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Yes it's a game about Max Headroom, the makeup
coated, computer-enhanced TV presenter whose erratic
voice stutters at every available opportunity. However,
this arcade adventure is based around the 'film', not
the television series.
Contrary
to popular belief, Max isn't real but a figment of the
future's imagination, a future where television is the
only growth industry, globally dominated by Network
23.
The people at Network 23 are selfish rotters and when
they learned that viewers were switching from their
channel to watch Bigtime Television's Max Headroom Show,
they were rather miffed to say the least. After having
an emergency meeting, N23 executives decided to send
two of their most reliable 'heavies' to kidnap Max for
exclusive use on their channel. The abduction was successful
and Max was taken to the N23 building. As you can imagine,
Bigtime were a mite peeved at this and wanted to get
Max back -- immediately. So, they hired top TV reporter
Edison Carter and his controller, Theora Jones, to perform
the rescue job.
Naturally
Edison can't just stump into the N23 building and casually
stroll off with Max under his arm, oh no, there are
a series of elaborate security systems that have to
be negotiated before Max can be reached. Fortunately,
the lush-lipped Theora has developed a Maxhunter program
to help Edison break the codes.
Edison
enters the building on the ground floor and has to ascend
to the executive level, 200 floors above him. How is
he going to get all the way up there? Not by the stairs,
that's for sure -- he's going to be well the cool reporter
and whizz up in the lift. The only problem with this
little plan is that firstly he must gain control of
the lift. This is achieved by short circuiting a seven
segment LED digital display. A time limit is imposed,
during which a lit segment gradually decreases in brightness.
If, at the end of the time limit, an E is left then
you gain control of the lift system and zoom straight
up to floor 200. But if you fail, the lift goes haywire
and Edison gets, dumped on a floor randomly.
Your
priority is to crack the floor's security system, because
if you don't, Theora can't open any doors or operate
the camera system. The code system consists of four
lights that flash randomly four times, and Edison has
to copy the sequence of lights backwards. Success enables
him to enter the various offices and look for the four
special codes to the Presidential suite, which is where
Max is being held.
The
building and floors are viewed in forced perspective,
and any code screens are automatically displayed. The
game is completely joystick controlled and uses icons
to engage the various code screens, lifts, doors and
the like. On entering a room the screen goes yellow
and the message 'searching' appears. A few seconds later
you are told whether or not there is a code to collect.
When the four codes have been found it's time to go
up to the Presidential Suite at the top of the building
and rescue Max.
Edison's
movements are constantly monitored by robot security
guards that give chase and try to shoot the hapless
fellow. Should one of their bullets hit home, a point
is knocked off Edison's stamina, which starts at a confident
99% and slowly ticks down to a fatal ex-Edison zero.
When stamina is low, Edison has to rest to regain energy.
But time ticks by even faster, and if Max hasn't been
rescued before six o'clock in the morning when the workers
return, Edison is in trouble.
Oh,
by the way, the terrible two who stole Max are now on
the look-out for Edison. They prowl about the building
and try to track him down. If our hero meets either
of these then his quest swiftly comes to an end . .
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