Llamatron: 2112

The Good
This game has no plot! (Or if there is, I'm blissfully oblivious to it.) Jeff Minter really knows what computer games are all about - when you're shooting all over the shop and gathering furry animals, no story could possibly justify the action. The VGA graphics and digitized sound effects are adequate for a fast-paced little (compared to other games of the same vintage) and the objects being blown to smithereens on the screen are original to say the least. The controls are straightforward enough to put all players on the same level.

The Bad
It's difficult. It reminds me of the fact that I'm lousy at arcade games, and brings back memories of really frustrating C=64 games. If you've grown up on Mortal Kombat, or something silly like that, you might have the reflexes, but probably not the sense of history to appreciate this game.

The Bottom Line
Its pretty basic SEU action on one-screen playfields, but the action has enough variation and the playability is good enough to keep you going if you like this sort of game. This is the kind of game that made the CBM 64 the most popular microcomputer in the world, and it still isn't a bad game. Bear in mind, though, that this is a game in its most quintessential form - this is not to say that the presentation is bad, but that it is a game, not a way of life (as some "games" claim to be these days). If you like to play computer games with fast-paced action and rewarding gameplay, try it! If you like to play "computer games" with Surround Sound and/or T&L, grow up and then try it.