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Review

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INTRODUCTION:
The origin of the so-called Ornithoids is unknown and tramples over our sciences. Despite some popular outcry in favour of the new species, their countless number and radioactive toxicity make coexistence in our environment impracticable.

Though little we know about these beings, we have uncovered that they are in fact belligerent. They possess good memory, hearing, and adaptability. Added to their offensive through deadly beams, they can teleport themselves across short distances - among other skills never dreamt of. It is best not to underestimate them, for when they feel outsmarted they will behave like nothing ever seen in the natural world.

Little by little they're becoming the masters of all Earth, but it's in the highest altitudes where they paradoxically seem to become more vulnerable. We know also that they're able to count up to four. Even if none of this sounds useful by now, that's all we are able to tell you.

Communication was impossible. Their quasi-indestructibility challenged our capabilities to design this defensive action. Duty comes to summon you in the last minute to assure our survival. There will be no parley and there will be no glory. Traitors and defectors shall be punished severely; this is our hour of need, the apex of a calamity. There will be no time for anything but bravery beyond the gates of this hangar. Embrace your fear!

REVIEW:
If you are a fan of old one- screen / static screen shooters like Phoenix, Galaxian, Space Invades and that sort of games, and you would like a brand new game with this type of gameplay for your ZX Spectrum 48k, then check out this one because it takes the genre up to the next level for the Spectrum.

The game makes use of raster graphics, this technique was used in Spectrum demos and in the start menu for a few games back in the 80-90s, but it was never used directly in the games / gameplay. When using this technique it is possible to have some very nice looking multicolor sprites in a shoot’em up game like this.

Your mission is simple, you have to destroy all the waves of Laserbirds, as the Ornitoids are called, and the aim of the game is to achieve the highest score, but to do this you have to go beyond 129 stages. Stage 129 (1:44:35) is kind of a Congratulations / Game Completed screen, from stage 130 the game loops and you can get the points you are missing for beating the High Score in the easy first stages. High Score beaten and Game Over at 1:52:52

First of all the graphics is top notch, this is how a game like this should look on a Spectrum. The Ornitoids are highly detailed, well animated, full of colors, moving at high speed and they have lots of lots of lots of different patterns to move in, so predicting their movement is not easy. The background graphics is a little rough, but it still looks great with the multicolor, and a stage like the one with the Vulcan has running lava and smoke effects. Not to forget to mention the very cool nice looking left and right scrolling start menu screen! The awesome loading screen is made by Andy Green.

The enemy fire comes at you very fast and it is not possible to avoid all of this, but you have a shield so you can take several shots before it is becoming fatal. When a stage is completed your shield will regenerate and be back at maximum for the next stage, and every time you score 500 points you will get an extra ship. Some of the Ornitoids also have shields, they will change color when hit, then it is possible to see if it is strong or a weak enemies that are on the screen.

Your ship is always the same because there are no power ups, but sometimes the game changes into a vertical scrolling shoot’em up where you also can fly up and down (18:04). This takes place over three stages before changing back to a static screen shooter.

There are also lots of boss fights against heavily armed big Laserbirds with plenty of shield. As you proceed in the game they will be protected by more and more Ornitoids, making them tough to hit!

The gameplay is fast and good, everything moves nice and smooth, and it is a great looking game. Unlike in a lot of other shoot’em ups the gameplay and difficulty is very fair in this game. Instead of making a game with 10 levels where it is impossible to get past level 7, you have tons of stages here and it is possible to make progress and play the game for a long time.

A simple concept but technically impressive, extremely well made and highly playable. A lot of fast paced action, and lots of sprites and colors on every screen!

The game was made by Teknamic Software in 2020.

Rating = 93%

The present version of Laserbirds was designed for the classic ZX Spectrum 48K/ZX Spectrum Plus. It won’t work properly in 128K models. Its functioning on clone equipment also cannot be guaranteed.

Download here: https://teknamic.itch.io/laserbirds