSON'S BASKETBALL
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(C)1991 NEW FRONTIER SOFTWARE
This program is one of many sports genre games. This time you are invited to play basketball, "two on two."
The game is well-made - the graphics are large and well-drawn, the players' movements are quite smooth, and the sound design is good.
Surely, fans of sports simulators will enjoy this game, although we, for example, still nostalgically remember the good old "BASKET MASTER."
Contents of the publication: Spectrofon #13
- Expertise - Андрей Бусыгин
Guide for piloting, finding graphite rods, completing reactor tasks under radiation threat. Tips for city exploration, saving strategies included. Achieving success awards player with corporation bonus.
- Debut - Андрей Школьников
Discussion of the game 'Worm in Paradise' by Level 9, its complex gameplay, and narrative intricacies. Exploration of the 'Silicon Dreams' series and protagonist Kim Kimberly's adventures. Insights into game mechanics and thematic elements.
- Assault - Василий Смирнов
Analysis of game 'HIJACK' with strategies and codes for success, shared by player Vasiliy Smirnov from Kirov. Key to advancing in the game is acquiring codes for opening doors and accessing transport. Exploration of the relationship between different codes and game progressions.
- Exam
Summary of the game contest 'THEY STOLE A MILLION' in Spectrofon #13. Detailed answers from reader Anton Igoshin. Gratitude to participants and encouragement for future contests.
- Premiere
Release of a new version of the logical game 'COLOR LINES' by Moscow's Grepan brothers, featured in Spectrofon #13 with an additional demo reel.
- Review
Review of simulation and sports games for ZX Spectrum, including 'F-19 Stealth Fighter', 'Carrier Command', 'Dizzy 7', 'Hudson Hawk', and 'Magic Johnson's Basketball'. Highlights features, graphics, and gameplay elements.
- Review - Вячеслав Медноногов
Description of the game 'UFO: Enemy Unknown' by Vyacheslav Mednonogov, detailing the storyline of alien invasions in 1997 and gameplay mechanics.
- Overview
Announcement of the 'SPECIAL FORCES' game by Step Creative Group, inspired by 'LASER SQUAD'. Players command a team of space marines against various threats. The article also mentions a new game, 'UFO: ENEMY UNKNOWN'.
- Bits from the World
The article discusses tactics and strategies in the game Elite, focusing on cargo management, achieving ranks, and exploiting game mechanics. Authors share experiences with item limits, cargo extensions, and combat techniques. Interesting insights on using Alien Items and technical lasers are presented.
- System - Matthias
Comprehensive guide on using SOUND TRACKER for ZX-Spectrum, covering features and functionalities like pattern management and sound editing.
- Advertisement
The advertisement section of Spectrofon #13 provides contact information for purchasing the magazine, promoting collaboration opportunities for program developers, and offering various Spectrum-related products and services.
