Personal Computer News


Nemesis

Author: Geof Wheelwright
Publisher: Micro Power
Machine: BBC Model B

 
Published in Personal Computer News #058

NEMESIS

Yet another variation on space invaders. This time the alien attackers are Vogons, with Chargers, Crushers and Crawlers as allies.

The game is played in an area of outer space, the top half of which contains a good number of asteroids. The Vogons attack in waves, starting from the top. Their allies attack from different places, depending on the level of play attained. You have one spaceship, with an extra life awarded on scoring 5,000 points.

You, the defender, are at the bottom of the screen. The Vogons come in waves of about ten. They slowly snake downwards, changing direction as necessary in order to avoid the asteroids which complicate aiming and firing at them. Two direct hits destroy the asteroids, but even then it is necessary to avoid the falling debris. Further, as the attackers are destroyed, they too disintegrate and shower debris.

Nemesis

Horizontal movement of your defender is good and not too fast to allow you to keep track of the attackers easily.

As the game progresses, additional hazards are introduced. Chargers dive bomb you and Crushers bounce around from side to side on the screen. The only other type of attacker, the Crawler, creates 'warp vectors' from the asteroids in its path. If any of the Vogons make contact with these, they are immediately transported to the bottom of the screen.

This particular version of space invaders is not too impressive. The idea of introducing additional hazards that move horizontally is not a particularly new one, and they prove relatively easy to avoid.

The overall impression in Nemesis is of having to play in a tightly compressed area, which was increased by the asteroids and by constantly having to avoid so much debris.

Geof Wheelwright

Other BBC Model B Game Reviews By Geof Wheelwright


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