 STARSTRIKE II 
 Realtime 1986

 CONTROLS : Keyboard, Kempston, Cursor
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 AIM : After the failure of the Outsiders' invasion plans (in STARSTRIKE)
 the aliens retire to their homeworlds to rebuild their strength. The
 Federation decides to launch a pre-emptive strike and sends in a new
 model starfighter, the Starstrike II, piloted by (guess who?) you...
 
 GAMEPLAY : Your task is definitely non-trivial - 22 planets to be
 neutralised, divided into Agricultural, Industrial and Military
 categories. Each planet has a control system in charge of the work
 droids and factories of that world; destroy the control system and the
 planet is put out of action.

  Since the Outsiders' planets are spread across five solar systems, your
 first task is to choose in which system you want to begin your campaign.
 Your ship is not itself capable of interstellar travel, having to rely
 on a support module which carries fuel and makes the hyperspace jump for
 you, using up its fuel supply as it does so. Your own onboard engines
 can handle interplanetary travel, though. Later in the game, you'll need
 to find fuel supplies so that you can get to the next star and planets.

  Your ship is equipped with shield, lasers and a computer to aid you.
 The console of your ship shows laser heat, fuel and shield gauges (all
 of which it's worth watching). The lasers have a nasty habit of cutting
 out when they overheat, which usually tends to be in the midst of a
 fierce battle with the enemy defences. Your shields can be drained by
 enemy shots and collisions, but energy can be transferred from your fuel
 to your shields. You only have one life which will be lost if fuel or
 shields reach zero - so be careful!

  There are a number of different types of defences. On military and
 industrial worlds the huge Space Wheel, a giant pentagonal structure
 protected by defence pods, has to be neutralised by shooting off the 
 five pods of the perimeter. If this is done a door appears in the
 centre of the Wheel, giving access to a hanger which can be entered
 (beware the Outsider ship inside!). To escape from this hanger, you
 must shoot away the three controllers that operate the exit door. You
 must be careful in doing this, as the door remains in the position it
 reaches at the instant when the third door controller is destroyed -
 you could end up trapping yourself.

  The Outsider planets are protected by Defence Fields which consist of
 of a number of gridded force barriers in space. Small openings in the
 force shields allow Outsider craft to cross, but these are obscured by
 spinning energy squares and are defended by missile batteries. As you
 reach the more important planets, the barriers become increasingly
 stronger and more difficult to penetrate. After traversing the barriers,
 the Starstrike II goes into orbit, where an Outsider fleet lurks. A 
 head-up display tracks the enemy using two windows; the right-hand
 one displays the relative vertical position of ann object or ship in
 the vicinity, while the left hand one gives a plan view of the
 surrounding area of space. When an enemy craft comes within range, the
 scanners flip off and combat begins.

  Some Outsider ships release a fuel pod when they are destroyed, and
 the pods must be collected to gain enough fuel for you to travel to
 the next planet and star. The pods are only around for a short time,
 before Outsider fuel scoops recover them. Once the fighters have been
 defeated the Ground Attack sequence begins, where a cross imposed over
 the planet's surface targets the laser system. The Ventilation Duct is
 the next stage; inside the duct your lasers won't work and survival
 is dependent upon your being able to dodge the trench constructions
 and other obstacles.

  The last stage varies according to the type of planet, but is
 generally similar; a reactor system, battle computer or agricultural
 control centre has to be destroyed as you fly along a computer-
 controlled course. A successful attack opens a door at the far end of
 the course, which marks the completion of that planet. Then it's on
 to the next world... 

 COMMENTS : "A brilliant game".
 RATING : 96% (CRASH #28, May 1986)

 NOW : Still a good game, with some impressive (for a Spectrum!) 3D
 graphics. Its authors, Realtime, were to write the classic CARRIER
 COMMAND only a couple of years later.
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 KEYS :  Up		 -  Q
	 Down		 -  A
	 Left		 -  O
	 Right		 -  P
	 Fire		 -  B, N, M, Space

	 Accelerate	 -  X
	 Decelerate	 -  Z
	 HUD on		 -  H
	 Automatic HUDs  -  J
	 Dock		 -  D
