RAINBOW DEMONS by Zuiko21

 

RAINBOW DEMONS by Zuiko21 for ZX Spectrum 16/48K

   Hold on there, no, it's not about these people, and no, they're not demons:

   But perhaps these others...

"Do your demons

Do they ever let you go?

When you try, do they hide deep inside?

Is it someone that you know?

You're just a picture

You're an image caught in time

We're a lie, you and I

We're words without a rhyme

 

There's no sign of the morning coming

You've been left on your own

Like a rainbow in the dark

Just a rainbow in the dark, yeah" 

- Vinny Appice, Jimmy Bain, Vivian Campbell & Ronnie James Dio 

   However, the game greets us with a catchy tune that plays during the instruction screen:

   Here we go !

   Located in the centre of the screen, we are a specimen that has evolved into an arrow shape. In one corner, another specimen appears that has evolved into a different shape and is moving in our direction, changing shape and colour and leaving a trail of unique, bright colours that only the best computer can display. Is it friendly? Does it want to sell me something? Is it attracted to me, perhaps?

   Well... No. It just turned me into little pieces.

  Clarified the hard way. They hate those who neither change shape nor leave beautiful traces of colour.

   Hmmm...

   Now I know what it's all about. It's explained in this book:

   It's Grograman (and maybe his brothers)!

   "Grograman is described as a giant lion that changes colors like a chameleon based on the color of the sand beneath his feet. He is known as "The Many Colored Death" and serves as the guardian of Goab, the Desert of Colors, which exists in symbiosis with Perilin the Night Forest. He is said to "bring the desert with him" because he burns everything around him into sand. The creature turns to stone each night and revives each morning." 

   It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you that we will have to resort to the old-fashioned method of dealing with this: killing them all.

(Hehe)

   Every time we eliminate a Grograman, another brother comes to fight us.

   There is another flying saucer shaped creature patrolling the edges of the screen, so we have to be even more careful.

(Haha)

   Grograman's family is huge, so things can get very difficult.

   I could only handle twelve of them.

   Like a rainbow in the dark: The game has been programmed on a real ZX Next, which is remarkable. And it has the most clear and well-arranged BASIC listing I've seen in a long time! The gameplay is not very innovative, but it is entertaining. Unfortunately, I had to increase the emulation speed to 400% to make it playable. Even then, the key detection is slow and inaccurate, causing many strategic moves to be lost due to the delay and resulting in frustration for the player. The sound is excellent. Colourful. Top-notch crap.

Scrambled Smile: 3/10

Broccoli and Squid Yoghourt: 8/10

Deep Fried Ice Cream: 3/10

Strawberry Monosodium Glutamate: 7/10

Affable Hot Chocolate Sauce: 8/10