
Breakers (Text Adventure/Novel)
Compatibility: 48K Apple II series
Requirements: One disk drive; second drive, 128K, 80-column card optional


     Remember all those sci-fi flicks about kindly, peace-loving aliens getting kicked around by greedy, hard-hearted humans? Well, now you can REALLY start to feel sorry for the aliens because in Broderbund's 51st century "Breakers" scenario, that's just what you are. As to how a little golden-skinned "Lau" native of Borg comes to be marooned and in hiding on an aging colony station orbiting his home planet-- that's easy. You and five of your pals came to this mining company-dominated rust bucket to lodge a complaint!

     Set in an obscure corner of Slug Nubula, "Breakers" involves the often mysterious interplay of several groups and individuals active both on Borg and its man-made satellite, "Nimbus". First, there's United Mining Combine, which maintains a large (expensive) security force of brutal "gak" police on the station. This, though Borg has long been mined-out and no ore has been shipped for months. 

     So why is a high-powered executive running the UMC operation; and just what is the company really after?-- no one is saying much. On the other hand, swarms of punk rock, hippie, motorcycle outlaw types, called "breakers" hardly bother to conceal their own illicit enterprises. 

     While one gang on the planet harvests "Magic" (a powerful narcotic employed by Lau shamen) and occassionally snatches a few natives; another gang on Nimbus handles distribution of the drug and makes some extra bread shipping the cute little Lau out to well-heeled socialites as fashionable pets!

     Annoying, to be sure, yet such everyday atrocities pale to insignificance beside the actual reason for you people's protest. According to ancient Lau tradition, all life on Borg is periodically destroyed as the result of collision with Garbo, a mystical planetary twin which shares Borg's orbit. Only the Lau and any life forms near their enclave are saved, thanks to an elaborate ceremony centering around sacred "Elements" which must be gathered just prior to collision. 

     Though no Terran instruments have ever detected Garbo, you know it exists and that the next meeting of the planets is scarcely days away. Unfortunately, UMC and the breakers have somehow interferred with the gathering process, perhaps unwittingly collecting the Elements themselves. Thus, the delegation to Nimbus and your own hazardous situation as the only Lau to escape being mugged upon arrival. All of the breakers aren't outlaws and a viiting magazine reporter may help; but one thing is clear. Only a little time remains to locate the Elements and avert total disaster!

     Supplied with a nicely illustrated, information-packed scene-setter novelette, "Breakes" certainly boasts one of the more labyrinthine of computer adventuring scenarios. Happily, the game is somewhat more open to player initiative, with better-developed players, improved parsing, and less ponderous prose than earlier "Electronic Novel" releases. You will still have to put up with excessive disk access and looking up key words for each game restore-- a real pair of anti-features. "Breakers", fortunately, is enough fun to be worth the bother.


Available from Broderbund: 17 Paul Drive, San Rafael, CA 94903. (415) 479-1700. $44.95


GRFX  S.M.  PLAY  DIFF  INTR  GAME
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 NA    09    05    06    08    07
