The second of Clive's games is the follow up to one of his Mastertronic titles. The title doesn't refer to a place, person or indescribable thingy. It is, in fact, a test that Immortals must go through to prove that they are worthy of being an Immortal.
    Your game objectives are simple; find a measly four objects that are hidden in four different zones on the planet. Although you're an Immortal, you're the first to face this new trial of skill, stamina, wit and intelligence. Despite having a name that suggests life everlasting, you'll certainly suffer a few deaths in the course of the game, most of which are of the sudden variety. Never mind, at least you learn a little bit more about the game every time you perish.
    To get the ball rolling you have to beam down into a specific zone. Once things are up and running, collect all the objects you can and use them at a later date (maybe in other zones too). Whilst happily adventuring you'll be kept informed of your progress by a small red box at the top of the screen. There you'll find the amount of credits you've amassed, your stamina level, a timer and, most important of all, a counter showing how many of the four artifacts you've successfully collected. Clive seems to have a flair for writing evocative location descriptions and matching objects with the general adventure setting, so nothing looks too out of place. He also manages to cram in a lot of helpful messages which, should you find yourself doing the wrong thing, always prod you in the right direction. Everything you come across, or find after a search, should be thoroughly examined. Nine times out of ten there's loads more to be found out from an extended perusal of surroundings and objects. For the most part the game contains no graphics. But when you examine certain objects and characters, your eyes will be assailed by highly stylised graphical representations of the examined items.
    You can make swift progress, which seems to suggest that the game will be a walk over. But, cos it's so easy to miss an object, that's not the case. You'll think you're doing well and are coming to the end, only to discover that you are nowhere near to scoring the magical 100%. Kobyashi has a good story, good measured gameplay and some refreshingly tough problems. The usual Zenobi price of £1.99 makes it all the more attractive. A good buy all round!

Ratings given by other magazines

7/10    Crash Review

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