DELTA’S SHADOW

Author:

Alexander Udotov, Evgeniy Suhomlin, Evgeniy Rogulin & Oleg Nikitin

System: Spec Next /128K

Released: 2020

Serving as a spiritual successor to the excellent NES series of games — Power Blade, Delta Shadow is an action platforming shooter in which you control secret agent Nova who must foil the megalomaniacal plans of the evil corporation. The year is 2207, and this multinational syndicate is assembling its automatons and partnering with aliens in a scheme to dominate civilisation.

Armed initially with his trusty bladed boomerang and operational support — via comms — from his team member Jacqueline, Nova must infiltrate all 3 of the interdependent facilities and blow them up. This takes him through industrial labyrinths which are guarded by the robotic defences. Ladders, levels, elevators and waterways guide Nova through many battles with these metallic monsters, all of whom are susceptible to his well-honed weapon. Multiple routes take our hero off the beaten path but reward him with health and weapon energy boosts

(the latter making the blade more powerful).

There are also secret messages to collect which have been left by Jacqueline - these provide lore and more depth to the game’s premise. Each facility is tierbased, containing 3 levels per building; if Nero dies, he goes right back to the current floor - so energy pick-ups are essential!

Ultimately, the game leads to numerous boss fights, who reluctantly provide our spy with muchneeded upgrade suits — flight, swimming, and wall climbing can now be achieved, along with improved firepower. This makes progress a little easier (and allows for access to previously

inaccessible areas). A word of warning though - the power-ups have their own depleting power source, so use them wisely. Once the building is destroyed, Nero can move on to the next place. To break up any perceived monotony — and there’s not — there is a level where you control Jacqueline who must undertake an espionage mission. To add to this there are also hoverbike racing sections in the game, in which oncoming barriers and other obstacles must be avoided.

CRITICISM

• This is a truly remarkable accomplishment — from its beautifully drawn sprites to its meticulously crafted levels and encased in an aural delight of multiple tunes, Delta’s Shadow clearly is a labour of love. It takes an already good game and runs with it, and in my opinion, creates the best version in the series (if it were official).

The opening up of the game for further exploration once you get the suits really appeals to my wanderlust. This gives the game great replayability in finding all its secrets. Apparently, on the hardest skill level, the game expands its rooms and secrets even further — how hardcore.

This is another Next game that feels and plays like how a Spectrum game should. Probably one of the best experiences I have had on my Next to date.

Gordon King

CRITICISM

• I freely admit to missing out completely on the original Power Blade 1 and 2 back in the day, but if this spiritual successor is anything to go by,

I’m going to have to go back and see what I was missing!

This game is quite simply the gold standard of Spectrum Next games right now. A fast-moving action platformer with power-ups, trick moves, slick controls and cinematic intro/ cutscenes? The old Speccy could only dream of pulling off a MegaManmeets-Metroid game with the playability, configurability and presentation of a 4th generation console game.

Difficult it may be and having to set joystick at the start was a slight niggle, but this is undoubtedly the most impressive Spectrum Next game released to date.

Craig Turner

COMMENTS

Control keys: Redefinableble

Joystick: Joystick

Graphics: A beautifully restricted use of the Next colour palette

Sound: 20 incredible AY tunes

General rating: One of the best games on the Next to date — we cannot wait to see what these guys do next.

Use of Computer 95% Graphics: 94% Playability: 93%

Getting started: 92% Addictive Qualities: 95% Overall: 95%