Catch 23

Copyright : Software Communications Ltd | Reviewed by : Malc Jennings

The CK23 test site is the most secret military complex on earth. Hidden somewhere on a mointainous and now deserted island, it is surrounded by deadliy minefields, high voltage electric fences and surveillance cameras. It is your mission to explore the island and find the heart of the development complex. Once there you must steal the design of the CK23 and then set a time delay bomb in the nuclear reactor.

Graphics

Catch 23 uses the ever so popular 3D engine we all came to know and love back in the late 1980s and early 1990s after the massive success of the Star Wars arcade cabinet and awesome conversion. Those of you expecting something like Doom or graphics that are rich in detail or colour will be let down as Catch 23 does not offer this kind of graphics, it?s not the fault of the developers though as the aim is to keep the game running at a speed while still looking good enough to play.

The game certainly looks good and with the addition of almost realistic people popping out of the shadows armed with a rather nasty gun but it does have some problems with speed. Other than that the game is very nice looking indeedy.

Sound

Sound is pretty nice, we are presented with a great and bassy introduction theme at the start of the game which then follows into some great sounds for the game itself. Walking around the island will generate some creepy sounds, footsteps and of course the sound of being shot dead by the oncoming and ever hidden computer controlled enemy.

Not bad at all - well done Martech.

Gameplay

There is no doubt that the CPC version of Catch 23 is more playable than most other conversions but the same old problems remain, the speed is often too painful to bare as you try to move around the corner and if you do manage to get caught by the enemy you have very little time to retaliate with a round of fire of your own.

If the game performed better on lower end CPCs and indeed the 6128 model then Martech would have been sitting on a sure fire winner but sadly due to the problems in speed the game is not so playable despite some great efforts on the programmers part.