Siender review by Kevin Bennett (Listener)
list...@ukonline.co.uk
(three postings to .reviews in a week? must be hallucinating! keep'em
coming, this group could use more useful traffic... --mpk)
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DIARY OF A DEFENDER PLAYER OF OLD...
Well, trying to cling to normality and wipe away the nostalgic glaze from
eyes.... The Siena version........
- - After playing and registering Patsiena on the Web I took note of the plan
for De3ender, Defender for the Series3 Psion. It always seemed to me that
such an excellent oldie would be no problem on the Siena... a few E-mails
later...
- - The Series3 version was released through Palmscape as advertised. Steve
Litchfield's excellent 3-lib site reviewed it and heartily recommended it.
- - It was a few days.... and a few more before the Siena version was
complete. The very morning that it appeared for download I was there to look
at Mark's latest creation.
24-6-98
"I am pleased to announce the release of Siender - Defender on the Siena.
With some work (something like 10 to 15 hours I would think - although I
haven't been counting), it now sits really sweetly on the Siena and if
anything, is somewhat smoother than the 3x version - there's also full
support for the Siena's buzzer-based sound.
You'll find Siender at
http://www.palmscape.com/Products/Siender/
Enjoy!
Mark (ma...@palmscape.com)"
- - Siender for the Siena IS a major step in bringing arcade games to the
little organiser. Programed by Mark Wheadon it has his usual hall marks of
quality graphics and smooth presentation.
Nostalgia
The first thought is of memory, of reminiscing... Good old days playing the
likes of Astroids and defender in the arcades... then at home on the home
computers. Although the graphic style was simplistic the games were always
VERY playable... ( and just a little addictive :o) )
When a conversion is done there is always the concern whether it will retain
the pace and playability. Some of the versions for the home computers
failed, so how will an organiser do? Well, firstly the Siena is amazingly
powerful compared to something like the good old Spectrum or C64 computers.
What then is defender?
Defender or Siender is a left/ right scrolling arcade game. Whilst zooming
back and forth and turning left/right you have to save humanity again!
The landscape shows little folk hopping about trying to avoid the swooping
alien craft who come to take them away. Guess what? You have to SHHOOOT them
:o) NNNNNooooooo, not the people.... the aliens!!!!
Pow... got em, oh no the now saved person is not saved but plunging to his/
her death on a pointy landscape. Now you gotta catch them and place them
gently down. All of this is quite tricky with loads of baddies materialising
around you, and craft that fire spawns of missiles.
So.... if you haven't been shot down, not colided with an alien, or shot all
of the innocents (sounds tempting I know ;o) ) the the next mad wave
comes.... getting the idea yet?
Siender requires fast actions and all your attention with half a brain on
the scanner and the sound. Although the Siena has only basic beep sound
ability this is used well to warn you that an alien has a good citizen!
Quite often though one finger twitches over the hyperspace button for those
emergancy situations.... although I never press it in time.
All in all an amazingly smooth and responsive game that allows you to
customise the keys to your liking for maximum control. STRAP ME in and get
the biccies... could be quite a long blast..... wooooo hooooo!
Take that.... and that.... oh don't do that!!! dead again!
Not downloading this then? Use the Palmscape link :o)
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/listener/siender/siender.html
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