¢SOFTWARE SCENE (Part 2)¢Futura issue 11¢¢¢¢THE BRUNDLES¢¢KE-Soft,¢c/o Kemal Ezcan,¢Frankenstrasse 24,¢63477 Maintal,¢GERMANY.¢¢Price: DM39.80 / 16.50 pounds / $26.50¢¢¢Reviewed by Stuart J. Murray, NOSAUG.¢¢¢¢ Lemmings is here! Lemmings on the Atari 8-bit! Brundles! Lemmings! Brundles! OK, so that's the hype out of the way. Yes, Lemmings has made it onto the Atari 8-bit in the form of The Brundles by KE-Soft, Germany. The following review is NOT based on the principle that just because it is here it is great.¢¢The Packaging¢¢ The Brundles is packaged in an A5-size transparent plastic pouch. The title sheet can be seen through the front and back. It is a green piece of paper which is folded in half to give you a front cover and a rear sleeve.¢¢ The front cover shows the title and a simple illustration of a Brundle (a mouse-like creature). There is also a large fuji symbol with XL/XE underneath. I would describe the front cover as "adequate" more than anything else.¢¢ Flip over the plastic pouch and you will see the rear sleeve which offers you two mono screen shots and informs you of the game options. Even though the screen shots are of a low quality at least you can see roughly what the game looks like. This is important for any packaging!¢¢ Moving inside the pouch, you will find two disks (GameDisk and LevelDisk) and a red A4 instruction sheet (English on one side and German on the other). The instructions are very basic but just enough to get you started. Some copies of the game will include a registration sheet for updating your disk from 60 levels to 100 (AMS7 release versions of the game contain only 60 levels). Unfortunately, my copy included this sheet!¢¢The Concept¢¢ If there is anyone out there who has not heard of the Lemmings game concept then here is a quick overview: The object of the game is to guide a number of tiny rodents from start to finish. The start is a trapdoor from which the Lemmings (or Brundles!) fall. The finish is an exit to the next level which takes the form of a temple-like building. The Brundles will simply keep walking unless you tell them otherwise. They will fall off cliffs, walk into fire, impale themselves on spikes, etc. unless you help them along.¢¢The Functions¢¢ In KE-Soft's The Brundles you have 10 functions to help your tiny friends along their path to the exit. These are as follows:¢¢RATE: Controls the speed at which the Brundles fall through the trapdoor.¢¢CLIMBER: Climbs high walls.¢¢FLOATER: Falls high distances by use of a parachute. When combined with a Climber the Brundle becomes an "Athlete" with the ability to do both.¢¢BOMBER: Self-explodes after 5 to 0 countdown. Can blast holes in 'soft' walls. Has no effect on 'hard' walls.¢¢BLOCKER: Stops walking and stops any other Brundle from passing.¢¢BUILDER: Builds a bridge of five stones at a 45 degress angle.¢¢BASHER: Digs a tunnel through soft walls or in the direction of a One-Way wall (a wall with arrows).¢¢MINER: Digs diagonally down.¢¢DIGGER: Digs straight down.¢¢NUKE'EM: Blows up all Brundles.¢¢ Each of these 10 functions are displayed along the bottom of the screen in the form of icon boxes; which look very good. If you click on a box that function becomes operational (only one function at a time can be used). You can then assign this function to a selected Brundle by clicking on it (moving the cross-hair over the Brundle and pressing the controller button). However, there is not an unlimited supply of functions. The amount available for each is displayed above the relevant icon. This limited supply adds to the challenge of the game.¢¢The Customizer¢¢ By now you should have a grasp of the basics of The Brundles. Before booting the game you must configure it for use with your hardware set-up. Book the "GAMEDISK" and press Spacebar to load the Customizer.¢¢ There is an impressive array of controllers which can be used to move the cross-hair and select functions during gameplay. You can choose an ST Mouse, Suncom Animation Station (graphics tablet), CX-85 Numeric Keypad or Joystick. I tested both the ST Mouse and Joystick options.¢¢ The ST Mouse performed very well - fast and smooth! It also gave the game a true "feeling" of Lemmings. The Joystick option is quite slow and should be avoided if possible.¢¢ Out of interest I tested an Atari Touch Tablet with the Animation Station option. You can use the button and also move the cross-hair left or right. However, up and down are opposite! The Atari Trackball will not work with the ST Mouse option.¢¢ You can also set the size of the RAMdisk available. On a 130XE or expanded 800XL there is less disk access during the game as all of the level data is loaded before play begins. On an 800XL the level data loads inbetween each level. The difference in time is minimal, i.e. you either wait a short time at the beginning or a few seconds inbetween each level.¢¢ After configuring the game to your system you can save your selected options as default. When I first used my disk, the default controller was an ST Mouse. Don't forget to change this if you plan to use a joystick.¢¢The Introduction¢¢ After using the Customizer, reboot the GameDisk (without holding the Spacebar!) and you will be greeted by inch-high Brundles which walk across the screen. They are beautifully animated and are a superb introduction to the game! Press Start to exit this demo early.¢¢ After this intro demo you move onto the main title screen. Here you will find a huge Brundle which points to the title "KE-Soft's The Brundles". It is again beautifully drawn and colour is used to great effect. I have to say that, along with the intro demo, KE-Soft have produced one of the best title screens I've seen!¢¢ This title screen also serves as the main menu. By using the function keys you can begin play, display the high scores or enter a level code (to allow you to begin at any level; so long as you have the correct code - see HINTS on this disk). The high-score screen is again maticulously drawn with great use of colour.¢¢ This complete introduction to The Brundles is very effective - it creates a high level of anticipation towards the approaching game. A quick press of the Start key and the game begins...¢¢The Game¢¢ In the full version of The Brundles there are 100 levels, 10 landscapes and 10 musical tunes. The levels are drawn over two horizontal screens. You use the cross-hair to scroll along left or right (by touching the edges of the TV screen). Both the cross-hair and the level itself scroll smoothly.¢¢ Each level is made up of a selection of platforms, boxes, buildings, trees, rocks, walls, water, etc. They are mostly reasonably drawn, although a few are far too sparse with only one or two features used.¢¢ Thankfully, some of the levels are well drawn - I liked the wonderful all-purple level 42. I also liked the spinning objects on many levels - they turn very smoothly.¢¢ Each level begins with the Brundles dropping from the trapdoor. As they appeared for the first time I thought to myself... YEUCH! Where are the beautifully drawn Brundles from the intro screens? They've been replaced by blob-like things which resemble tiny deformed aliens! Also gone is the smooth animation, to be replaced by jerky block movement! This was VERY disappointing! The poor animation makes it difficult to distinguish between Brundles when they are close together!¢¢ Gritting my teeth, I decided to try to forget about the horrible Brundles and examine the much talked about Lemmings gameplay. Thankfully, it was still there! The desire to complete just one more level is as prevalent as ever! To say that The Brundles is addictive is a major understatement! The gameplay is unbeatable and on a similar level to M.U.L.E., Ultima, etc.¢¢ However, many of the levels seem to be based on designs from the Psygnosis original. If you have completed Lemmings you may find yourself suddenly remembering how to finish a level in The Brundles! This happened to me on a number of occasions and was very disappointing! Surely they could have designed 60 (or 100) original levels?¢¢ The musical tunes are wonderful! You will soon find yourself bouncing along to them. They are also complimented by a good selection of sound effects. For once, a lot of work has gone into creating good sound! In my opinion, this is a major plus point.¢¢ Alongside the function boxes at the bottom of the screen you will see another three boxes. These show you the amount of Brundles out walking on the level, the amount of Brundles saved (safely through the exit), and the clock (which counts down and sounds a warning for the last ten seconds).¢¢ You must use all of the functions mentioned earlier to help the horrible looking Brundles along their path to safety. The amount of Brundles required to save is given at the intro screen of each level. This is easy to forget so make a note of it before trying the level. An on-screen display for the amount of Brundles required would have been nice.¢¢ A lot of the levels end with you having to increase the Rate to full and waiting AGES for the Brundles to plod their way to the exit. If you forget how many Brundles you need you may find yourself waiting for over a minute.¢¢ The difficuly level of the first 60 levels of The Brundles can only be described as "Novice". It begins with a few simple levels designed to ease you into the gameplay. The functions available are mostly limited to those you need. This is well produced for those new to the game concept.¢¢ It took me two sessions (five and a half hours in total) to complete the 60 levels. After spending 15 pounds on the game I felt slightly cheated. Was this ease of completion due to my previous experience of Lemmings? NO! My father, not exactly the world's greatest gameplayer (sorry Dad!), completed his copy in about twelve hours. I feel a game should offer a lot more than this! I've just sent away to KE-Soft for my disks to be upgraded to the 100-level version. Hopefully the last 40 levels will offer more of a challenge! At 15 pounds, I feel a game should offer you at least 150 hours of enjoyment; if not more! Only then can it offer value for money!¢¢The Verdict¢¢ Lemmings is one of the best game concepts ever devised! The Brundles uses this concept to the full and is indeed a VERY addictive game. KE-Soft have spent a long time designing some exceptional intro and menu screens, and the wonderful sound and music is a joy to the ear! However, they seem to have rushed parts of the development of the game to allow a quick release at AMS7 last November.¢¢ The first 60 levels do not offer enough for the experienced gameplayer. The many level features available are not used to their full potential - this is a shame because they are there to be used and yet mostly ignored! Instead of spending time designing complex levels of water, rock, objects, etc. too many have been quickly designed with only a couple of platforms and a stretch of water. It would also be better if KE-Soft had taken the time to design 100% original screen layouts.¢¢ OK, so perhaps I'm being a little unfair to KE-Soft. Yes, my copy only had the first 60 levels, but I still forked out 15 quid for it and, to be honest, I feel cheated out of what could easily have been a wonderful, challenging game! Perhaps my opinion will change when I receive my 100-level version. I hope so.¢¢ KE-Soft do not offer you free post to Germany so you will have to dig into your pocket again for postage. They do offer a 5 pound voucher off the purchase of a mouse but with "mice" readily available in the UK for under 10 pounds the voucher is useless. A paid envelope to Germany should have been enclosed with the game!¢¢ Probably the most annoying aspect of The Brundles is that it crashes! I've used two copies of the game and they both crash now and again! You must then re-load the game. Again, it seems as though the game development was rushed for a 1993 release.¢¢ OK, so there are a number of disappointments with The Brundles. Major minus points are poor animation of the Brundles themselves during gameplay, basic level designs, high price tag and the game crashes. However, there are many plus factors such as beautiful intro screens, great use of colour, superb music, ST Mouse compatibility and unbeatable Lemmings-type gameplay. Without a doubt, the gameplay outweighs all of the negative points mentioned!¢¢ The Brundles is VERY addictive! However, I can't help feeling that this game could have been the game of all games if KE-Soft had only spent a little more time working on it.¢¢ On my way home from AMS7 last year, I imagined The Brundles would cruise into my Top 5 of Atari 8-bit games. Unfortunately, it hasn't even made it into my Top 10. However, it is very good and with a 100-level (hopefully crash-free) version, it will make it into my Top 20 and should therefore be in everyone's disk box!¢¢ The Brundles has wonderful gameplay, good sound and colourful graphics but it just feels rushed. It is a very good game which could (and should!) have been even better. I look forward to Oh No More Brundles and The Brundles 2? Keep 'em coming Kemal!¢¢¢Software Scene Rating¢¢GRAPHICS...........79%¢SOUND..............90%¢GAMEPLAY...........97%¢VALUE FOR MONEY....68%¢¢OVERALL............84%¢
