1st June 1992
Turrican II
Ol' Turry's back and this time there'll be trouble, 'coz he's what's known in the trade as a fruit-and-nut case (he needs a check-up from the neck up). Give him a gun and he'll shoot anything that moves. And this, the second journey into the world of evil bad guys, sees our hero lugging an unfesibly large weapon around five worlds. And bloody heavy it is too.
He's Not From Around Here
Y'see, on a planet called Landorin, the merciless minions of 'The Machine' are threatening to massacre the human population. And as Arnie S is on his hols at the mo, Turrican is the man to help. The scientists who designed Turry's remarkable suit have made a few alterations. The main improvement is a more powerful laser gun. Appearing when fire is held down, this long beam weapon can be swung in a 360 degree arc.
The gyroscope is still in place, but now Turrican is also able to roll around and go into psycho mode at the same time. As with the original Turrican, our hero must leap and bound around the maze-like landscapes, shooting anything that even twitches. And you can bet your Granny's false teeth there are plenty of ugly mothers ready to stamp big T's hero licence. Thankfully the floating grey pods which occasionally appear contain handy weapon power-ups and extra lives.
There are also diamonds strewn around the landscape: collecting 100 earns Turry a continue play. Once Turrican has fought his way past two end-of-level guardians, he moves onto the next section. Most levels are land-based, but there's one brilliant part where Turry leaps into a spaceship and zips along, Denaris-style.
Turrican II: The Final Fight received 96% and a Gold Medal accolade when first reviewed in issue 70. I don't think it deserves quite that high a mark now, but it's a darn good shoot-'em-up.
The graphics are stunning, with small but fast-moving sprites zipping all around the shop. It's almost a shame to shoot some of the beautifully drawn and shaded creatures... almost. It's a choice between you and them, either they die or Turry explodes in a spectacular fashion. The game is huge, a veritable cartographer's dream-come-true in fact. Five worlds split into several sections is certainly enough to keep you burning the midnight oil.
If you missed Turrican II the first time round, four pounds is a small price to pay for one of last year's best games.
Phil
The official Zzap! Best Game of 1991 is *already* out on budget? Hold on a sec... Ouch! Just pinching myself to check I'm not dreaming!
For those new to the C64, let me tell you that this is the most technically stunning game ever to grace the machine. I mean, I thought the original Turrican was great, but the sequel just blows it out away.
Turry has to be the best-armed hero of all time and when he picks up a few power-ups you'd think he was invincible. But then you probably haven't met the big baddies yet. And when I say big, I mean *big*!
Some of these fellas are several screens high... yet they zip around at lightning speed! Ace programmer Manfred Trenz certainly puts some of his peers to shame. Turrican II is possibly the greatest technical achievement *ever* on *any* computer. It's not just pretty to look at though, it's also incredibly playable.
There's pretty much every type of gameplay imaginable, packed into five huge worlds (comprising twelve levels), and accompanied by an epic thumping soundtrack. What are you waiting for? Get down to the shops now for the bargain of the century! 99%
Verdict
Presentation 90%
Ace presentation screen, useful continue option.
Graphics 96%
Colourful sprites zip around the screen at warp speed.
Sound 94%
Excellent title and in-game tunes, a treat for your ears.
Hookability 95%
Superglue on your joystick would achieve the same effect!
Lastability 97%
You'll be playing 'til you can find a can of solvent!
Overall 96%
Screenshots
