Simulcra

Title		Simulcra
Game Type	3D Action
Company		Graftgold
Players		1
Compatibility	Unknown
Submission	Richard Byrne

Review
Simulcra is big. Too big by far, using the trainer I played the thing for
nearly two days solid, over somewhere near fifty levels and suspect I was
about half way though. Determination was replaced by intense boredom and I
gave up.

 But what is it? You take control of a small space craft- it can drive,
fly and shoot lasers and missiles. Your flight and missiles are limited
and so must be used carefully. The levels are a series of connected
platforms of varying sizes, all at the same height, and are of course
populated by baddies. There are turrets, assorted tanks, planes, mines,
generators and gun posts. By shooting these baddies you score points and
find power ups, these can be lives, shields, flight fuel, missiles or
upgrades. To complete a level you must reach the exit on the map, however
surrounding the screen is a harmful and invulnerable force field, which
also intersects areas of the level. These intersections can be removed by
destroying their generators, and so you gain access to more of the level.
Repeat this process untill you reach the last generator, destroying this
will end the current level.

 The entity graphics are shaded polygon based and are mostly blue, yellow
or red, but non the less attractive, while the floors are mostly either
flat blue texures or tiled. The camera view is locked in directly behind
the player, a sensible choice because knowing exactly where you are and
where you are heading is essential, especially when you are near to any
edges. When you end a level, the surroundings collapse quite
spectacularly. The sound FX are sparse with the occasional laser sound or
some such.

Another game with limited appeal, although quite novel up to the point you
notice the rewardless repetition, awkward controls and (later)
impossible numbers of enemy make you want to play something else.

Alphabetical list.