If there is one thing I never really liked about the Speccy, it was the sheer glut of isometric titles that plagued the format whilst somehow managing to delight reviewers and the paying public alike. 

Personally, I can take or leave most of them, especially those tedious Ultimate ones.  So when Steve Turner, a programmer who previously had never done anything good (3D Seiddab Attack and Astroclone being the ‘highlights’), decided that he’d be remaking the C64 classic Paradroid but forcing it into an isometric perspective you couldn’t have coloured me less bothered.

However, Steve hit gold with this title.  From the beepy but melancholy opening theme to the curious backstory about KLP-2 AKA Klepto, a mischievous droid whose fondness for petty theft acts as the main gameplay mechanic, this was a true mid-80s classic. 

Starting out as a vulnerable, underpowered Meknotech droid, Klepto is placed on the titular planet Quazatron and tasked with destroying a small army of evil alien droids intent on wiping out humanity.  Although he starts off armed with a laser gun, his best method of attack is to grapple enemy droids which is achieved by switching to ‘grapple’ mode and ramming the enemy before it gets a chance to shoot you.

Grappling an enemy starts a short sub-game where your objective is to fire coloured pulser lasers into central circuits in order to switch them to your colour.  When the time runs out the droid with the most circuits wins.  If that happens to be Klepto you’ll get to salvage parts from your opponent such as new weapons, a more robust chassis or a new energy source.

Energy is the key to survival as it powers all of Klepto’s functions and acquired parts.  Running out of energy will cause Klepto to lose all his modifications and will make him vulnerable to the slightest attack or contact.  That makes for some dramatic moments as you whizz around the later stages avoiding elite security cyborgs armed with smart-bomb weaponary.

Despite the odd controls (don’t even bother using a joystick), jerky scrolling and mostly monochromatic graphics, Quazatron is a high quality title that blends a well-judged difficulty curve, tense atmosphere and tight gameplay without ever resorting to cheap AI tactics.

Unfortunately the sequel, Magnetron, was a pale imitation and failed to match up to the high standards of its predecessor.  Paradroid fans looking for a similarly top-down variant should check out Ranarama, also by Steve Turner, which has similar gameplay but in a fantasy/RPG setting.

Richie Harkness - www.peoww.co.uk