| Amaurote | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Binary Design Ltd |
| Publisher(s) | Mastertronic |
| Designer(s) | John Pickford |
| Platform(s) | Amstrad CPC, Atari 800/XL/XE, Commodore 64, MSX, ZX Spectrum |
| Release date(s) | 1987 |
| Genre(s) | Action game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | N/A |
| Media/distribution | Cassette |
Amaurote is a British video game for 8-bit computer systems that was released in 1987 by Mastertronic on their Mastertronic Added Dimension label. The music for the game was written by David Whittaker.
Contents |
From the game's instructions:
The player controls an "Arachnus 4", an armoured fighting-machine that moves on four legs. The player must first select a sector to play in via a map screen and then control the Arachnus as it wanders an isometric (top-down in the Commodore 64 version) view of the cityscape attacking marauding insects and searching for the insect queen using a scanner. The Arachnus attacks by launching bouncing bombs. It can only launch one at a time so if a bomb misses its intended target the player will have to wait until is explodes or bounces out of the play area before they can fire again. Once the queen has been located, the player can radio-in a "supa-bomb" which can be used to destroy the queen. The player can also radio-in other supplies such as additional bombs and even ask to be pulled out of the combat zone. Extra weaponry costs the player "dosh", the in-game currency.
The origin of the city name Amaurote derives from "Utopia" by Sir Thomas More (1478–1535). In the second book, "Of the Cities, and namely of Amaurote", the following description is given
AS FOR their cities, he that knoweth one of them, knoweth them all: they be all so like one to another, as farforth as the nature of the place permitteth. I will describe therefore to you one or other of them, for it skilleth not greatly which: but which rather than Amaurote? Of them all this is the worthiest and of most dignity.