BEST OF THE INDIES - Zenobi Software Price œ5.99
     (Emulated Spectrum adventures for Amiga, PC and ST)

                  Reviewed by Steve Clay.
        Played on an Amiga under Spectrum Emulation.

Best of the Indies is a collection of six text adventures
originally released for the Spectrum some years ago. The aim of
the compilation was to show the quality of adventures available
form home-grown publishers. Now through the wonders of emulation
the games can be played on an Amiga (and PC as well I think!).

DOUBLE AGENT: Written by Tom Frost. Double Agent is a legend in
its own lifetime. Due mainly to the fact that, written without the
aid of a utility, the split screen presentation was something new
and partly to the fact that it is such a difficult game.

The storyline is good old fashioned Science Fiction.  Your ship
has been sent to help the planet Marego repel the advances of some
interlopers from a dying planet. These naughty types have brought
with them a crystal that is slowly destroying Marego. With the
exception of two, all of your agents have been killed. The dynamic
duo who remain have been tampered with to such an extent that they
can only accept one or two word commands. (Handy that don't you
think?) The aim is to retrieve the crystal and also as a secondary
task, take rock and water samples from the planet - for Trevor in
accounts who is into all that geology stuff. Of the remaining
agents one is the strong manly type while number two is a
limp-wristed brainbox.  The screen is split down the middle with
the dealings of Agent 1 on the left and number two on the right.
You give commands to each agent alternatively and while one is on
the move you can interface with the other. You can also ask either
agent to WAIT while you make use of the other bod. To recall the
waiting agent you need only type '1' or '2'.

Double Agent as hinted earlier is a tough old game and it will
certainly take more than an evening to complete. The descriptions
are sparse in the extreme, although more help is gleaned from the
examine command. The split screen and the use of the two
characters is what set this game apart from the others around at
the time. This is a game for advanced players with a barrel of
patience to boot.

CLOUD 99: Written by Linda Wright, a talented PAW user who
consistently produced quality products. This game is one of her
best and is my pick of the six on the disk.  The story behind
Cloud 99 is nice and contrived adventure fare.  You awake after a
night of strange dreams of Jack Frost (no relation to Tom) messing
about with the weather halls of Cloud 99.  Your room is
illuminated by a weird shimmering light and you, coming from good
stock, decide to investigate. Your aim is to stop Jack and put
right the damage he has caused.

The presentation of the text is very neat and tidy. There is an
on-screen clock that ticks by with each input. The use of 'LOOK
BEHIND ..', 'LOOK INTO ..' and 'LOOK UNDER ..' is vital and many
useful objects will be unearthed early on that allow you to
progress later on. There are lots of clues in the text and
nothing mentioned should be overlooked just in case. The garage
holds useful items also but make sure you have wrapped up well
before venturing out of the house. Once you find your way to Cloud
99 the game opens up and puzzles come thick and fast. With the
time to consider the first few attempts at the game would be well
spent mapping out the best way of collecting the available
objects. Overall Cloud 99 is easy to get into and a joy to play.

LABOURS OF HERCULES: Written by Terry Taylor. I think I'm right
in saying that this was Terry's first and only adventure. The
fact that it found its way onto the Best of the Indies collection
says a lot about the adventure.  The story is based on the
Ancient Greek legend regarding one Hercules, a young man who is
tricked into killing his wife and children. When he realises what
he has done Hercules asks how he can ever be forgiven by the
gods. It is to his regret that the gods give him twelve tasks of a
nature that most immortals would struggle with, let alone a human
being.  Community service wasn't always an easy option it seems.
Your job is to help Hercules in his tasks.

Labours of Hercules is a large game and like most on this
compilation fairly tough going. As you would expect completing
each task is not going to be a picnic and lots of thought and
patience is required. A good map will also be a vital tool as
things are well spread out. The text is functional with little
time given to flowery descriptions. All exits are highlighted in
the text.  There are plenty of objects to be found early on and it
becomes a case of what to leave and what to take in certain
places. One good piece of advice is to read the text thoroughly
were something other than which direction the paths lead in is
mentioned as there is almost certainly a clue in there! Labours is
not as difficult as Double Agent but that doesn't mean it is easy!
An adventure for those in search of a challenge.

DOMES OF SHA: Written by Jack Lockerby. Like Linda Wright an
author who produced and still produces quality games via PAW.
Back in the mists of time on a planet far, far away something was
happening, something that would change the galaxy and all those
living and yet to live.  Olaxas is the planet upon which the game
is set is dying, thanks to the ravages of war. No records remain
to tell the truth of what happened during this war and even the
Elders are in the dark. The Sha tribe are possibly the only
survivors of the war and reside in the Valley of Sha. Despite
knowing that Olaxas was dying the Sha tribe are afraid to leave
their valley. This is known as the 'Cold Fear' and none has had
the bottle to overcome it. Maybe you can escape the valley and
explore the surrounding lands around it.

Like many early PAW games this game uses a PSI - a secondary
character who can do your bidding. Unlike the vast majority of
early PAW games the PSI actually works well. In this game your
PSI has the name GRUNT and if you fail to make use of him/it you
won't get very far.  The presentation of the game is excellent
and everything is kept tidy. The valley itself is a pig to map at
first and it is fairly difficult to visualise how it is laid out.
After a while you get used to it and start to explore. The first
problem is an object lying on a frozen lake, however attempting
to walk on the ice is likely to see a restart. It is here GRUNT
makes his first telling move. As the game goes on there are some
delightful puzzles and the learning curve is spot on. Unlike some
games, I didn't seem to mind when I trapped myself as each time
you do you at least find the reason why and go better equipped to
deal with the problem next time out. I rate Domes a close second
behind Cloud 99.

SECRET OF LITTLE HODCOME: Written by John Wilson and the first of
two games by himself on the disk. You have been left an old
cottage by a forgotten Aunt and have set off to examine your
legacy.  However once at the cottage something seems to be wrong
and there is a definite sense of Evil, either that or you are
downwind of the leather works. The estate agent (Hiss, Boo) has
failed to show up and you are left stuck on the wrong side of a
locked door. The ultimate aim of the game is to locate the source
of the Evil and thus make the neighbourhood a fit place in which
to live.  Little Hodcome was written with the Quill and joyfully
you only need to type the first four letters of each word. This
was great news for me early on as I tried everything I could
think of to prise a stone from the well, only to find that before
you can do that you need to try climbing somewhere else to reveal
the item that is required.  Once the stone is in your mitts things
begin to flow but not for long.

You need to explore everywhere you can before you take a stroll
south from a path as once in you can only get out with the correct
items in your pocket. No warnings are given here and I was verbose
in my condemnation of such low tactics. I didn't get that far into
Hodcome mainly due to my problems with the stone but I shall try
again although early indications suggest that this is another
tough nut. John Wilson and Laurence Creighton may well have gone
to the same school of adventure writing. If you like LC games then
you'll like this.

RETARDED CREATURES AND CAVERNS: The second game on the compilation
written by John Wilson.  Algernon is none too bright but when he
spies Bulbo approaching with a small parcel in hand Algernon knew
his prospects had just taken a nose-dive.  Apparently Bulbo has
been offered a quest and is too busy to go and he has volunteered
Algy instead. Algy doesn't want to do it but is too stupid too say
so and is thus stuck with the job. Algy's aim is too overcome all
the puzzles and creatures within the castle and claim his reward
in the shape of treasure. The biggest puzzle of all is how to get
into the castle.

Retarded is not a large game which seems to be John Wilson's
forte. However in each location there is a ton and a half of
things to get through before any kind of progress is made.
Getting into the castle has to involve one of the most convoluted
puzzles of all time. This involves bootscrapers, stone masons and
strange creatures that lurk within the moat. When you do get
through the door you can't help feeling that all of the
performance that proceeded this event was not for your benefit.
The only advice I can give is to examine everything and try and
operate everything you see. Beware of the Smaul Daniels' magic bag
as it is not all it appears and you should see inside it. The game
is not at all easy and experienced adventurers will probably
struggle to complete it unaided.

This compilation has to be one of the best buys around. All the
games will offer even experienced adventurers a challenge and are
probably not a good starting point for beginners. These games are
however quality home grown games and should be in every
collection!                   - o -