{fon:hom0000ff}
Archanoid
{fon:tri}
Author: C. Abbot

Plot: Mouse controlled breakout game. There are a number of randomly
appearing tokens which sometimes affect the gameplay.

Playability: If it were not for the bugs, the gameplay would be
mediocre. With all the bugs, it's appalling. The first five levels
are just different arrangements of the same type of brick, then level
six introduces indestructible bricks.

Graphics: OK

Features: High score table (not saved to disk)

Typical Game Duration: 2 minutes

Bugs: If the ball touches a token it leaves bits of stuff behind,
these bits then obstruct the gameplay. Occasionally the ball will
pass through the bat. Occasionally the ball will get stuck INSIDE the
bat and rattle around for a while (then usually exit the wrong way).
The ball slows down when the bat is moving - this makes the movement
of the ball erratic. Screens above level six do not seem to have been
properly designed. Some tokens don't seem to have consistent effects.
The only way out of the program is to reboot.

{fon:hom0000ff}
Archieman
{fon:tri}
Author: Robert Armes & Mark Syms

Plot: A traditional PacMan game, but which multitasks. In standard
resolution modes, the game window will automatically scroll to allow
you to see the part of the maze that you're actually in at the time.

Playability: It's a little bit on the easy side, and the levels don't
seem to get any more difficult. A skilled player might find that they
get bored before they get killed. It's nice to see the proper PacMan
scoring system, where the score for eating a ghost increases if you
eat more than one ghost with one power pill.

Graphics: Nice smooth movement in all screen modes.

Features: High score table (saved to disk). Pause (actually the game
always pauses if it loses the input focus, but there's also a proper
pause option on the menu).

Typical Game Duration: 15 minutes

{fon:hom0000ff}
Archiepat
{fon:tri}
Author: David Wilkins

Plot: Two patience games in one. A conversion from the BBC.

Playability: Game A is standard patience. Game B is a rather trickier
unusual patience. The mouse operation is not very intuitive, but you
can get used to it.

Graphics: Very poor - well I suppose they were reasonable on the BBC
micro.

Features: None

Typical Game Duration: 2 minutes

{fon:hom0000ff}
Arka-II
{fon:tri}
Author: P. Johnston & 'ACE'

Plot: Sophisticated breakout game. Several tokens appear which affect
the gameplay in interesting ways.

Playability: Not bad, but it can get very tedious on some screens
trying to hit the last normal brick when there is only a tiny gap
between the invulnerable bricks.

Graphics: Excellent.

Features: One or two player option. Skip to any screen. 65 different
screens. Infinite lives option.

Typical Game Duration: Without infinite lives I can only last 2
minutes.

{fon:hom0000ff}
ARV
{fon:tri}
Author: Simon Brislin

Plot: A text adventure, set in the present, somewhere near
Manchester.

Playability: I found it difficult to feel involved in this game.
There isn't much in the way of atmosphere, and, somehow, the puzzles
didn't grab my attention. You need to know that the inventory command
has to be spelt "INV" ("I", "INVENT", "INVENTORY" etc are not
recognised) but it doesn't tell you in the help file. Some of the
other verbs are also difficult to guess. 

Features: Save game.

Typical Game Duration: 10 minutes

{end}
