PANDORA 24.99 * Mouse

W Xenomorph asnt the film Aliens good? A lot of people in the software industry seem to think so, as more than a few games have been released based around James Camerons classic.
The latest to appear is Xenomorph, which puts the player in the boots of the Captain of supply cruiser The Mombassa Oak on a trip to Atargatis in the Sirius system. Tales have been told of ships that have set out for Atargatis never to return, which does not bode well for your trip!

The run starts off easily enough with all systems running properly, but the Crossover Drive malfunctions while travelling into Hyperspace (or Big Empty as the Trader-runners call it). The computer system and drives have been badly damaged, so you must search the base on Atargatis for supplies and equipment to make good your escape. On reaching the base, you soon discover the reason for the lost missions. The whole place is overrun with alien creatures  deadly enemies that kill anything not of their own kind.

The game starts with you in the cockpit of the Mombassa Oak, dressed in just your spotty underwear and armed only with a creditcard. The surroundings are viewed via a 3D window which at the press of a button switches to show your inventory screen.

Suits and weapons can be found in the remaining cargo section of your ship ready for you to take on the marauding aliens, but extra gear that may be handy such as radiation suits, rifles and mines must be found to get to the deeper sections, where the necessary equipment for your ship lies.

Some sections of the base have become dangerous, so there is a danger of becoming contaminated with radiation poisoning if you do not take the greatest of care. For this reason, medical supplies are essential to the well-being of would-be escapees.

Do you think you can overcome these amazing odds? Well, get your kit on and get out to your spaceship, then!

Maff Evans


GRAPHICS AND SOUND
Instead of the usual filled 3D effect, Xenomorph uses a flickscreen 3D system of bitmapped images to simulate movement through rooms and tunnels. Occasionally this gets confusing, but overall the effect is well implemented and convincing. The most impressive use of graphics comes in the form of the equipment. There is a myriad of weapons and technological systems for the player to pick up and use, each fitting into the game well. Unfortunately, the sound is of a somewhat lower standard. Only a few actions have corresponding spot effects such as inserting a card in a slot, firing a weapon or opening a door. If more use had been made of the sound then the game would have been a lot more atmospheric, but as it stands it does not have much of the outer-space feel of games like Infestation.

LASTING INTEREST
There is no doubting the fact that Xenomorph is big. Use of a map is essential if you are going to get anywhere at all, as it is easy to either get lost in the tunnels or to completely miss a vital location if you are not paying close attention. Once you are familiar with the layout of the base, however, it will still take a while before proper use of the weapons has been worked out  ammo is short and there are a lot of nasty creatures  so you will be playing for a few weeks at the very least.

JUDGEMENT
Alien-infested complexes seem to be all the rage at the moment, so it is nice to see a game that manages to create an inspired and involving environment to challenge the player. Considering the competition that Xenomorph is up against, the game stands up rather well. The feel is much more tech-based than something like Infestation, using a whole host of computer equipment to complete the mission. Unfortunately, the weak sound loses to the atmospheric edge created by Psygnosis adventure, bu  this gripe aside - Xenomorph is not half bad!

GRAPHICS 	7
SOUND 	5
INTELLECT 	6
ADDICTION 	7
OVERALL 83%


Amiga Format, Issue 11, June 1990, p.45 