Computer Gamer


Kinetik
By Firebird
Spectrum 48K

 
Published in Computer Gamer #27

Kinetik

Kinetik, the latest Firebird game, will boggle your brain. The object is to fly a spaceship through a maze of surreal screens packed full of power-draining nasties, deadly plants, killer cubes and strange scenery. You must also collect three giant letters that form a Latin word! Deliver these in the right order into the hands of the "Kinemator" and you'll win the game. Get it wrong and you'll probably become even more confused.

Your spaceship begins the game unarmed with just a flimsy protective shield. However, scattered throughout the screens are objects to help you in your quest, such as a shield, powder sprayer - to frighten the planet's inhabitants, and other devices to counteract Kinetik's bewildering laws of physics.

The game's law of physics change from screen to screen and affect how your ship bounces, the gravity it has to fight against and the friction when it touches ground. For example, a high bouncing ship can move from one screen to the next where it will plummet like a brick in strong gravity. Unfortunately, it may land it on top of a deadly plant as a result, so you have to be ever ready.

Kinetik is an incredibly difficult game to play and also suffers from having a very silly objective. After all, why would the Kinemator of an alien world want a three letter Latin word? Forget this one and get Sentinel instead.