Critical Mass

Copyright : Durell | Reviewed by : Malc Jennings

An outlying system of the Terra Foundation has set up an advanced matter conversion plant on a centrally positioned asteroid to supply the local colonists with energy. A surprise attack by alien forces has successfully overcome the asteroids defences and the aliens are now threatening to self destruct the power plant unless the colonists offer an unconditional surrender. The self destruction process would effectively turn the power plant into a massive black hole that would wipeout the entire planetary system along with a number of nearby stars. Uncoditional surrender offers an equally horrific prospect. Your mission is to infiltrate the enemy positions and disable the anti-matter plants before aliens achieve critical mass.

Graphics

Let us start off by saying the Durell did not do the Amstrad CPC much justice with this conversion, even the ZX Spectrum and C64 versions of the game have much more realistic colours and depth to the artwork throughout the alien enslaved asteroid. Looking at the back of the original box it might look like the screens are from the CPC version, sadly this wasn?t the case.

However all is not bad, though we have been diddled with the colours the detail is still pretty much in one piece as those little aliens attack from all directions, tremor like worms fly out of the ground and you can even continue on foot once your spacecraft is destroyed. A lot of detail has gone into the game itself despite the average conversion so it?s not bad at all.

Though we still feel cheated.

Sound

Sound is on great form with some excellent music at the start/options screen, well and truly worth listening to before hitting your fire buttons. The game itself is littered with gun shots and engine sounds, certainly enough to keep the fans happy.

Gameplay

This is one game that would be 100% unplayable without the story line which we have provided at the top of the review (thank us later) but knowing what you are doing makes this a fairly enjoyable and very fast paced space shooter.

There are no glitches in the game, no graphical problems and the control system works without any kind of fault. Fans of the game will certainly like the CPC version, those that have never played Critical Mass should take the chance now - some like it, others dont.

Another game that should be tried and tested by each individual before making a true judgement.