Corporation logo Amiga Joker Hit

Die Tage werden kälter und die Nächte immer länger - höchste Zeit, sich auf die Suche nach einem schönen Rollenspiel zu machen, das den Winter etwas erträglicher gestaltet. Für mich ist diesjährige Software-Pirsch bereits beendet...

Ein gutes Rollenspiel fängt bekanntlich mit dem Handbuch an, werfen wir also mal einen Blick in den Schmöker: Der deutschsprachige Teil umfasst ca. 30 Seiten und ist vorbildlich gegliedert - Einführung, Erläuterung der Screen-aufteilung und allgemeine Verhaltensmassregeln. Alles da und leicht verständlich geschrieben, wir können uns also beruhigt der spannenden SF-Story widmen:

Innerhalb eines Jahrzehns hat sich die "European Cybernetics Corporation" zur grössten Wirtschaftsmacht der Welt gemausert, einfach indem sie haufenweise Roboter unter die Leute gebracht hat.

Zwar wurden die Menschen reihenweise arbeitslos, aber wen kümmert's, wenn ohnehin die Blechkameraden für einen schuften? Während praktisch jedermann im Freizeit-Paradies schwelgte, traten ein paar betuchte Kunden mit dem Wunsch nach einer richtig schönen Killermachine an die Corporation heran. Der Kunde ist bekanntlich König (besonders wenn er die nötige Kohle hat), also machte man sich an die Entwicklung. Unter strengster Geheimhaltung, da illegal, wurde mit Genmanipulation experimentiert. Vom Forschungserfolg bekam die ahnungslose Bevölkerung erst Wind, als sich eine der Kreaturen aus der Londoner Fabrik verabschiedete, um mal auszuprobieren, wie Passanten schmecken. Jetzt hatte die Regierung den Salat: Aus Rücksicht auf die Weltwirtschaft kontte die Corporation schlecht dicht gemacht werden, anderseits kann man sowas ja auch nicht einfach durchgehen lassen.

Wenn man nun aber Beweise für die genetischen Spielereien in der Hand hätte, könnte man darauf drängen, die illegalen Forschungen einzustellen, ohne dass die legalen Aktivitäten der dubiosen Firma zum Erliegen kommen. Und genau diesen Beweis in Form eines manipulierten Embryos soll der Spieler nun aus dem Fabriksgebäude klauen.

So weit, so schlecht - schieben wir also die erste der beiden Disks ins Laufwerk. Nachdem man die stimmungsvolle Eröffhungssequenz gebührend bewundert hat, wird die zweite Diskette eingelegt, und man darf sich aus sechs Charakteren den passenden aussuchen. Zur Auswahl stehen zwei Frauen, zwei Männer und zwei Androiden, die natürlich alle unterschiedliche Werte für Ausdauer, Stärke, Geschicklichkeit, etc. haben.

Die Androiden verfügen allerdings über keinerlei PSI-Kräfte, dem SF-Gegenstück zu den guten alten Zaubersprüchen. Aber auch die menschlichen Charaktere müssen erst eine bestimmte Droge, oder besser noch ein formschönes Stirnband finden, ehe sie schweben oder sich per Gedänkenkraft selbst heilen können. Freilich geht's auch ohne PSI: Wie wäre es zum Beispiel mit einer feinen Handfeuerwaffe? Oder einer hübschen, kleinen Bombe? Auf jeden Fall ist ein Medizinköfferchen nützlich, und auch ein Schutzanzug hat noch nie geschadet. Vier Modelle stehen zur Wahl, die sich in Preis, Gewicht und Leistungsfähigkeit unterscheiden. Sobald man nichts mehr tragen kann oder das Budget erschöpft ist, macht man sich auf den Weg in die Grusel-Fabrik.

Die erste Station der Wanderschaft ist ein Lift, mit dem man sich von Etage zu Etage bewegen kann; vorerst reicht meine Zugangsberechtigung aber nur bis zum fünften Stock. Nachdem ich mich also mittels Mausklick auf das Augen-Icon umgesehen habe, "handhabe" ich die Kontrollen für den Fahrstuhl. Mit dem Steuerungsfeld wird die Spielfigur in die gewünschte Richtung bewegt - anfangs ist das etwas gewöhnungsbedürftig, aber sobald man den Bogen erstmal raus hat, geht's recht flott voran.

Nach ein paar Schritten stosse ich auf eine Überwachungskamera, die mit einem gezielten Schuss verschrottet wird. Leider sind diese Kameras hier nicht das einzige Übel, es gibt auch druckempfindliche Bodenplatten und Infrarotstrahlen. Den gefährlichen Platten kann man noch relativ leicht ausweichen, die Strahlen aber sind unsichtbar. Ausser natürlich, man hat einen Sichtverstärker mitgebracht, der per Mausklick übergestülpt werden kann. Der Verstärker nützt aber gar nichts gegen das wirklich hässliche Monster, das mir schon bald den Weg versperrt!

Ich ziele also sorgfältig mit dem mausgesteuerten Fadenkreuz, drücke den linken Button und - sehe mit Erstaunen, dass das widerlichte Vieh gänzlich unbeeindruckt ist. Auch weitere Schüsse aus näherer Position zeigen keine Wirkung, mir fällt aber auf, dass mein Widersacher zwar grimmig guckt, sich ansonsten jedoch nicht von der Stelle rührt. Und siehe da: Das Ungeheuer entpuppt sich als Projektion, die man völlig ungefährdet durchschreiten kann! Klar, dass im weiteren Spielverlauf noch etliche Roboter, Monster, usw. Auftauchen, die weniger pflegeleicht sind - immerhin schön abspeichern, lautet die Devise!

Ich hoffe, zwischenzeitlich ist deutlich geworden, das Corporation selbst neben Meilensteinen der Softwaregeschichte wie "Bard's Tale" oder "Dungeon Master" eine gute Figur macht. Die Handhabung geht im allgemeinen voll in Ordnung, nur die umständliche Save/Load-Prozedur drückt ein bisschen auf die Stimmung. Die gelungene Icon-Steuerung vermittelt dem Spieler jederzeit das Gefühl, die Sache voll im Griff zu haben. Auch die Vektor-Grafik kann begeistern, sie iest schnell und flüssig. Und die gut animierten Gegner sind sowieso eine Augenweide! Hinzu kommt ein packende Titelmusik und stimmungsvolle Effekte während des Spiels.

Was Corporation aber zu einem Hit macht, ist die komplexe und fesselnde Story, gefolgt von einem Schwierigkeitsgrad, der Wochen und Monate lang motiviert, ohne frustrierend zu werden. Da kann es nur ein Fazit geben: Holt Euren besten Kampfanzug aus der Mottenkiste und besorgt Euch dieses Game - es lohnt sich! (Hans-Werner Raabe)



Corporation logo CU Amiga Superstar

CORE DESIGN
PRICE: £24.99

This month Core Design release their first game as a bona fide, go it alone, software publisher. With a welter of publicity behind it in the form of news stories, insights and an extensive ad campaign, Corporation looks set to transform the RPG and swell Core's coffers into the bargain.

Beginning with a tense and well-animated opening sequence, which details the grissly murder outside a huge industrial factory, Corporation thrusts you into a future world of high-tech automations, genetic research and big business. The story is simple, the game much harder. Universal Cybernetic Corporation (UCC) is a multinational conglomerate that makes IBM, Exxon or the Hanson Group look like corner shops. They are big and have built their success on the development of commercial and domestic robotics. Investing in a wide portfolio of companies, UCC have a controlling interest in nearly every area of commerce and industry.

It has been rumoured for some time that they have moved into genetic manipulation and the creation of new life forms with a view to creating the ultimate killing machine. A series of murders outside one of their research factories, due to an escaped 'experiment' have stiffened the Government's resolve to investigate the problem further. However, the operation has to be covert. If UCC pulled out of the country the economic and political repercussions would be enormous. By sending in a Zodiac agent to steal an embryo of the new life form, the Government would be able to exert pressure on UCC and stop its research. It is not going to be easy, however, as the factory where production is thought to be taking is filled to the gills with high tech security systems, robotic guards and a truck load of genetic monsters.

After the introduction, a selection screen lets you choose your agent from four human and two android agents. Each agent has a unique set of skills and abilities and these effect how the game will be played. It is possible to compensate for weaknesses by buying in skills and purchasing specific weapons and sci-fi gadgetry to make life easier. There is a vast array of equipment on offer such as a back pack computer (with in-built factory map), bombs, compass, electronics kit, gas mask, grenades, five guns, jet pack, lock pick, med kit, psi-enhancing drugs and infra-red goggles amongst others. Phew!

Trouble is, you can only take so much equipment before it starts to impede your movement or your wallet. Android and human operatives also have different needs and priorities. For instance, androids do not need the special infra-red goggles to see with or glucose drinks. You will need to plan carefully and only take essential equipment.

Once the selection screen is over, you are put down by helicopter onto the factory's roof and enter via the elevator. Elevators are the only way to move between the 16 levels. The higher levels are only useful to try out your weapons and get the feel of them. You can experiment with the disrupto pads which scramble a robots innards if they walk over them, or experiment with your psi-powers such as levitation or clairvoyance.

The further into the complex you go the more guards, robots and security devices you will encounter. The building is littered with high tech alarm systems such as video cameras, pressure pads and infra-red beams. Once the security system has been triggered, doors will lock, gas will be pumped into the area and security forces will move in. If captured, you will be put into a secure area, but if you have got the right equipment and skills it is possible to escape. If not, your body will be disposed of in such a way as to leave no evidence of you ever have been there.

The main screen features a 3D view of the surrounding area. Some of the sprites are huge and all the more impressive for it. The corridor walls fade into darkness giving a realistic lighting effect. My only criticism is the choice of colours - the pale greys and blues do not add much to the atmosphere and make each level look more or less the same. A bit more detail would not have gone amiss either, but that was probably ruled out by limited memory space. Another problem, when up close to a wall, is getting your bearings and working out where you are. It is a tad difficult with no visual markings of any distinction to work from.

On each side of the 3D screen are two humanoid diagrams. One indicates damage sustained and the other the equipment you are carrying. The damage chart indicates which parts of the body have sustained injury. Get hit in the legs and you will still be able to move but at a slower rate; a hit in the arms will slow up your dexterity in manipulating equipment. If you are hit badly in the chest or head it is lights out and a new game. It is possible to repair minor injuries through using a medi-kit or energy drink or resting up. By clicking onto the various products of the equipment chart, you can see what each contains and you can then choose whether to manipulate the selected piece of hardware.

Movement is mouse controlled and simple to use. It is possible to move through 360 degrees with ease, run in a curve, jump over obstacles and most other natural environments. It is a much better system than the forward-turn-forward command systems of similar games.

The game is icon controlled. During most of the game there is only one screen which displays all the necessary ino. It is easy to manipulate objects and access is quick and user-friendly. To use a weapon or device simply click on the appropriate pocket, select the object and press the manipulate-button. Easy, eh?

With 16 levels played over an area of 1,296,000 feet and hundreds of rooms to explore, Corporation will keep you entertained for many, many hours. I have been playing it for a couple of weeks and still have not managed to snatch the embryo and make my escape but I have been too busy trying out all my weapons and mapping all the floors. Corporation is atmospheric, engrossing, and well thought out. It strikes just the right balance between combat, exploration and problem solving to make it a classic.


Corporation logo Zero Hero

Cor blimey, Corporation is finally here in all its 3D cell-animated glory. David Wilson gets set to explore the gloomy dark passages of big business (oo-er) (Stop that now. Ed.) in the promising first product from Derby-based Core Design...

Against a background of chilling music, the lightning from a passing storm crashes in the distance. The UCC building looms in the foreground and a reckless lone, female figure walks across the forecourt. Suddenly there's an instantaneous roar and a glimpse of a red-eyed, reptilian monster. A blood-curdling scream flows, then a smattering of blood!

This is the game's opening sequence and it ends with an assortment of newspaper banner headlines decrying another murder in the vicinity of the Corporation building. Enough is enough and the government decides to employ a covert agent to get to the bottom of these macabre goings-on... and guess who just drew the short straw at the Zodiac Agency?

You do get a choice, however, of agent to play. There's a selection of male, female, brawn or brain, human or robot, or you can even play yourself! Yep, there's a novel option for you to send Core a passport photo of your 'boat race' to be digitised into the game (as I've done, hem hem).

Next you'll need to 'tool up'. There's loads of equipment to choose from - various weapons, body armour, even exo-skeletons and bionic limb emplacements! You can also opt to go on a course to hone your specialist skills.

From here you're into the game itself. Dropped onto the roof of the building, you've got eight rather large floors above ground and the same number underground to explore. Your objective is to pinch an embryo from a genetic experiment and between this and yourself are numerous human and robotic guards, security cameras, alarmed pressure mats, infra-red beam droids, locked doors, poison and no doubt something nastier (as the artwork and the opening sequence intimate!).

Amiga reviewDavid: Corporation is massive and within this environment you have complete 3D freedom. It's a bit like a cross between Castle Master and Dungeon Master in many respects but the movement and feel of the environment surpass the former, and the 3D graphics, sound and scope of gameplay out do the latter!

There are numerous puzzles to be solved if you wish to progress and you also have to watch out for hidden traps such as infra-red alarm beams. These are visible if you have (and use) your Infra-Red viewer - but constant use drains your suit's power!

The whole game system has been intricately worked out by programmers Bill Allen and Kevin Bulmer in a fashion akin to a true D&D role player. Your character has a selection of attribute values (Dexterity, Intelligence, Endurance, etc.) which reflect his performance. Similarly, your character has points for energy (which you expend as the day goes on - they can be replenished by sleep, stimulant drinks or pills) and 'Psionic' energy (which the devious devils don't tell you how to use).

You also have damage levels for different parts of your body - take full hits on your head (or bod) and you're dead meat, a certain percentage and your vision starts failing(!), damage a hand and you risk dropping objects (like guns in the middle of a fight!) and hurt a leg and you see yourself physically 'limp' on screen!

Sound too has been imaginatively done, but you most benefit with a stereo monitor. You hear the direction of footsteps, you can differentiate between robots and humanoids and also gauge the distance from the noise. Set off the alarms and you hear sirens and see flashing lights. Do this in a room and the doors lock and you hear the ominous hiss of gas being pumped into the room (this is when you wish you'd bought that gas mask). Ho hum, by the way, if you don't buy 'things' you can also find them inexplicably deposited on the floor (obviously the cleaning up droids aren't as efficient as the light fixing droids).

As I said, Corporation is massive, but it's also a friendly program. The code for the different levels boots up as you ride the lift towards them (to minimise disk accessing). The game has been compressed onto one disk on Amiga (two on ST) and supports both 512K and 1 Meg machines. The latter has more enemies etc. but all the gameplay and sound is in both (so everyone can hear the human guards' digitised shouts!). Oh, and there's a save game option too!

Inevitably, to cope with such a large project, there have been concessions to save on memory. There are no female guards as originally planned, objects on the floor all appear to be housed in metal domes and when you kill things (with the exception of chairs, tables, cameras, etc.) the bodies disappear. Still, in the light of speed and fluidity of the 3D gameplay, the scale of the play area, the four viewing modes and the quality of the graphics.

Core Design's first product on its own label gets a hearty ZERO thumbs up! Stop


A ROOM
WITH
SEVERAL
VIEWS
Corporation: Thermal view
Ah, that's better. This is a thermal view of the beast.
Corporation: Thermal view
Here's a view of the opening level. There's my Head Up Display and... blimey! There's a big robot!
Corporation: Infra-red view
Variety is the spice of life. Let's try an Infra-Red view. IR alarm beams will show up in this mode.
Corporation: Dark view
Let's turn the lights out. Coo! it's a bit dark. (And although humans can't see, the robots can, you clot!)
Corporation: Image intensifier
Last but not least, this is my image intensifier. moving beasties are very prominent in this mode. Hurrah!
Corporation: Interface explanation
1. Damage shows up here.
2. Your exhaustion meter. If it fills up, you're advised to find a safe place to take forty winks!
3. Smart card. Provides security clearance but will constantly need upgrading.
4. This lets you squat/crawl.
5. This lets you look around (for obejcts on the floor, doors...).
6. This lets you sleep to regain energy and Psionic powers.
7. Your very comprehensive, easy to operate (but tricky to explain) movement control icon.
8. Stand or jump.
9. Manipulate.
10. Repair.
11. Meter for repairing broken things.
12. A cross here shows item is damaged.
13. This is a rating for the Bulkiness of items.
14. This is a rating for the Weightiness of items.
15. Toggles through objects (if there are more than object in a pocket for example).
16. Item select from pocket or spotted on the floor. Your cursor becomes a hand with which to pick up these items and place them in your suit.
17. This allows you to drop items.
18. This meter shows your level of oncumbrance. You can actually carry lots, but overdo it and your movement and energy will suffer.
19. This is your suit and place to carry things. It comes complete with some items such as compass and power lead.
20. Pocket.


Corporation logo

Core, Amiga £24.99

Zzap! StarCorporation has you in the guise of a Zodiac agent (espionage a specialty) in the Libra chapter (signifying balance). The latest area of Zodiac interest is UCC, famous for its range of robots used in the home, industry and in agriculture. News has reached you that, via bio-genetic research, UCC are developing the ultimate killing machine. This must be stopped. However, such is the delicate nature of the problem and the importance of UCC to the planetary economy, the matter must be dealt with in a subtle manner. You must infiltrate the corporation complex, therefore, and remove the embryo which will herald the arrival of the killer. Only then will UCC be persuaded to desist from this crazy research scheme.

Seen in a first-person perspective, Corporation includes some interesting natural light effects, 'realistic' movement (characters 'roll' when they move instead of gliding, and turning can be achieved on a curve instead of the usual 90 degree turn). Monster animation is smooth and the graphic and aural quality is very high.

Character selection (male, female, android) includes a variety of abilities (strength, dexterity, etc.) and skills (combat, mechanical, etc.). After character set-up you choose weapons and equipment such as armour, bionic arm, gun, gas-mask, medi-kit etc.

I tried hard to like this game but failed. The whole project appears to have had a great deal of effort poured into the graphics and presentation and little into the rest of the game.

For a start I hated the 'realistic' movement. It is a gimmick; there's certainly nothing realistic about it. Well, are you aware of rolling from side-to-side when you walk? Are you conscious of swinging around corners? No, I thought not. You do these actions subconsciously, of course. I found it very off-putting.

Also movement control is poorly implemented. Core have attempted to squeeze every directional command into a very small area which leads to confusion as you find yourself disorientated due to a slip of the mouse pointer. Couple that with the fact that you move faster the further away the mouse pointer is away from the directional indicator and it's fun and games all the way.

I found it nigh on impossible to quickly duck into a doorway after spotting a monster walking down the corridor. I needed to stop, think, carefully position the mouse pointer, forward a bit, no a bit to the side, okay turn slowly left and... oh, I've died (another gripe - you die too often).

Great. A long learning curve for the interface - all I wanted to do was to play the game!

But then there's not that much to do in the game once you're into it. Kill lots of slow, lumbering monsters and do a few bits of simple manipulation. The character stats do not appear to do a lot so the role-playing element is out. The puzzle factor is very low so adventuring is minimal. What you're left with is a simple shoot-'em-up with brilliant graphics. Shame.