Please login to submit a screenshot

The Games Workshop was founded by Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson, and with the intention of producing fantasy roleplaying games similar to Dungeons & Dragons. Although these were popular with enthusiasts, they really found fame as the authors of the legendary Fighting Fantasy books. When the Spectrum appeared, they saw another creative outlet and converted wargames such as Apocalypse to the new home computer. Their involvement with computers only lasted a few years, but a couple of memorable titles were produced in this time. Having already written Rebelstar Raiders, programmer Julian Gollop created Chaos. The game is based on the spell-casting elements of Dungeons & Dragons, invloving battles between competing wizards. Between 2 and 8 wizards can compete, taking turns in casting spells and moving summoned creatures. The last wizard standing is the winner. It sounds simplistic, but Chaos is utterly absorbing and undoubtedly one of the Spectrum's all-time greats. Jackson and Livingstone eventually decided that there was too little money to be madein computers and returned to their board games and books. When they sold off Games Workshop, both made a return to the world of computers: Steve Jackson currently works for Peter Molyneux's British development house Lionhead (makers of Dungeon Keeper and Black and White), while Ian Livingstone is now head of Eidos, who brought us the Tomb Raider series.

CHAOS
Games Workshop £7.95
Dave: This one's subtitled 'Magic and Death on the Plane of Limbo' which makes it sound like an occult version of Airplane II. In fact, it's another magical mystery tour-type strategy game that's enlivened by some creative touches of animation.
At the off, you can choose up to eight different wizards any or all of whom can come under the control of the computer. If you're feeling really limbo-like, it's a wheeze to set them all off and sit back to watch them slug it out. There's also a random hand-out of spells that allow you to summon monsters and call up a plethora of peculiar weapons. Luckily, they're all spelled out in the manual.
There are eight different difficulty levels for you to choose so it'll take more than a morning to master. And the game's fast enough to provide a satisfying slugfest for all but the most hardened arcader, plus the animated graphics make it constantly entertaining to watch - well, what d'you think a Gooey Blob looks like?
Chaos offers enough magical unpleasantness to keep swords and sorcery fans in a teeth gnashing frenzy - just what the dentist ordered. So grab your box of magic tricks and do it to them before they do it to you ... 4/5

Roger: The Concise Oxford Dictionary gives a variety of meanings to this game title, many of which are applicable to content. 2/5

Ross: It takes a while to get into the swing of this game but once you've sussed the sorcery, it'll have you under its spell. 3/5

CHAOS
Producer: Games Workshop
Retail Price: £7.95
Language: machine code
Author: SLUG
Chaos is a game of magical combat between 2 to 8 wizards with over 50 animated spells, and creatures summoned to resolve the question of who will become the Lord of Creation. Each player takes his turn to select and cast spells and move the summoned creatures. The winner is the last wizard left alive after all the zapping is over, but there is a limit on the number of turns to achieve a victory, so a contest can be drawn.

The options open to enliven play are commendably large. Up to 8 wizards can be selected and any or all can be controlled by the computer. Further, the intelligence of the computer can be altered from a low one to its most competent at 8, at which level it plays a mean game. Like Talisman, Chaos is a complex strategy game but it can be boiled down to choosing spells, and part of the joy of the game is to become familiar with how each spell functions. If you are not familiar with D&D this may take a considerable length of time, although you might see it as one way of introducing yourself to the genre. Spells, which can summon up creatures or elements like fire, lightning etc. are either Lawful, Chaotic or Neutral, where casting Chaos spells make the universe more chaotic and less favourable for Law. Having chosen your spell, there is no guarantee it will be successfully cast — this is determined by the type of spell (10% for a Golden Dragon, 100% for a Giant rat) where there is a lesser chance of casting a powerful spell. Illusions, however, are always cast but are susceptible to the Disbelieve spell.

Starting the game and consulting the spell tables it soon becomes apparent that this is a very attractively designed game with a super clear and large redefined character set a million miles from that of the Spectrum. This neatness and presentability, along with the efficient beeps and buzzes, tell you this game was designed with the best intentions — to please the purchaser. The spell list is not only colourful, the shade of colour indicates how difficult each spell is to cast. To see exactly what you might be letting yourself in for you can check out the spell with the information files which give some idea of the range and power of the spell along with the vulnerability of the combatant and its opponent. Spells include the Gooey Blob, which spreads and engulfs enemy creatures but does not affect your creatures; magic fire which can spread alarmingly, trapping and killing the enemy; to magic wings, a spell that transfers the wizard into a flying creature with a wide range of action. The creatures a wizard summons prove useful in many different ways. Flying creatures can hop over obstacles, wizards on mounts move more freely and with greater safety, and the undead can only be attacked by other undead.

The screen starts off very simply and uncluttered (perhaps too simply — a terrain of, say, bushes and walls might have added some atmosphere) but as each wizard summons more and more creatures it soon becomes busy enough for one or two sparks to fly. The graphics are very pleasing with super sprites of arrows and lightning bolts. The many dragons, bears, lions, hydra etc each have their own easily recognisable forms and motions. It’s true that I chiefly review adventure games, but I must say just how impressive the sound here is — it has the little Spectrum speaker straining in a quite a harmonious fashion. The sounds are thick and throaty and you really feel every bolt of lightning as it hits you.

It is difficult to get everything right in a very complicated game but I did feel there could have been a status report for your wizard’s strength, hit points and magical resistance during the game. The way things are, you don’t know how much damage has been done. Perhaps a greater number of missile attacks like the Magic Missile of Dungeons and Dragons may have broadened interest further. Also, a fireball spell would have proved a useful area effect spell. A constant problem during play is the quick disappear