From a non-Quill'd adventure to a Quill'd adventure on the Amstrad CPC from Asclepios Software. Of course, you'll know who Asclepios is, but I had to resort to the instructions to this one, wherein I am told that old Asclepios is the Greek god of healing. Lee Foard, who is Asclepios Software, tells me that he chose the name because 'it gives an atmosphere of being really laid back and peaceful' (maybe Neil Software would be a good choice next time).
The story really starts with the accidental release of a deadly virus on a colony planet, some 500 years ago. The resulting 12 million infected people were rounded up, shoved in a spaceship and shoved off in the direction of the planet Segastra. Unfortunately, things go wrong (don't they always?) and everyone dies on the way - meanwhile, the robots assigned the task of preparing the planet get ideas above their station and decide to conquer the universe in the disease-ridden spaceship. It's your task to stop them. The game itself is quick, thanks to The Quill, and there is a fair amount of atmosphere as you explore the planet and meet the robotic population. There are lots of objects to pick up, though their use is not immediately apparent and you are given no obvious clues. There are quite a number of interesting images, including 'stainless steel rivers' (roads to you) which suddenly bend up towards the sky. and a new system of measurement which includes 'micronds' and decironds'. The puzzles are fairly straightforward, or at least straight-ahead (solve this one and then solve the next one) rather than circuitous, and this shows a lack of imagination — but the whole thing is fairly humorous and for the asking price of £1.20 is going to help you while away several hours (and I don't want to hear from you if you stay up all night and solve it in one sitting, there's certainly more to Robocide than that!). Asclepios Software is at 84 Stavordale Road, Carshalton, Surrey SM5 1BX. Popular Computing Weekly  
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