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URANIANS

Professional, Originally Released On Cassette Only

Game Type : Arcade

Author : S. Howitt

Standalone Release(s) : 1986: URANIANS, Bug Byte, £2.99

Compilation Release(s) : None

Stated compatibility : Electron Side A/BBC Side B

Actual compatibility : As stated

Supplier : BUG BYTE, Victory House, Leicester Place, LONDON WC2H 7NB.

Tel: 01-439 0666

Disc compatibility : ADFS 1D00, CDFS 1D00, DFS 1D00

Instructions

"Look out, they're raining down on us. It's all action by S. 'Trigger-Happy' Howitt."

Follow all the screen instructions and get loose, relax and get to it. Watch out for the satellites and smart bombs. They are really mean.

Game Controls

Z - Left, X - Right, <RETURN> - Fire

Instructions' Source : URANIANS (Bug Byte) Back and Inner Inlay

Review (Electron User) - "Budget Shoot-'em-up"

Last month found me loudly singing the praises of Bug Byte after I had seen PLAN B, a fabulous game that has joined my personal all-time favourites.

This month sees another release, URANIANS, and this is right at the other end of the scale. One feature I find annoying is that for part of the loading time the counter is not displayed on screen, so you can only hope that loading is taking place.

The title screen graphics are comparable with those seen in a magazine listing, but this could have been forgiven if the quality of the game had made up for it. Unfortunately, after waiting nearly six minutes while the game loads, its arrival is hardly anything to cause celebration.

You have a laser base which moves horizontally across the bottom of the screen, while the alien mothership disgorges her attack ships as she moves across the top.

The first wave of aliens weaves slowly from left to right, and although later waves become a little more belligerent I hardly think that Earth has anything to fear.

Variety is provided by the mothership periodically dropping a fire-bomb which either engulfs you in a wall of flame - the best graphic effect in the game - or if you manage to avoid it, remains on screen to restrict your movement for a few seconds.

It is a sad reflection on any game when the most enjoyable part is when you get crisped. URANIANS is a cross between Space Invaders and Galaxians, but does not have the polish of either. Nowadays we tend to expect better, even from budget games.

Sorry Bug Byte, after PLAN B this is going from the sublime to the ridiculous. The only point I found in its favour was if you have a Plus 1 and Plus 3 fitted, it's not necessary to disable them to load the game.

Sound ........................... 4

Graphics ........................ 3

Playability ..................... 3

Value for money ................. 5

Overall ......................... 4

Beejay, ELECTRON USER 4. 9