Amstrad Action


Technician Ted

Publisher: Hewson Consultants
Machine: Amstrad CPC464

 
Published in Amstrad Action #1

This cross between an arcade adventure and platform game is set in a chip factory (silicon not potato) where you, as Ted, have to complete 21 tasks. Each task is in a single room and consists of hitting two flashing boxes in sequence.

Ted makes his way around by walking and jumping between the platforms and levels in the rooms. Each room is inhabited by various nasties that follow movement patterns and are fatal to the touch, but there are also non-moving dangers lying in wait.

You are told the first three tasks but after that you have to work them out for yourself. This is made more complex by the fact that completing one task may cause something to happen somewhere else - making another task possible. Your job is made even harder by time limits between hitting two boxes for some tasks.

You start at 8:30am and have to finish by 5:00pm. The time ticks away at bottom left while a separate gauge decreases every time you die. If this reaches zero or you get to 5.00 pm you are kicked out of the factory into a dustbin.

Verdict

P. Good graphics and sound. P. 21 tough tasks to complete which will take some time. P. Too easy to have "just one more go." N. Frustrating if you get stuck on one task for too long. N. Unoriginal game - Jet Set Willy lookalike.