DNA: The Variety of Life

Imagine a mix between the first couple of Valhalla games and Laser Squad. Now you’ve got a mental picture of what Applaud Software’s first full Amiga game looks like.

It’s a turn-based strategy game. Of sorts. You control two characters - a human and a cyborg - who have to fight their way through some 36 one-screen sectors which are populated with some mutant aliens. Your characters have a limited number of action points which can be spent doing ‘things’ during your turn. Things like walking, turning round, or punching the enemy. But beware, you’ve only very few action points so don’t plan anything like walk over here, punch this alien twice, move back down here, because the furthest your likely to get is a short walk to stand in front of the first enemy alien and your points run out.

But what’s all this gene business you’ve read about? Well, genes are like power-ups. Kill a baddie, pick up the remaining genes, spend a couple of turns researching the effects of the gene and if you like what it does (provides you with shield in one instance) you can introduce it into your character. Sounds like a splendid idea. Except it’s not been very well implemented.

Hopefully DNA2 (if there is one) win be more fun to play and better value for money This one isn’t.