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In the not-too-distant future a jolly bunch of lads
called the Federation are given the task of looking
after the asteroids that good old mankind have decided
to colonise. All goes well until an evil alien contingent
takes it upon themselves to start wiping out the groups
of humans. Suddenly the previously cushy job of safeguarding
lives of millions becomes quite a tricky one. Oh dear.
The
first thing the Federation wants to know is why the
aliens are carrying out such underhand tricks, so a
hero, Mr Andrew Angello, is asked to go at the scene
and gather information.
Just
when the preparations for departure get underway an
SOS message is received from the asteroid EROC 1 --
the aliens are attacking and EROC's defences are swiftly
being neutralised. The preparations are hastened but
just as the rocket lifts off from the launch pad a last
desperate message crackles across the Sub-Etha airwaves
saying that the station is all but destroyed. Knowing
that by the time Andrew reaches the planet there will
be nothing left, new plans are drawn up. A faint signal
is still being received from the asteroid and experts
reckon that they are coming from the still-functioning
central computer. If this is the case and Andrew can
recover its bio-memory chips then the events which happened
would have been recorded, allowing scientists to analyse
the alien armament and plan of attack and thus safeguard
other asteroids from future assault.
You
play the role of Andrew who is transported down into
the labyrinth of passages beneath the surface of the
asteroid. The aliens are long since gone but they have
left loads of booby traps floating around the place,
and touching any of these saps the power from Andrew's
backpack. If this power reaches zero the backpack won't
function and consequently no air will be pumped into
his spacesuit. Choke, gasp, etc. The power is constantly
monitored on-screen by a bar graph which diminishes
as the energy is used up.
Several
pieces of equipment have been buried beneath the ground
and to retrieve them Andrew firstly has to find the
means to do so. No high-tech stuff needed here, just
a good old fashioned spade which can be found dossing
somewhere around the asteroid complex. There are four
levels of passages in the asteroid which are accessible
via anti gravity lifts and teleport systems. These anti
gravity lifts are easily identified by caves or arrows
at the bottom of the screen whereas the teleports are
slightly different and are made of metal. When Andrew
wants to use these, all he has to do is step into one
and walk into the screen; the only problem is that when
one is used a little bit of power from his backpack
is required. The power can be replenished by picking
up the batteries lying around the complex.
The
asteroid complex is very large and occupies many screens.
Andrew moves left or right and when he reaches the edge
of the screen it scrolls to show the next location.
At the top of the screen is a visual display area showing
mission time elapsed, an area for text information to
be printed up and an icon window. These icons can be
used for help, pause, move Andrew back to his previous
position and the last is a save game facility which
can be used only when Andrew has found the cassette.
Just
to make the mission that little bit harder there isn't
a map. Oh well, life never is easy.
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