Xeno

Copyright : AnF Software | Reviewed by : Ritchardo

The game of Xeno developed on the frozen moon of Io, where bored miners used to bash lumps of frozen methane around a flattened patch of ground.

Each player controls one skimmer, and the idea is to knock the puck over the opposing players? goal line. The puck and the skimmers all float over the surface of the arena and bounce off each other and the sides of the pitch.

Graphics

Despite being ported over from the Spectrum (as with all A ?n? F titles), Xeno looks quite good. The fact that everything is blue actually works quite well and helps add to the futuristic feeling of the game. The crowd surrounding the pitch, although static, are well drawn and the skimmers themselves are designed well enough to stick out against the background of the pitch.

My only gripe with the graphics is that while the ball is always on screen, the skimmer can often fly out and it can become difficult to line up a shot if you?ve no idea where the skimmer is in relation to the puck!

Sound

Sonically, Xeno is a disappointment. There?s no music even on the title screen and the sound effects leave a lot to be desired.

The sound of the celebrating crowd sounds more like a particularly fast ocean lapping against the shore. Although the clashing sounds of the skimmers works quite well.

Gameplay

Xeno plays an absolute treat. A kind of hybrid between air hockey and pool ? the sport would probably be no fun to watch but it?s great fun to play. A highly addictive game that will keep you coming back for one more go. Once you get to grips with the basics, it becomes a real challenge if you cut the time allowed between shots and increase the computer?s speed.

As previously mentioned, the inability to see the skimmer and the puck on screen from time to time can be frustrating. This is only one drawback though to an otherwise fine game.