The Addams Family

Copyright : Ocean Software | Reviewed by : Ritchardo

Creepy, kooky, ooky, spooky. The Addams Family have been imprisoned and only Gomez can save the day by freeing Morticia, Pugsley, Wednesday, Granny, Lurch and Thing from their holding places in the familyÂ's giant mansion.

Based on the 1991 film of the same name, The Addams Family was a relative latecomer to the CPC scene and marked the last major release on the Amstrad from software giant Ocean.

Receiving plaudits from the 8-bit gaming press at the time; The Addams Family scooped a Mastergame award in Amstrad Action and seriously rivalled the 16-bit versions that were released simultaneously, in looks.

However, despite being an excellent piece of coding that showcases the abilities of the 128k models of the CPC very well, The Addams Family just doesnÂ't feel right.

DonÂ't get me wrong: the clash detection is spot-on, the graphics and animation are uniformly excellent and the whole package is extremely polished with a good rendition of the iconic theme tune and appropriate sound effects but thereÂ's still something that doesnÂ't feel right.

The difficulty level is high with each screen the latest in a seemingly endless stream of nerve-shredding examinations of your reflexes and timing. This undoubtedly has an adverse effect on how you feel when playing the game as you rapidly shoot through your nine lives and four continues (on easy mode at least – and IÂ'd hate to meet anyone who could play it on the medium difficulty level let alone hard!) Thankfully there a plethora of hearts and extra lives scattered throughout the mansion and its grounds although it can often be more bother than its worth actually trying to reach them!

Which brings us to the real crux of the problem with The Addams Family: itÂ's just so unremittingly unfair. ThatÂ's not to say you die when you shouldnÂ't – you donÂ't, each death is a fair cop and a reflection on your poor reflexes or judgment – but rather the way that you are transported, not back to the entry point of the screen, but the room that you have entered. This means you can often find yourself negotiating three or four tricky screens only to make a slight slip and have to battle your way back through again.

Rescuing members of the family only seems to make matters worse with you being thrown into a twilight zone style screen were you have to survive for 60 seconds before the family member is released. Failure, almost predictably, results in being thrown back to the start of the room with another life gone and the prospect of having to go through the whole rigmarole again, staring you in the face.

That is, of course, assuming you can find them in the first place. At over 240 screens with a non-linear approach, The Addams Family is one of the few platform games IÂ've ever played where I have felt the need to draw a map. It sounds ridiculous I know but believe me, failure to draw a map (or at least use someone elseÂ's) will only result in confusion and, depending on your emotional state the odd tearful tantrum.

In the game\'s defence, it does provide a substantial challenge and with the right cheat and a load of patience, the game could prove to be an interesting diversion for a few hours, particularly if you\'re a platform fan. If you value your sanity, however, I\'d be tempted to give this one a wide berth.