Personal Computer News


Technician Ted
By Hewson Consultants
Spectrum 48K

 
Published in Personal Computer News #102

TECHNICIAN TED

After an unusual loading screen and a stylish title screen I perked up, relieved not to find another so-called arcade/adventure jumping platforms Manic Miner rip-off. The game may be a cross between Manic Miner and Pyjamarama, but I bet my joystick you'll find it harder than either. The game is, in fact, compatible with Kempston, Protek and Interface II, but as your only controls are left, right and jump (apart from pause and music on/off) the keyboard will do.

Technician Ted works down the local chip factory, made up of forty screens, the first of which finds Ted at the factory gates ready to clock on. A clock shows 8.30, and before you can leave again at 5.30 you must complete 27 tasks. A slight drawback is not knowing what they are, though the first few screens simply ask you to hit two flashing boxes in the right order in each.

A cryptic note on the cover says that solving one problem may change the nature of another problem elsewhere, so you'll be trying to map out the screens which are inter-connected in Jet Set Willy fashion.

Technician Ted

You're shown how the first nine screens fit together, and told that Ted must visit his desk before the Silicon Slice Store. After that you're on your own.

Getting through the factory gates is easy enough, just one gap to leap and a gun to avoid, taking you to reception (slightly harder).

Fall through the floor and you're in the boardroom, which seems impossible to get out of if arriving from the ceiling. Exit right and you're in the cloakroom ... this is getting tough, and you haven't even seen any boxes yet. Two are next door in the Silicon Slice Store, one of them flashing, but you've been told to go to your desk first so should you risk touching one... can you avoid touching one? Help!

Meanwhile time is passing and your life-line is dwindling whenever you hit something or try a foolhardy leap. The graphics are excellent - worth wasting a little time just to go slowly through the elements making up Ted's walk. You must leap coffee cups and filing cabinets, climb stacks of chairs in the canteen, climb stacks of chairs in the canteen, watch your exits, and if you've got time you can sit back and listen to the music. All in all, it's Hewson's best yet.

Mike Gerrard

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