Styx (Spectrum video game)

Styx
Cover art
Developer(s) Matthew Smith
Publisher(s) Bug-Byte
Platform(s) ZX Spectrum
Release
Genre(s) Action / Maze game
Mode(s) Single player

Styx is an action maze game published by Bug-Byte Software in 1983. It was the first ZX Spectrum game written by Matthew Smith, and the first of his three-game contract with the company. He went on to write Manic Miner in the same year, as well as a sprite designer utility for Adrian Sherwin to use in developing The Birds and the Bees.

Gameplay

Essentially a maze game, the screen is split into three sections - a brick maze, an underwater section and a final confrontation with the Grim Reaper. The first maze section is similar to Wizard of Wor and enemy spiders regenerate when shot until the generator - a larger spider - is itself destroyed. In the aquatic section enemy fish reappear from the screen edge when shot. In the final stage the Grim Reaper sends energy bolts that ricochet around the screen. These can be destroyed and the Grim Reaper will not regenerate them. Shooting the Grim Reaper ends the level. The game then begins again with an increase in generated monsters.

The player is armed with a laser that only shoots horizontally, although it can destroy several enemies with one shot. When hit enemies fade out and can still kill the player until they have completely disappeared.

Critical reaction

Sinclair User described the game as "reasonably lively",[2] while CRASH said the game "would not be interesting if it weren’t for the fact that it’s not easy."[3]

References

  1. ↑ Styx at GameFAQs
  2. ↑ Sinclair User issue 20 at Sinclair User Magazine Online.
  3. ↑ Crash issue 3 at the Crash Online Edition.
  • Styx at SpectrumComputing.co.uk


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