Captive - Mindscape RRP œ24.99
           (a mouse-controlled RPG on 2 disks)

                  Review by Alan Beer

Date 18:09:2542.
Well the trial didn't go very well, guilty on all counts and they
call it justice. I've been sentenced to two hundred and fifty years
suspended animation. Some men came in to give me a shot of something
and explain about freezing my body and all that stuff. I'm starting
to feel a bit sleepy ... ZZZzzzz ... ZZZzzzz ... ZZZzzzz ...

(Some time later)
I think it's been some days since I woke up and my head hurts
something rotten. All I remember is a low hum of some machinery.
I don't know what happened outside my cell as I can only just see
through a small window, but it looks like some fire fight has happened
as the place is a mess. It must have caused some computer to shut
down which woke me and saved my life.  
  
I found some interesting things in my cell. I think someone was
using it as a store room and one of the things I found was a kind
of portable computer brief case and it works. It seems to be some
kind of remote communication device for four droids. I've also
found that one of the tubes that was plugged into my arm feeds me,
so that's one good thing I suppose. Many days have passed but I've
now found the instructions for this computer brief case thing.

I think once I get the hang of it I can use it to ESCAPE..?
 
This is the setting for the latest contender for the Dungeon Master
crown and, boy, is this one tough. The first two bases are easy, you
could just about get through with hand to hand combat but when you
get to the third base you're going to need some serious hardware.
Your basic objectives are to get into the base via the door which
has four buttons that have to be pressed in the correct order.
There are 24 possible combinations (that I can find that is). Once
you're inside you next have to find a computer room (there is at
least one in each base) and type in the correct password which

you will have picked up on the way. Now pick up the planet probe
which you need to find the next base.

Next find the generators which you will have to blow up, but
before you set the explosives visit one of the many shops you'll
find around the base and do some last minute shopping or selling,
now set the explosives and get out quick. Once you're off the
planet and back on your ship, set the planet probe free on the
holographic planet map. It will now fly off to another base for
you to go to, and so on.

The game uses a similar control system to D.M. with movement
icons just about the same plus up and down. You've four
coloured icons which when clicked on reveal a droid's back pack
that will hold 20 items plus what you hold in your hands and
there's a position by the head for an attachment. This is also
the place to find other information like its health, damage and
experience points which can be exchanged for increased levels of
skill. There is a multi-coloured icon which reveals the back
packs of all four droids at the same time. The save icon will
save 10 positions but will only restore a saved game when you
get killed or when you first turn your computer on.

And of course there's the main screen where all the action is
and just above that you have five monitors, one for each droid,
which, when an attachment is fitted, will reveal a number of things
from a  root-finder (which is a must by the way) to a mapper or
even a fire shield. The fifth monitor is for remote cameras
which can be put down in a corridor and controlled from afar. In
the bases you'll find a number of interesting things from secret
doors and switches to water pumps. There are rooms which are
flooded or floors that are on fire. In the shops you can pick up
new weapons, fix your droids' body parts or replace them and, as
with most games, the further you get into the game the more  
weapons and equipment become available.

The animation is good. I particularly like the lifts - when you
press the call button it takes a little time to arrive, when you
are moving from floor to floor you see them go past the window.
The graphics are nicely detailed and it has a polished finish to
it. The sound is in true stereo which means an accurate
representation of the whereabouts of any creatures.

The only moan I have is that the text is sometimes hard to read.
Mind you I've only got a colour TV but if you're one of the lucky
ones who has a colour monitor you'll probably have no problem at
all. Well I could go on and on about how good it is but I've got
to play it a bit more. To round up it's a great game and if you
don't get it for xmas it's got to go on your hit list for your
next buy, and if you still need convincing, get hold of the
December issue (17) of ST Format which has a playable demo of one
of the later levels. It has an built-in timer which enables play
for about five minutes. Some of the icons are in different places
to the finished version but you can still get the feel of it after
a couple of gos. Well that's about it, I'm sure you'll love it.

@~See the PD list for the Captive demo.