Huygen's Disclosure

Disclosure

Scientist's from all-over the world have been hard at work over the past few years trying to discover what we can do to stop our Ozone Layer crumbling. The theory that CFC'c are the cause of the damage is all very well but what can we do to repair it and make sure it doesn't happen again. Huygen's Disclosure takes on this tricky subject matter and gives you the player, a chance to save the world.

Features:

• 3-D Graphics
• Interaction with Hostile and Friendly Aliens
• Intriguing Storyline
• Realistic Computer Controlled Allies

The Plot

Huygen's Disclosure is the story of mankind's failed attempt to stop the Ozone Layer wiping out the Human Race. You have been assigned to travel to the mysterious planet of Titan, a planet where Aliens roam and the surface temperature is -180 degrees Celsius. The reason you are here is that Titan contains a small percentage of what's called Rachellium which is a gas that can mould together with oxygen and therefore "fix" the Ozone Layer. Set in the year 2020, where the Earth is running out of places cool enough for human's to inhabit, the real danger is that because of the ever-increasing heat from the sun, the ice-caps in the North and West Poles may melt leaving many cities below sea-level. You are the only one who can stop this from happening and without putting too much pressure on your back (!) if you fail, earth and mankind will gradually die-out.

HCS Lovell

The player begins the game having just landed on the planet Titan aboard the Hyper Coslink Ship Lovell, which was named after the commander of Apollo 13 (thats Tom Hanks to you and I) and from now on your on your own armed with a pretty lethal Beamtech MDC Blaster and a handful of Grenades. Travelling around the planet can be performed using the keyboard or mouse (keyboard is easiest) and you can pick up things, study objects, talk to other characters and even think about things with the aid of the pulsating brain icon. During Huygen's Disclosure you will be confronted by many different Alienated characters for which some will attack straight away and some will not. Finding yourself being attacked by nasties is not uncommon and using your trusty weapons you can defend yourself quite adequately no thanks to the overly fiddly way of aiming (the red cross in the top right hand corner grid is controlled by the mouse and can be very confusing when faced with half a dozen aliens), although this can be avoided due to the automatic targeting of your weapon. While roaming Titan you are able to pick most things up and place them in your inventory; which gives you information on your health and keeps a radio connection with scientists on earth to tell you how long you've got.

Allies

Titan is filled with weird looking creatures and using your Babylon Decryptor you can download their language and therefore speak to them. You can actually ally with an alien group and perform a task for their leader in exchange for the Rachellium you are looking for. The character's range from hostile half Zebra's spitting fireballs at you to friendly, if not a little weird, robot's as you find yourself uttering those famous word's "Take me to your leader!".

When allied with a creature, it will follow you around and help you in exchange for some food to boost its health. When fighting you can actually control their aggressiveness and even make them stop attacking, though I can't see that happening.

Icy Surroundings

The graphics in Huygen's Disclosure are by no means revolutionary. Most of the background scenery of Titan is the same except for a few differently placed boulders and the aliens look a bit over the top in conjunction with the apparent seriousness of the storyline. The game just doesn't mould together correctly and to be honest I got absolutely nowhere and found myself wandering around the ice-filled hell with nothing to do and no idea where to go.

And Finally.....

Huygen's Disclosure could have been a lot better than it actually is. The engaging storyline just isn't enough to warrant a good game and if the emphasis on gameplay and graphics were that of the informative storyline, Microforum could have been onto a winner.

• 3-D Graphics
• Interaction with Hostile and Friendly Aliens
• Intriguing Storyline
• Realistic Computer Controlled Allies

Cons:

• Poor graphics
• Dull gameplay

FOOTNOTES