Instructions for

The Final Matrix

Gremlin, 1987

Written by Chris Owen, HTML'd by Arnt Gulbrandsen.

Controls

Keyboard, Kempston

Aim of the game

Nimrod the Biopton has been called upon to rescue his fellow Bioptons from the clutches of the evil Cratons. The Bioptons have been imprisoned in the Cratons' deadly Matrix network of space prisons. It's up to you to penetrate each Matrix and rescue the prisoners!

Game play

You must first locate the prison planets using your Pentavision device. This shows a map of stars in the Craton galaxy and also the Matrix positions. As you steer the ship through the stars, you should manoeuvre a Matrix into the red area in the middle of the Pentavision screen in order to land upon that Matrix. When a Matrix has been targetted, press FIRE to land. Each Matrix is named and has a defensive power according to how many times Nimrod visits that particular Matrix - security increases after each attempt. The ship's consolle also tells Nimrod how many hostages have been rescued and how much time is left. You have 99 Aeons - about 1 minute - before the captives are executed. Although Nimrod is armed with a simple weapon, greater firepower will be needed. This can be found around the Matrix, like the Megabolts which can destroy even heavy obstructions. Nimrod can also find add-ons such as the Thrustpak, allowing Nimrod to fly. This is controlled via the weapons fire button, but it only has a limited fuel supply. After (if?) Nimrod rescues a prisoner, he must return to the landing site to leave the Matrix. To help him locate his ship, the display shows which direction it is, relative to Nimrod. To return to the ship, position Nimrod on the landing site and press FIRE. If the hostage is nearby, he will come too. Fortunately for Nimrod, the Cratons installed a TV monitoring system which was never actually used. Nimrod can make use of this by standing on a TV monitor and so gain information about the current Matrix and its defences. There are several types of defence system in the Matrix: guards, mines, energy draining blocks, black ice and so on.

Comments

"This unusual and addictive game presents a very tough challenge."

Rating

75% (CRASH #41, June 1987)

Now

NOW :

Keys

Redefinable

Nettverksgruppa, 10/9-94, sinclair@nvg.ntnu.no