C&VG
1st February 1984
Defence Force
It's all action on the Oric as you career through space with lasers blazing in an attempt to save the humans from an alien invasion.
Attack! The humans are being captured! A Vultura rapidly descends on its prey with the aim of carrying him off into space. Making a rapid about-turn, you fly back in the opposite direction and blast the alien to the four corners of the galaxy. Luckily the humanoid is unharmed and falls gently back to earth.
Shoot-'em-up fans will love Defence Force - with only a few variations, it's a faithful reproduction of the fast-moving, action-packed arcade hit Defender.
The aim of the game is to get through twenty waves of aliens and prevent the humans from being kidnapped. With up to sixteen different video nasties on your tail, life becomes pretty hectic and you'll find that being able to fly both backwards and forwards a useful addition to the game.Once all the humans have been captured, you enter the Astral Plain and beset with vicious nasties, your only chance of survival is to fight it out. Graphically very impressive, the Astral Plain gives the impression of flying into the depths of space away from the TV.
With the aid of a Star Map, it's possible to spot the swarms of aliens approaching before they've appeared on screen - so be prepared for waves of Assassins, Quantums and the dreaded Cybotroids if you don't want to lose a life. However, if the pace becomes too much, a forcefield can be erected which will remain operational for six seconds - enough time to fly out of trouble!
There is an on/off sound function which I found especially useful - for although the sound effects are great, they are really noisy and had me clapping my hands to my ears in horror. Thankfully it's possible to play a silent game with just as much fun. A beginners' option is also available for the absolute learner, but this soon becomes boring.With its excellent graphics, Defence Force will bring hours of fun to the lives of trigger-happy arcade fans who want a fast game for their Oric.
Defence Force is available from Cambridge-based Tansoft and costs £7.95.
