Loco-commotion

                      Reviewed by Sue

I was shopping in Bromley a month or so ago and wandered into
Computer Exchange, just to see what goodies they had available.
I'd been looking for a model train game for ages and had made a
few abortive attempts at getting one. I might review one of these
also-rans one day. But I was chuffed (geddit?) to see that they
had Loco-commotion for sale for œ15 and snapped it up.  I'd heard
about this game before and it sounded fun. It is a series of 9
chapters with more than 50 puzzles in all. In each case you have
to guide one or more trains across a model train layout to a gate.
Simple? At first it is, as you're eased through the initial levels.
You're shown how to move trains and switch points, how to repair
bridges and build missing track or tunnels.  The puzzles get
progressively more difficult. Every time a train goes over a
bridge, the bridge loses a "life" and when it has no lives left it
vanishes. This means a lot of thought is needed to be able to
solve some of the levels.

As well as the train(s) you have to save, there are other service
trains on the line. These can be turned into specialist trains
such as builders, repairmen, teleport activators, stoppers and
bombers. Each of these has a particular function. Builders, for
example can construct missing tracks, bridges or tunnels whereas
repairmen can repair damaged bridges. Teleports are used to move
trains from one area of the layout to another but until they are
activated, they just sit there like glittering domes.  Send an
activator into one and it blossoms into a shiny bubble, waiting to
send a train to its destination. If two trains hit, they rebound
off each other, but if they run into obstacles such as rocks on
the line, both they and the rocks are destroyed.

Some levels have a time limit or restrict the number of points
changes you are allowed to make, just to make things a bit more
tricky. But if you get bored with the levels supplied, there's an
editor for creating your own levels. You can send these to Take
2's server or download levels created by other users.

You have to complete five out of the six puzzles in each chapter
before you can access the next one. The difficulty level is well
balanced but some levels initially look impossible.

I did have a few problems getting Loco-commotion running. In the
end this is what worked for me. I set it to 1024 x 768 with 16 bit
colours, disabled the full screen option and as suggested, due to
a known problem with Voodoo cards, used the 'rotate terrain
colourmap' option. I also made sure Direct 3D was enabled, turned
off any programs running in the background such as the virus
checker, DAP and ZoneAlarm. It may sound a pain having to do all
this, but mostly they are recommended steps to take and I must
admit to having problems running other games with my Voodoo 5
card.

This game is great fun. I'm currently stuck on the fourth chapter,
with two puzzles unsolved so I can't nip onto the next level. I
just CANNOT see how to solve either of them though I've got close.
Great fun. Get it if you see it.
                              - o -