Personal Computer News


Ancipital
By Llamasoft
Commodore 64

 
Published in Personal Computer News #086

ANCIPITAL

Oh, weird! Like, this game from Jeff Minter, the Lord of the Llamas, is really heavy, man. Let me lay it on you - this one is megafreaky with a capital M. When you play, shake off the sand from your Polaroid shades and put 'em on; the strobe effects make Top of The Pops look like dinner by candlelight.

Ancipital is the name of the goat/human creature that first appeared in Sheep In Space. Beautifully animated, it roams a number of chambers, blasting away at the bizarre inhabitants. As befits the way-out nature of the game, Ancipital can fly skywards to walk upside down on the ceiling as well as up walls and (dullsville) along the floor.

Music and messages are broadcast while the game loads and a demo mode hints at the lunacy to come. While you battle with the forces of freak, a steady drum beat thumps and the screen is filled with light, colour and action.

Ancipital

Each screen-sized chamber has walls that pulse, glow and do alarming things. A host of unique weirdos occupies each room. Forget about your boring old bomb-dropping aliens, these creatures are far out. The first room has malicious flying Granny Smiths and I'm not talking about OAPs: apples are the enemy, turning into cores when shot... with bananas.

It gets heavier. There are furious floppy disks that must be bombarded with cassettes. Guinea pigs savage your ankles when fired upon. There are army boots, tube station signs, guitars, camels (of course), skulls and crossbones, rats, nuts (but not bolts), pyramids, pound signs, goats and all manner of other Minteresque oddities.

Weird and tacky, this latest piece of psychedelia from Llamasoft will have you goggling.

It's a hit, man.

Bob Chappell

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