Some people never know when to keep quiet!

The tragic death of your brother Matt, murdered while investigating the underworld dealings of gangland boss Mr Big, cannot go unavenged. Driven by a sense of burning injustice you make your way through the seedy streets of Scumville, a labyrinthine nest of crime and black market dealings, to a final show-down with the notorious gangster himself. The adventure can be undertaken alone or with a companion (whose presence makes the competition doubly tough) over five multiloaded levels. The action shifts from a dangerous multistorey car park to seedy night time streets via a seemingly harmless city park and an overpopulated shopping mall, finally climaxing in Mr Big's headquarters in a sleazy bar. The inhabitants of Scumville have little goodwill to spare: motor cyclists, skinheads, Beastie Boys fans and ladies of the night, often armed and always spoiling for a fight, attempt to thwart your progress through the sinister city streets. You have spent a lot of time cultivating an athletic physique, however, which enables you to carry out various jumping, kicking and punching actions with relative ease. Knocking down a weapon-carrying opponent gives you the chance to pick up his club, axe or stick as it falls; an extra points bonus is awarded for making use of objects as well as fists. Each time a blow is sustained, your health, indicated by an energy meter, is diminished. Complete loss of strength results in the loss of one of three lives. Once all current opponents have been subdued in a section, a door opens on to the next urban battleground. Survive through to the final confrontation in the bar, beat your way past Mr Big's bodyguards and the gangland boss lies at your mercy. Succeed in destroying him and Matt's body can finally lie at rest in his Scumville grave.

Producer: Imagine Price: £7.95 cassette, £14.95 disk Author: Mike Lamb

Look's like someone's going to get the chop

CRITICISM

• "Do you ever come home from school or work and feel like bashing the dog's head in? Well if you do, don't bother because you can take out all your tempers on the baddies in Target Renegade - and I think your dog will be relieved! This game has got to be the best bash 'em up of all time. It's packed full of great graphics, colour and sound and with five levels of pure addictiveness; you can't go wrong. Each level holds different backgrounds and baddies that range from motorbikers that try to run you down to dogs that insist on having your head for supper! The multiload spoils the excitement now and then but once the next level has loaded you soon get back into the swing of things. In most of the early levels you can just kick and punch your way through but as you progress the baddies get more cunning and begin to duck and dive away from your efforts. Level five was the worst with bald headed hard-men that beat you up with snooker cues and a boxer that could run for Mr Universe! Target Renegade is a great follow up to Renegade and deserves to do well."

• "Target Renegade is slickly presented, and features colourful and generally well defined graphics. The various guises of Scumville vice, from safety-pinned skinheads to brutal Beastie Boys fans, are threateningly menacing - especially when the villains headbutt you from behind! The sound is purely functional although the minimalist biffing and thumping noises add to the sinister atmosphere. The gameplay itself leaves very little to be desired; control of the various jumping, kicking and punching movements is extremely smooth. The number of opponents to beat and the variety of weapons to collect add spice to what might otherwise become an overly repetitious theme. One minor drawback is the jerky flick screen scrolling; the edge of one screen turns into the the centre of the next without warning and leaves you with a case of momentary disorientation. Don't let this put you off though - Target Renegade is as good as its predecessor, if not better. If you're after some exciting beat 'em up action this is a good excuse to part with your hard-earned cash."

• "Bish! Bash! Bosh! Now this is what I call a beat 'em up. Things sure have changed since Renegade (89%, Issue 44). The folks in the neighbourhood have taken a change for the worse - it's no longer safe to walk the streets, for fear of being bashed over the head by some axe-wielding Beastie Boy. But now you're fit and ready to take on any old bald bouncer with a snooker cue. The moves that you possess are beautifully animated and very smoothly carried out, though whether they'll be able to slice the rubber dresses off the busty women on Level Two is another matter entirely. Mike Lamb (he of Combat School fame) has done Imagine proud. Forget the aspirins, Target Renegade will soon get rid of that pent-up nervous tension."

I hate breakdancers

COMMENTS

Joystick: Cursor, Kempston, Sinclair
Graphics: every participant is full of character, having his or her own particular moves and style. The backgrounds add real atmosphere to the game, bringing the action right into your home
Sound: rough 'n' tough title tune with assorted mean ditties at the start of each of the five levels. Average spot effects
Options: definable keys, one or two players (simultaneously), music on/off
General rating: Renegade was never this much fun. More content and tougher characters make Target Renegade the ultimate challenge