C&VG


The Young Ones
By Orpheus
Spectrum 48K

 
Published in Computer & Video Games #54

The Young Ones

If you thought Friday The 13th was the sorriest bit of software of 1985 then think again. The Young Ones, which arrived after a lot of pre-release hype from the publishers Orpheus, is a prime contender for that dubious title.

It features the four characters from that cult Beeb TV comedy series Vyvyan, Mike, Rik and Neil the Hippy and the sordid world they inhabit. Their house, the launderette, the local corner shop and their back garden. There's a few other locations - but they are of no real importance - for what starts off to look like an arcade adventure with a difference is just that. The main difference is that there's *no* adventure - more precisely, there's no game.

You see the characters wandering about, you can take control of your favourite personality and make him move around the various locations using the joystick and a menu. You can even pick things up and move them about - but to no apparent purpose.

The Young Ones

Not even the speech bubbles which issue juvenile humour from the mouths of the characters give you any real clue to what is going on. The same can be said for the "instruction" sheet which comes with the game. All it says is that you have to pack your belongings and move out of the house.

The menu which appears at the top of the screen allows you to instruct your chosen character where to go.

But that appears to be all. Phone calls to get more information about the game drew a blank at Orpheus - so we can only assume that this is the complete product, or the company have foisted a half-finished game on an unsuspecting public.

Orpheus claim that members of the Young Ones helped out during the production of the game. Let's hope Vyvyan doesn't get to see the finished product or there could be trouble...