A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

	Deactivators (Reaktör, 1986) A team of Deactivator Droids has been sent to remove bombs that have been planted inside five buildings of the Gravitational Research Institute. Each droid is restricted to an area of each building, and the only way to transfer objects between droids is to throw them through holes in the walls. The droids must also avoid all contact with the robot guards. There are also circuit boards which need to be located and slotted into the computer. Furthermore, the effect of gravity in each room is different, and some rooms are upside down so that the 'floor' is on the ceiling and the gravity is inverted! The concept of this game is unusual and highly original and combines arcade elements with strategic planning. Initially, it's not easy to understand what you're supposed to do, but once you do, it's an engrossing game. More information on CPCSOFTS 8
	Dead by Dawn (Monsterbytes, 2014) Reviewed by Missas Dead by Dawn is an adventure game based on the film Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn and programmed using the outstanding 3D Construction Kit. The game depicts a mostly depressive and dark atmosphere. The graphics are drawn in MODE 1, and the polygons are well shaped and detailed, clearly assisting the gameplay and the grab factor. However, the CPC sometimes struggles to move them at an acceptable rate. The sound is as good as it could be for an adventure game; there is no in-game tune, but there are plenty of effects. The gameplay is undeniably good and interesting; there are many rooms to explore and the 3D setting is well designed and was clearly made with care by the programmer. The grab factor is strong and the game itself is rather big. We do not get many games like this often, so don't miss it. More information on CPCSOFTS 8
	Deadline (Infocom, 1986) The wealthy industralist, Marshall Robner, was found dead at his mansion in the early hours of yesterday morning. An examination by a coroner suggests that he died from an overdose of the anti-depressant Ebullion – but suspicions remain, and you have just twelve hours to solve the mystery. This is the first in Infocom's line of mysteries, and it's good. It's also very challenging; you have to examine everything closely, and remember to analyse objects for fingerprints and other substances. While you're doing this, there are six other characters who do their own thing, and you'll need to ask them questions, show things to them, and watch what they're doing. Fans of murder mysteries will certainly enjoy this game, although the difficulty may put some people off. More information on CPCSOFTS 8
	Deadly Evil (Players, 1990) The Emperor's beautiful daughter has been captured, so what does Spartacus do? He sets out to rescue her, of course. First, Spartacus must find six pieces of a scroll before going to the palace to rescue the princess. Unfortunately, the forest is full of skeletons who will attack you ferociously, and touching any of the magic stones releases a ghost that will drain your energy quite severely. The graphics aren't that bad although they are lacking in colour, and the sound effects are sparse. The game, though, is too difficult, and it's frustrating to get Spartacus to jump on to a platform. The magic stones are really irritating as well. More information on CPCSOFTS 4
	Dead on Time (Psytronik, 2010) The aim of this space shoot-'em-up is simple; either survive as long as you can, or score as many points as you can in five minutes. Waves of aliens appear from the edges of the screen, and shooting an entire wave leaves a capsule behind. If you collect three capsules of the same colour in a row, a forcefield forms around your ship, which allows you to absorb bullets of the same colour, and you also score more points. You also gain more firepower by shooting aliens, but colliding with them, or their bullets, reduces it significantly. Things soon become hectic as more and more aliens appear! The graphics and music are superb, and the game plays really smoothly no matter how many aliens are on the screen. This is one of the most intense and addictive gameplay experiences on the CPC and is definitely not to be missed! More information on CPCSOFTS 10
	Dead or Alive (Alternative, 1987) Reviewed by Richard Lamond You're the only source of law and order in a Wild West town that's overrun with bandits continually looking to rob the bank or break their buddies out of jail. A pretty simplistic shoot-'em-up that takes place over four backgrounds but with gameplay that never really changes, you must shoot the bad guys while avoiding their bullets and stop any escapees to score big points. The most challenging part of the game is remembering to run over the bodies of your fallen enemies to steal their ammo before you run out. There is no music to entertain you, and the graphics and sound effects are basic. This won't hold the imagination for very long. More information on CPCSOFTS 5
	Deathchase (The Executioner, 2008) Reviewed by Missas In this classic first-person shoot-'em-up, you control a bike equipped with guns, and the objective is to destroy two other bikes while riding through a forest. By succeeding in destroying the opponents, you move your way through eight night and day levels. There are also tanks and helicopters, while the forest becomes denser as you progress. The graphics and sound are fairly simple; it is a direct Spectrum port from the original 1983 release. Nevertheless, Deathchase's gameplay is its strong point. Although it is an old game, it plays well, the bike moves in 3D, and the difficulty level is correctly set. Thus, the grab factor is strong. Overall, an old classic from the Pac-Man era; expect nothing less than pure gameplay experience. More information on CPCSOFTS 7
	Deathkick (Blaby, 1984) Reviewed by CPC4eva This game is written in BASIC and looks like it's been ported from a Spectrum version (although it wasn't actually released for that machine). It's got a great title for a game but sadly there's not much going for it. It's a karate-style beat-'em-up that lacks some decent sprites and graphics, or any proper playability. I couldn't use the joystick and the keyboard controls were pretty awkward to say the very least. For a BASIC game, there are some nice moves such as the jump kick and somersaults, but the actual fighting component was poorly executed and a real let-down. The minimal sound effects are just as awful and the background graphics may as well have been a blank screen. More information on CPCSOFTS 2
	Death or Glory (CRL, 1987) An alien invasion fleet is approaching the planet of New Stratford, so you decide to investigate it in your spacedozer. There are several mother ships to be destroyed, but you must use bombs instead of missiles, and fly over the surface of each mother ship one at a time. Once you destroy enough of it, you are whisked off to the next ship. It's a bit different from most other space shoot-'em-ups, but it's also rather dull, since you can't shoot any of the smaller spaceships, and crashing into them won't hurt your ship all that much. The controls are a little erratic and the graphics are sub-standard. Fans of action-packed shoot-'em-ups should avoid this game. More information on CPCSOFTS 5
	Deathscape (Starlight, 1987) Reviewed by Pug Enter the Deathscape and take on the Varg empire. This game is a trench run where you fly down a corridor of sorts blasting away at approaching baddies. The colourful sprites move quickly and without flicker, and the vector graphics give a good impression of speed. The control panel at the bottom of the screen displays shields, fuel etc. and an animated hand gripping the joystick. As for the sound, it's a case of shooting and explosion sounds. Overall, you will quickly become bored by this game. More information on CPCSOFTS 5

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z