21st May 1985
This game is something of a departure for Addictive Games. It's an arcade game rather than a simulation. Notwithstanding the popularity of Football Manager, I consider this Addictive's best production to date.
It uses a standard platform design. You control Stringer who is a hack for the Daily Blurb. You must rescue a lady called Polly Platinum from a hotel room. In order to achieve this, you must search the hotel room and 'collect a camera, flash bulb, press pass and the key to her room. Your efforts are impeded by a member of the hotel staff and an irate resident called Mr Angry. Mr Angry lurks within one of the rooms and leaps out when you open the door.
Graphically, the game is excellent using cartoon style sprites. The figures are large and well designed with nice attention to detail. Stringer is very similar to Inspector Clouseau. Each screen shows a different arrangement of platforms and doors. The platforms are linked by ladders and lifts. Each room is searched by standing in front of a door and opening it. Sound is limited to a background tune and some sound effects. I found the tune tedious but the volume control sorted that.
The game play is just about right with a simple first screen and a gentle graduation of difficulty with later screens. True to the company's name this is addictive and good fun.
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