Computer Gamer


Schizofrenia

Publisher: Quicksilva
Machine: Commodore 64

 
Published in Computer Gamer #8

Schizofrenia

I was all set up to slate this game and pass it off as unplayable until I was informed that the instructions were incorrect and being altered accordingly. Now I find it challenging and well worthy of consideration.

You play Alphonse, a cleaner in a mad inventor's laboraory, and owing to an industrial accident not covered by the Factories Act you have suffered a split personality. Not only is this split mental but is is also physical and now there is Alphonse 1 and his alter-ego Alphonse 2.

Like Jeckyll and Hyde, the two Alf's are good and evil. Everything that Alf 1 does, Alf 2 tries to undo. This is the basis of your problem. All you want to do is to pull yourself together but Alf 2 will try to confound your efforts.

Schizofrenia

The opening screen of the game takes place outside a large door to the laboratory and you have to climb the stairs to draw the bolts and pull levers. As you can imagine Alphonse 2 is wandering around pulling the bolts you have drawn and pushing the levers so your work is cut out trying to pass the first hurdle. The hint sheet does give some very useful hints on how to complete this and subsequent screens, but actual success still requires a lot of practice.

All of the five screens require sheer logic to solve them. In the second scene for exampe, apart from the logistics of how to get boxes onto the top floor without Alf 2 messing things up, you have to work out how to operate the lift buttons. Some of these are out of reach of the correct switch. Later on, you have to push switches in a particular order and there are even dummy switches which do nothing at all just to confuse you. It's enough to drive you mad.

Alphonse is quite an amusing character with a funny walk and the animation of falls are well done. I especially like the way Alf 2 thumps Alf 1 is the two should meet and also the little tantrums which Alf 2 throws when defeated.

I was pleased that I was encouraged to persevere with this game otherwise I may have passed it over and missed all the fun.