Amiga

Xenon 2: Megablast

The first Galactic Conflict broke out a thousand years ago on the US West Coast with the Amiga-based coin op Xenon. A single pilot saved the Federation then by defeating the Xenites and rescuing Captain Xod. The Xenites aren't ones to forgive and forget though, so with aid of the megahip Bitmap Brothers (who made lots of dosh converting the original war) they've kicked off the Second Galactic Conflict in revenge. Five Time Bombs have been planted in the Process of Evolution, a surreal dimension made up of five evolutionary phases.

In definition and movement, graphics are identical to the ST but the playing area is marginally wider for greater manoeuvrability. A classic sounding, looking and playing blaster, wholly deserving of the prefix 'Mega'.

The age-old problem: it's just another shoot-em-up, some would say, and there are plenty of them around already. So what makes this stand out? The gameplay. It's fast, furious, addictive, tough, playable and it sounds and looks fantastic. Xenon 2 has everything a shoot-em-up needs and more besides, making it arguably the best of its type to appear to date and a definite 'must purchase' for anyone who doesn't mind wasting the odd hour or two enjoying some mindless blasting.

All in all, Xenon II - Megablast is one of the most accomplished shoot-em-ups you're likely to come across this side of Christmas. Even though there are only five levels, the amount of detail and action in there makes it a stiff challenge. You'd be doing yourself a disservice if you don't give it a least a play test.

Xenon II ist ein Leckerbischen für Baller-Feinschmecker!

Xenon II is an amazing game. Graphics sound and gameplay are all superb. It is hard, but not too hard, and it is damned good fun! It won't have the staying power of a classic sports sim, but if it's a shoot 'em up you want, you can't go wrong with Xenon II.

If anyone approaches rock celebrity status in the software world, it has to be the Bitmaps. It's something they've managed to archieve effectively in the space of three games. Speedball is their most famous, but Xenon II revives their first, a shoot'em up which turned heads for its excellent sonics and graphics when it was released over eighteen months ago. Xenon II pursues the relentless quest for an arcade quality schoot'em up on the Amiga, and it's probably the closest yet. Like its predecessor it's a vertically scrolling blast, with an array of nasties and a ship which, when you've bolted every available addition onto it, is awesomely destructive.

Zur Amiga-Version gibt es nur zu sagen, daß hier der Sound um einiges besser ist als auf dem ST. Leider wird das Programm etwas langsamer, wenn sich extrem viele Objekte auf dem Bildschirm tummeln. Aber das fällt bei der nervenzerreißenden Ballerei kaum auf. In Xenon II gibt es auch keine Stelle, an der man nicht mit schnellen Reaktionen und einem gezielten Laserschuß weiterkommt.

When it came out, this Bitmap Brothers up-the-screen shoot-em-up was very highly rated for its detailed graphics, action-packed gameplay, neat power-ups and innovative pop-star tie-in soundtrack. Now, the graphics look dull and the gameplay revealed as being too enemy-heavy, with massive power-ups trying to balance play in which too little strategy and skill is required. It's been well superseded by a host of subsequent shoot-em-up releases, but set a few standards in its day. Only the soundtrack remains innovative, using the CD's sound storage capability to add a high fidelity Bomb the Bass remix track -that old Assault on Precinct 13 Megablast -put together in Roland's innovative 3D sound. Best bought by Bomb the Bass completists (yes, you can play CD Amiga soundtracks in a hi-fi CD player) rather than by gameplayers, it's well past its sell-by date.