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'Editors, I hate them!' At least that's what Jeremy
the Punk, YOP trainee photographer says. He works at
the amazingly popular newspaper The Daily Shocker...
The sort of newspaper that prints moving holographic
pictures of Page Three girls, and where truth is regarded
to be the dog turd on the road to successful journalism.
The
esteemed editor of this organ, Hacker Harry, has given
his YOPite the chance to prove himself by taking a few
photos on a very 'simple' little job. You see, the paper
has been tipped off by a contact at Marylebone Cop Shop
that a certain Professor Augustus Dopper has just been
arrested, and the Police have found enough patent applications
in his residence to keep the front page covered for
weeks. So off goes young Jezza . . . trundle, trundle,
trundle down to Hyde Park, where the Prof lives, before
an evil reporter from The Dally Stunt has the
chance to cast his lascivious lens over the patent applications.
Like most Professors, Augustus' synapses are warped
to say the least, and he's hidden all the applications
in objects littered around his large, multi-level subterranean
lab. And if that wasn't enough, he's developed a herd
of rampaging mutants to guard them lest something should
happen to him . . . Gawsh! Poor ol' Jeremy, he doesn't
know what's in store!
His
quest starts near the entrance to the Professor's den
of discovery, and he can walk either left or right,
towards or away from the entrance. If he trudges to
the entrance he discovers that the only way in is through
a hole, and as Jezza strolls, the scenery scrolls.
Around
the lab are loads of objects, all of which have to be
searched. Some contain applications (hurrah) and some
are empty (boo), while others have horrible muties residing
inside them, which leap out when our hero takes a peek
(double boo). If Jeremy gets touched by a mutant then
his film is stolen (boo, again) and he has to return
to the surface to gel another (phew).
[This
screenshot was not in the original review]
When
Jem wants to look inside an object, pulling back on
the joystick activates his icon box and pressing the
fire button cycles the icons. Using these Jem can look,
pickup, use, take a photo and switch off the music which
plays throughout the game. If the action seems illogical
then a little question mark appears in the box and Jem
shakes his head before returning to stroll mode.
The
Prof is a very untidy little fella, and has left several
items lying around, such as swords and keys. Swords
are useful and can be used against the rampaging mutants,
whilst keys help Jem to get back to the surface -- underneath
the entrance to each level is a fan, and if our hero
stands on this and uses the key, then it's activated
and he is blown up through the hole to the next level.
Oh,
by the way, the mutants aren't the only hazard -- the
other one is invisible . . . it doesn't smell . . .
it has no taste . . . it's silent and can't be felt
. . . it's . . . it's . . . AAAARGGH!! Radiation!
Yep, Jeremy continually absorbs radiation, shown on
screen as a constantly increasing counter. If this counter
reaches thirty rads then Mr YOP 1986 becomes a glowing
punk and dies, so regular visits to the surface are
a necessity. He also needs to go back to the surface
every now and then to pick up new film, and develop
the old.
When
an old film is developed the prints can be inserted
into a box underneath the main display, and rearranged
to form a large picture. The prints can be moved into
any position on the grid, and the whole thing works
rather like a simplified jigsaw puzzle.
Once
the current prints have been inserted then it's another
trip underground for more piccies . . . and of course,
more hassle.
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