Underwurlde

Sinclair Programs (98 out of 100)

The game is brilliant, the graphics are superb, and the program is surpassed by very few Spectrum programs.

Crash! (92 out of 100)

Underwurlde is definitely Ultimate’s best game yet. It has super sound and graphics, as you would expect from ACG, plus (as far as I can tell at this stage) an even more complex playing area than SW. Moving around from level to level by skilfully jumping up and down the screen is made even harder by the various Gremlins and Harpies knocking you flying in mid jump. Sabreman has lost his sword but instead he can use various different weapons for several different purposes such as getting past the guardians. I really enjoyed playing Underwurlde and highly recommend it to everyone, although it’s a shame about the high price.

Personal Computer Games (9 out of 10)

What puts Underworlde in a class above most other recent arcade adventures is the way it plays. The action is incredibly hectic, yet wonderfully different. This is something to do with the fact that a single leap can carry Sabreman the entire width of a screen. It's one of that tiny elite of games which you fall in love with in seconds, yet keep you going for weeks.

ZX Computing (9 out of 10)

This is an excellent game with some of the best animation that I have seen on the Spectrum with the guaranteed ULTIMATE quality.

Computer and Video Games (CVG) (35 out of 40)

Oh, my verdict? Buy it of course!

Popular Computing Weekly ( )

Underwurlde is everything you expect from an Ultimate game. Technically excellent, with an ingeniously imaginative and well implemented game concept that is fiendishly difficult.

Sinclair User (8 out of 10)

The game is extremely fast and colourful; those braggart voices which claim previous Ultimate productions are too easy will find life in the Underwurlde is no picnic. You will need to find the right weapons to deal with special foes, work out a route to the open air, and all the time maintain a ferocious pace of reactions and nimble movement to avoid disaster.

Your Computer ( )

Dropping into the Long Dark Palace on your way to freedom is just about as easy as negotiating a no-strings-attached pact with the devil. It could be well into 1985 before you have developed enough gremlin zapping skills, a detailed knowledge of Underwulde's vast labyrinth and tempered all that with a good deal of luck

Eurogamer.net (UK) (7 out of 10)

Although another fine technical achievement, Underwurlde, perhaps more than any other Sabreman title, is vulnerable to accusations of style over substance. The main action of the game falls victim to the overreaching creativity of the delicious back story, and despite the clear and colourful graphics, being sent spinning to yet another quick death by a randomly spawning creature soon becomes infuriating. Patience and fortitude are required in large amounts if any serious progress is to be made through the huge map, which makes this one for the devoted gamer only. Finish it, however, and you can truly consider yourself one of the gaming elite.

ASM (Aktueller Software Markt) (8.2 out of 12)

Fazit: Tolle, bunte Grafik mit guter Animation; schneller und effektvoller Spielablauf mit allerdings relativ ödem Sound. Sehr viele Hersteller haben sich entschlossen, Spiele mit der gleichen Spielidee und sogar mit fast identischem Spielablauf auf den Markt zu bringen. An den Erfolg von UNDERWURLDE ist (zu Recht) noch keiner herangekommen.