Revenge of Defender (aka Starray)

Title		Revenge of Defender (aka Starray)
Publisher       Epyx
Game Type	Shoot-em-up
Players		1 or 2
HD Installable	Patch Available
Compatibility	All
Submission	Chris Vella

Review
This greatly enhanced defender clone is also known as Starray for
computers using the PAL system.

   This game is a sideways scrolling shoot'em up. You control a spaceship
and must blast all enemies that will attack you from both sides of the
screen. Your spaceship can fly either left or right and moves at fast
speeds. Everything about this game is fast, the scrolling, the enemy
attacks, and just basically the game pace. You can see where the enemies
are attacking from, via a radar on the bottom of the screen. The enemies
try to attack your bases and turn them into mutants that will then attack
you. When an enemy attacks one of your bases, it will hover over it and
send down a lazerbeam into the base, you have about 3 seconds to shoot
the enemy or your base will either be destroyed or mutate into a newly
formed enemy that will in turn attack you. If all your bases are destroyed
the screen will turn red and you will be attacked by what seems like a
thousand enemies at one time.

   Each world consists of 3 levels, and each level gets progressively
harder. Complete all 3 levels and you will go to the next world. Each
world differs with different enemies and backdrops. There are about 5
different worlds, the worlds include, Space, Jungle, Ice, and Computer.
Each world gets harder and I found the computer world to be especially
hard. Your spaceship is equipped with a lazer gun and some powerups can be
collected enabling you to have rapid fire. You also have a limited number
of smartbombs. Activating these will blow up almost all enemies on the
screen. Your only defense is a shield that deteriorates with any contact
with enemy bullets or the enemies themselves.

   The graphics are very nice, with parralax scrolling and clearly defined
sprites and the sound effects are also very good. Joystick response is
excellent and gameplay is fast and furious. I thought the game plays
extremely well and the difficulty level is perfect.


   In conclusion, This is a great defender game. The graphics and sound
has been updated greatly. The action is fast and furious, just the way a
good shoot'em up should be. I really like the game, it's not a classic but
is a better than average shoot'em up. Buy this game and you will not be
disappointed.

Alphabetical list.