BEST OF THE INDIES vol.2 (Zenobi Software) Spectrum 48K/128K+2 FOREWORD Considering just what a success the original version of "BEST OF THE INDIES" was, it is hardly a surprise to Find that EKIM, and the "powers-that-be" at ZENOBI, have once more put their heads together to come up with the sequel to beat all other sequels. If you thought that the last compilation was a cracker, then this one is going to blow your socks off! Featuring no less than SIX different games, with a total of no less than TEN different parts, there is enough "adventuring" on this tape to keep you busy for the rest of the decade ... or at least for the next couple of days!!! Hopefully there will be something on the tape for everybody, novice and expert alike, with more than enough "problem solving" to keep even the most ardent adventurer happy. One thing is certain, this compilation thoroughly deserves its title. For the games that are featured on this tape are most definitely amongst the best available from the independent authors who strive to keep the Spectrum adventure scene alive today. CONTENTS Side One : Crack City. The Hermitage (parts 1 and 2), Gordello Incident (parts 1 and 2) Side Two : Bounty Hunter, From Out Of A Dark Night Sky, Diablo (parts 1, 2 and 3) MIKE's COMMENTS "About the games. What can I say? Don't just there twiddling your biro, Miss Goodbody, what can I say? What's that? Can you use my dictaphone? I've not the time for old jokes like that, Balrog-in-Chief Wilson is waiting for me to send him something to put in the jiffy-bag along with the "BEST OF THE INDIES II" tape, so have you any suggestions? ... ... OK, later, but first let's deal with the adventures ... THE GORDELLO INCIDENT What kind words could I possibly say about Tom Frost's adventures that he has not said himself already? They get more devilishly cunning as the years go by, but then so does he. The number of excuses he has for NOT buying a round are unbelievable. Well, I don't believe them for one. Anyway, the game. It is so devious and difficult that someone told me, quite recently, that not even Tom has solved it yet! That's quits true, apparently. The screen is split down the middle and on one side you play clone AB and on the other side you play clone BA. One or other of them always does the exact opposite of what you type in, while the other one doesn't. You have to get them BOTH into the same place at the same time ... Good game, good game!! Unfortunately, if you solve both the parts tat Tom has so kindly donated (What do you mean "donated", he is being well paid for the privilege of letting us use his game ... BALROG) to this compilation, you'll have to buy the third part of the game from him if you want to solve the entire thing ... I told you he was devilishly cunning. (Oh, by the way, it got 8/10 when I reviewed it in YOUR SINCLAIR ... Mike) DIABLO This came to me from an author, Mark Cantrell, who'd sent me a couple of games before without getting a review, but when I saw DIABLO! I thought it was just the most exciting game I'd seen written using PAW ... at least it was then! It did things with the screen that you wouldn't have thought possible, and it also had a good in-depth story to which the author had devoted a lot of effort. I gave it 8/10 in YOUR SINCLAIR, and said that it rivalled games from Level 9 and Magnetic Scrolls (Who the heck are they? ... BALROG) with its many different and varied features. I was delighted to see it re-published by ZENOBI, and now made available on this compilation. It deserves the widest possible audience. THE BOUNTY HUNTER Spectrum adventurers have a lot to thank Jack Lockerby for, as he's consistently produced good adventures for the past few years and not a dud amongst them. (First sensible thing you've said all day ... BALROG) The BOUNTY HUNTER received a nice 7/10 in YOUR SINCLAIR and I think that was maybe a bit on the low side. Again it uses PAW with great originality, conjuring up an incredible 1500 locations in a landscape reminiscent of the mighty Lords of Midnight. Not bad for a text-only game!!! THE HERMITAGE This is one of those games that seems to me to have been unjustly neglected, which is why I wanted to see it on this collection of the greatest "indie" games. In fact it was almost neglected by YOUR SINCLAIR too! I did a review of it, giving it 8/10 as an overall mark (My overalls don't have any marks on them 'coz Mrs Balrog uses new "Bog-Off" on those ... BALROG) but the month it was due to appear the editor had to snip it out at the last minute due to lack of space . A few months went by and the review never made it into print, so to make sure it did I gave the editor another copy and it finally went in December '89. It's an atmospheric gothic tale, with some scary passages, and loads of dead bodies and "evil" all over the place. "Stands out from the crowd" is what my review said ...... eventually. CRACK CITY This began as yet another adventure falling out of a jiffy-bag, sent in by a new author hoping for a review. It had the uninspiring title of "SNAP", and I thought that if that was anything to go by, the game couldn't be up to much ...... How wrong can you be!!!! I often send games back because they're not good enough to review, but "SNAP" was the first I returned because it was TOO good. I felt that instead of trying to sell the game himself, author Garry Cappuccini should send it to a professional software house while he got on with writing the follow-up. For once someone agreed with me, ZENOBI agreed to publish the game, and when I was finally able to review it in the June 1990 YOUR SINCLAIR, I had no hesitation in giving it the coveted mega-game status of 9/10. I still don't believe it was written with PAW. You just can't do all those things! (Maybe YOU can't but us "proper" writers can do anything! ... BALROG) FROM OUT OF A DARK NIGHT SKY No collection would be complete without a game written by the Rochdale Balrog himself, John Wilson, who I sometimes think is almost single-handedly keeping the Spectrum adventure scene alive with his ZENOBI label. I don't think this is one of his best adventures, but even so I still gave it 7/10 in YOUR SINCLAIR. (It's okay Ekim, we all make mistakes now and again and it was probably one of your "off" days anyway ... BALROG) Other people's poor adventures should be so good!! I also have to be honest and say that lots of people have disagreed with me, rating it as one of John's best, a science fiction story in which you have to destroy Alien pods before they destroy the Earth. Or is it all a dream? Whatever it is, it's got the usual stylish ZENOBI touches, excellent text, good use of random massages and it gets harder as you go. (Thanks, the money will be in the post tonight ... BALROG) What's that Miss Goodbody? No, I meant the adventure gets "harder as you go"! Honestly, some women just have one-track minds, and thank goodness you're one of them, that's what I say. Now come here Miss Goodbody and take down what I say. (You will cut this bit out, won't you John?) (No chance!!! ...... BALROG) " Mike NOTES All plus 2A and plus 3 owners should ensure that they select "48k Basic" before attempting to load each game. Once in "48k Basic", simply type LOAD "" and press ENTER. Some of the games use a non-standard command in order to store a position in memory, so make sure you use the correct command for the relevant game. FROM OUT OF A DARK NIGHT SKY uses MEMORY (type LOAD or SAVE and then when asked whether you wish to use CASSETTE or MEMORY, just select MEMORY to store a position in RAM, and CASSETTE to store a more permanent record on tape). THE HERMITAGE uses QSAVE and QLOAD in order in store a position in RAM. CRACK CITY use OOPS in mode 1 and RAMSAVE in mode 2. In mode 1 the use of OOPS will allow you to go back one move and delete the consequences of your actions. To select the various modes simply type MODE 1 or MODE 2. Also in CRACK CITY a series of "boxes" are used to provide information. The boxes on the right-hand side of the upper screen are as follows ... Number of items carried, Number of items worn, Number of items in wallet, Number of items in pocket, Number of items inside pyramid. The various "numbers" shown in the other boxes are as follows ... TIME, CASH, SKILL LEVEL, SIF RATING, MORTALITY LEVEL, SCORE, TURNS TAKEN. All the games will recognise such commands as GET, TAKE, EXAMINE, SEARCH, OPEN, CLOSE, UP, DOWN, IN, OUT, NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, WEST, CLIMB, etc as well as INVENTORY and HELP. Should any help be required then simply drop a line to ... "BEHIND THE BLACK BALL", c/o 26 Spotland Tops, Cutgate, Rochdale, Lancashire OL12 7NX and state the particular help that is required ... A SAE will almost certainly guarantee a reply, whilst a good grovel would not go amiss either. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Tear Here If you prove to be a superior being and manage to solve BOTH parts of THE GORDELLO INCIDENT, then simply fill in this coupon and send it off, along with the correct amount of gold, to TARTAN SOFTWARE, 61 BAILIE NORRIE CRESCENT, MONTROSE, ANGUS, SCOTLAND DD10 9DT Please supply one copy of THE GORDELLO INCIDENT* at the special price of £2.50 inc. NAME ............................................................................ ADDRESS ......................................................................... ................................................................................. ................................................................................. * You will receive ... Part Three of "THE GORDELLO INCIDENT" plus "GORDELLO's DEMISE" This applies to the TAPE version of the above game only ... no disk versions - sorry!!