Electronic Arts/Ariolasoft
48k cassette £11.95
48k disk £14.95
1/4 players
Joystick(s)
M.U.L.E. is a strategy game based
loosely on the game of 'Kingdom'. It puts you and up to three fellow
players (although the lack of extra joystick ports on the XL and
XE restricts this to only one other player) on a barren alien planet
and it is up to you to settle on a plot of land and develop the
planet's resources. Your goal is to make as much money as possible
and amass the greatest number of points in order to gain the title
of 'First Founder'. To do this you must buy, sell and trade your
produce. You are helped (and even hindered!) in your task by a mysterious
mechanical creature known as a M.U.L.E. (Multiple Use Labour Element).
At the outset you can choose from
8 different game characters with oddball names such as Bonzoid,
Gollumer and Rapper. Each character has its own particular skills
and capabilities and you must use them to their best advantage.
During your daily toil you will be handicapped by random events
like planet-quakes, acid rain, pest attacks and even runaway M.U.L.E.'s.
You can't plan for them but they all add extra enjoyment to the
game.
There are ways to make a fast buck
other than working such as paying a visit to the pub or catching
the Wampus who lives in the caves (he'll pay you to let him go)
and, in the higher levels, mining the valuable 'Crystite' mineral.
At the end of the day though, success depends upon your exploitative
skills.
All events are represented graphically
with lots of fine animation and good use of colour. The sound effects
are excellent too, particularly the catchy title music. The packaging
is up to Ariolasoft's usual standards and comes complete with a
comprehensive 18 page manual.
It is difficult to do a game of
such complexity proper justice in a short review. It won't appeal
to everybody but if you are tired of arcade-style games or never
liked them in the first place, then you'll find M.U.L.E. one of
the most fascinating and imaginative games available anywhere.
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