Alien - IBM General Utility
                   Nebula - Conrad Button
           Dark Continent - Conrad Button
          (Three text games for PC on SynTax PD 295)

                   Reviewed by John Betteridge

1. Alien

This game is as Basic as you can get. Having the GW-Basic utility
on the same disc is necessary if you do not have it or if your
machine has Q-Basic.  When I started to play it I wondered why I
was getting nowhere until I realised that all commands must be
entered in upper case.

There are only two items to get, and you don't need one of them
and the descriptions are very minimal as is the command parser.

The story line is that you are stranded on a stormy planet having
escaped from a doomed spaceship. You then have to find the MET
Station and escape. Alien Slugs, spiders and the like, lurk round
every corner requiring you to save often as there is no warning
when you will meet the inevitable nasty creatures.

There are two ways of completing the game and it can be
accomplished in very short time.

A reasonable game for the Absolute Novice Adventurer.

2. Nebula

This game is rather like a puzzle from a larger adventure.

As you sit in your spaceship you are given orders to go to three
Planets and collect specimens of Plants, Life forms and Metals
from each of them.

You will need to revisit each Planet as you collect objects to
help you get your specimens.

In this game you don't get killed so you don't need to save often
but be aware that some objects are not needed.

A moderate game for the Novice Adventurer.

3. Dark Continent

If you have an aversion to killing wild animals or stealing from
blind beggars you won't like this game.

Having been stranded somewhere in Africa, deserted by your guides
and all your possessions stolen, you are required to find King
Solomon's Diamond and return to England.

The limited parser can be annoying to a seasoned adventurer. I
spent some time trying to climb a vine when all that was required
was to "Swing Vine".

A moderate game for the Novice Adventurer.
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