REDUCTIO AD NIHILUM



A puzzle game for Zx Spectrum



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THE STORY:



Aileen has always dreamed of becoming a sorceress. Now her dreams

are close to become true. But first she must graduate from that

damned magical college!



To become a magician you must understand the principles of universe.

The most important principles are balance and harmony. Each force has

its counterforce, each matter has its antimatter.



Aileen's task is to find a harmony in an alchemical mixture of different

elements.Finding a balance depends on the order of your actions. Do it

right and the elements will annihilate each other so everything will

become nothing. This is reduction to nothing - "Reductio Ad Nihilum".



You can wield magic only when you understand the essence of being and

nothing. Help Aileen to go through her exams and master the eternal laws!







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THE GAMEPLAY:



You play your game on a square board filled with jewels of different

types. The jewels represent different substances, elements and forces of

nature.



Your job is to clear the board so no jewels are left on the board and

reach the balance this way.



You may clear jewels by selecting 2 jewels of the same type. The jewels

must belong to the same row or the same collumn. When you select them,

they will explode and dissapear together with everything between them.



That's all! Sounds simple but you'll discover that the game requires

strategy and planning.



If you perform your actions in the right order, you'll manage to clear

all the jewels. Do it wrong and you'll be left with jewels remaining

and no more legal moves to make.

 



There are 30 levels in games and boards become bigger when you advance.

Are you able to do them all?





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CONTROLS:



In the game menu you make the choice if you'll control the game

with keyboard, Kempston Joystick or Sinclair Joystick. The keys

for keyboard are:



Q-up A-down O-left P-right SPACE-fire



You control a cursor with the direction keys. Move it over a

jewel that you want to select and press FIRE. The jewel becomes

selected. Now move it over a second jewel of the same type and press

FIRE again.



If the jewels are of the same type and lay in the same row or collumn

you'll clear them and everything between them. If not, you clear

selection of your 1st jewel and the jewel you just clicked on becomes

your 1st selected jewel that you must match with the 2nd one.

It's much simpler in action than while reading, believe me :)





You can press R to repeat the level if you believe that you've

reached an dead end. You have 5 attempts for each level. If you

use them all, it's Game OVer. Try not to repeat levels as it decreases

your bonus.



At any moment you can press X to quit the game and return

to the game menu.

 

Before each level you are given a combination of jewels which is a

password for this level. Choose the appropriate option in the main

menu to enter the password and begin the gameplay from your chosen

level.





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CREDITS:



Coding and graphics: 		Rafa Miazga

Music:				Mister Beep				

		

This game is FREEWARE