BOOOM by Briefer

 

BOOOM by Briefer for ZX Spectrum 48K

   We received this game from Briefer, which transports us to a very strange world. In this place, the inhabitants travel in wedge-shaped vehicles. Movement is not free. Following extensive research aimed at maximising efficiency and minimising consumption, the local council has deployed a network of energy arteries to power the vehicles, which move in absolute silence thanks to an advanced magnetic levitation system. However, they can only do so within the pre-established network. Here's the catch: they can only do so once. To prevent users from moving freely and consuming energy as if it were infinite, passing over an energy path again incurs a penalty. In that world's advanced culture and customs, bureaucracy has also been minimised, and only one type of penalty exists: death. 

Game Over is a localism that means "death by fine".

   Intrigued by this culture of instant death, our prestigious event's science and research section has set to work and made an astonishing discovery. Apparently, there is a type of sport or test of social adaptability — we are not yet sure which — in which you have to collect bombs that are placed at random on one of these transport networks. Once a certain number of bombs have been collected, the network restarts and fills with energy. The bombs then reappear in greater numbers and the test begins again. This does not seem difficult, but a red vehicle appears whose sole mission is to collide with the participant's vehicle, destroying both. We believe that this second vehicle undergoes a kind of purge or self-punishment.

   We were speechless when we received images of the bombs. In a world so different from ours, their bombs are identical to the 18th-century grenades that became popular in the Jerry on the Job comic strips of the 1920s. None of our scientists has been able to explain this phenomenon. Of course, the bombs aren't just there to be picked up; they're armed and counting down. By now, you can imagine what happens if we don't get them in time...

Original grenade.

Jerry on the job

Bomberman's classic

Briefer's

   Now that we have absolutely no idea where we are, Briefer greets us with a screen of instructions with a beautiful text font:

(Thank you, Briefer, for your perfect alignment of the text)

   And off we go!

   

   Elegant layout of information in perfect arcade style. The protagonist and antagonist begin the game on a collision course. Soon, two bombs appear:

   You can pick them up easily and the vehicle responds quickly to changes in direction. However, when two more come along, we realise the deadly futility of the officials who designed this power grid, as turning back is very risky:

   If you choose the wrong path and break the insane energy-saving rules three times, you will receive the final fine.

   Start again.

Insert a new coin.

Pass level after level.

Become the hero of your local arcade!

   This is a programming masterpiece. It is written in pure BASIC. It's a game with very short code. The scrolling is completely flicker-free. It contains basic sounds, but they are more than adequate. It's great fun. You don't need to accelerate it to make it feel like an arcade game. If we want more excitement, we can always increase the emulator's speed, but this isn't really necessary.

   The thought that came to mind when I first played it was: Can you imagine if Briefer had written the examples in the BASIC manual for our machines? How many happy children would have challenged commercial games with their own creations in their bedrooms without having to abandon BASIC? Next time I start up the DeLorean, I'm taking Briefer back to 1982.

   With all the bombs in the bag: Yes, you can. Thank you, Briefer, for this marvel. It's addictive, and it's a pleasure to look at because it doesn't flicker. I'm going to play another game right now.

Scrambled Smile: 8/10

Broccoli and Squid Yoghourt: 1/10

Deep Fried Ice Cream: 9/10

Strawberry Monosodium Glutamate: 9/10

Affable Hot Chocolate Sauce: 8/10

P.S.: The author tells us in his email that the inspiration for the game comes from the classic Mr. TNT.

   And he adds: "Thank you to Paul Dunn for his wonderful BASINC development tool. This game could not have been possible without it." - this is nice.