-= SPACE ROGUE =-

                               Mindscape £24.95

  "Dropping out of  Hyperspace,  you  lay  a  course  for  Lagrange Station.
  Suddenly the Klaxon  screams  out  a  warning.  Two  Darts  and a Corsair,
  closing fast. Pirates! You roll hard  to  avoid the incoming plasma torps.
  One hits, knocking down your rear  shield. Spinning to protect your stern,
  you launch a heat-seeker.  Direct  hit!  the  Corsair  bursts into shards.
  Stunned, the Darts run for deep space.  Later,  over a pint of Rigelian in
  the Langrange cantina, you listen as a  bounty hunter tells of the scarlet
  brotherhood, the most notorious band of  pirates  in the far arm. You hope
  it wasn't one of their Corsairs you vapourised out there..."

  Space Rogue is  the  latest  Role-Playing  game  from Mindscape/Origin and
  takes 'Elite' a stage further  into  a  full  role-playing scenario. As in
  other role-playing games, the graphics aren't  up  to other types of games
  and it would be unfair to expect such - it's the gameplay thats important.

  As is usual in US packaging, documentation and presentation is first class
  with all manner of leaflets, novellas,  guides, posters and books included
  in the sturdy box - oh and there's a disk in there too. In fact in the box
  was the disk itself, a nice short  novella, 3D spacecraft kit(!), info for
  a sub-game you'll  encounter,  Reference  guide,  A3  poster/maps of space
  systems, 50 page quality navigation/game  guide,  Product Catalogue and of
  course the obligatory reference card. [Phew.. if you're going to post this
  beast, you better buy a few stamps...]

  The game describes the basic plot very loosely  and it is up to you to set
  off and find out more. There  are  two  main  views  used in the game, the
  first is the view out of  your  cockpit,  Elite style. The game [as usual]
  was primarily designed for the PC market  so the graphics reflect this, in
  a similar way to the other Origin  titles.  Speed isn't a problem but they
  aren't quite as polished as similar games. You have different camera views
  to relay the action although I thought  the  default view was the only one
  really worth using. Navigation is a  doddle,  just call up the star-system
  map and point to your destination. Once  their  you have to find the space
  station (or whatever) and dock.  From  time  to  time  there is combat and
  supplies of ammo  and  weaponry  can  be  bought  from  shops on civilised
  centres.

  When you land on a system the  view  changes to an overhead scrolling view
  of the base  and  its  inhabitants.  You  can  walk around (non-restricted
  zones) and talk to people and  the personalities, thus gaining information
  and also for quests that certain people  give  you. There are shops to buy
  supplies  and  also  there  are  the  trading  posts.  Pirates  offer  you
  contraband goods and you must weigh up any risks involved.

  There are many space  systems  and  you  access  the different sections by
  flying through gates, this involves flying through rings of circles.

  There is a lot to this deep game,  it offers many hours play to draw about
  a conclusion, the scenario is quite familiar and space freaks and rpg fans
  alike may well find this game to their liking. As I've said before - don't
  expect too much of the graphics and  sound but appreciate the gameplay and
  depth that's in there.

  Seeya out in the Far-Arm on the HIVE machine!

  Verdict:

  Usual Quality RPG from Origin. May  not  look  brilliant but the depth and
  quality of the game  itself  far  out-weighs  that  factor. Good value for
  space fans and RPG nuts.

  75/100

  Martyn/Newsflash UK