When driving around large towns or cities have you ever, in idle moments of enforced leisure, imagined that there was some malicious deity or ‘ghost in the machine' responsible for turning every traffic light red just as you approach. This new release from Amsoft gives you the chance to become the ghost and drive innocent motorists, and yourself, berserk in the process. Traffic gives you a simple plan view of town streets where, at the junction of each block, there are those tricoloured banes of the motorist's life. You ‘simply' have to move the cursor to each junction to change the lights, keep things running smooth-
ly, and stop horrendous tailbacks building up. It is a bit like those recent railway simulation games where you have to coordinate several trains to pick up passengers etc but without any entertaining graphics of irate commuters or the like. Indeed ‘bloblike' rather than ‘entertaining' summarises Traffic's graphics. Still it is no less maddening for all that and difficulty increases rapidly to keep you on your toes. Some people like games which challenge the ability to think quickly under pressure, to coordinate several things at once, to face ever increasing odds with no end or feeling of achievement in sight, to keep a level head whilst all around, etc. Personally they drive me up the wall. Traffic is one of these, and although it had me throwing the box around the room in frustration it is a reasonable effort and may be just your thing.   
Tony Kendle, PCW |
