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By Al Giovetti, 03/11/97
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Genre:action
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Publisher: Midway Entertainment
Phone: 903-874-5092
Website: www.midway.com
Requirements:Windows 95
Robotron X
History
Way back in the early days of gaming, even before the industry giants IBM and MicroSoft dominated the market, Atari had a console game machine. One of the early cartridges for the Atari console game machine was Robotron 2084, a fast action game that had robots devouring humans. Over the years the classic coin op game has been redesigned to delight a new audience of fans.
The game was also available as a coin op game from the Midway Arcade division. Robotron X was one of the fastest paced most exciting quarter eaters of its time. The coin op had two joysticks so that friends could play the game together and spend even more.
Company Line
In 2084, mankind perfects The Robotrons, a robot species so advanced that humans are inferior to their own creation. Guided by their infallible logic, the Robotrons conclude: "The Human Race is inefficient and therefore must be destroyed." Start movin' because YOU are the last hope for mankind!Game Play
The game is fast and furious with keyboard, joystick or game pad control. The game board can be presented in overhead and isometric views with the robots and humans moving over a translucent grid in space. You control the character UGene which is the only human who can shoot robots or save humans, which are composed of men, women, and children. When you shoot the robots they disappear, and when you run into a human you collect them in your bottomless magic bag. Powerups can also be collected, which consist of "specialty weapons" found in the maze which are more effective at eliminating the robots. The more humans you collect and the longer you stay alive on the board, and the more robots you kill the higher your score and once a level is cleared you move onto the next level.
Plot
You take the role of UGene who attempts to save the defenseless humans from beserker robots bent on ridding the world of biological infestation. The humans are composed of men, women, and children characters that are relentlessly pursued by an evil robot army. There are dozens of levels and bonus levels for extra fine game play.
Graphics
The graphis are updated in the new version to include three dimensional rendered and textured characters.
Animation
The animation is smooth and distinct in either view and really sets off the new game.Voice Actors
Music Score
A techno music score accompanies the action.Sound Effects
Sound effects are enhanced from those in the original game.Utilities
Works with all the available joysticks and game pads as well as keyboard control. A serious omission is the lack of ability to configure the controls on the keyboard, joysticks and game pads.Multi-player Features
A four player network and internet mode is not available. In a mimic of the coin op classic the game has only a two player mode where players take turns on the same console. There is no simultaneous play either on the same console or over a network, the internet, a null or phone modem. This is a serious omission for a modern game and for a rehash of a classic.Cheats, Hints, Walkthrough
Journalists
References
Midway Entertainment Web SiteJason D'Aprile, Computer Games, issue 77, April, 1997, pg. 74, 80%.
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