ALIEN SYNDROME They've got us. Those vile and treacherous parasites have infiltrated one of our outcolonies. The only way to get rid of them is to blast them into oblivion. But then hundreds of ex-earthling hostages will not escape. Get the hostages out. Now! Before the blast gets all of you. Get Rid Of 'Em! It happened. The dreaded alien mega-virus has infiltrated one of our most important outcolonies. All of its inhabitants are being held hostage by this vile and vicious breed of post-universal parasites. They're slimy. Poisonous. Treacherous. And nearly indestructible. Somebody's got to save our outcolony. And the people in it. And you have volunteered. You'll go in armed only with your rifle. But hidden throughout the sectors is more sophisticated weaponry. And it's yours for the taking. These alien creatures feed off human energy. So you must rescue the hostages before going on to the next sector. Before teleporting to the next sector, you also must confront one of the Super Aliens. They're hideous. Horrific. And 1000% pure hatred. Find their weak spots. It won't be easy. Then find your way into the next sector. And the next. And the next. And, oh yes. One more thing... We've planted a time bomb on the outcolony. The entire lab -- with you in it - will be blown into oblivion. Because we can't afford to have this vile virus spread any further. No matter how many lives it will cost! On Board Our outcolony is the newest and most advanced of its kind. It's made up of several sectors. With teletransfer stations between each one. Unfortunately, the alien parasites have taken over every one of these sectors. And they've placed a grotesque Super Alien at each teletransfer point. Each sector has its own unique features -- such as electronic doors, hidden passages, and surprise bonus bays for extra points. And each has its unique dangers -- such as hidden traps, holes in the floors, and more. There is also a map of each sector that's always available. It shows you the shape of the sector as well as where the hostages can be found. Seen on the Screen Before you rush right outt there and get yourself in trouble, why not familiarize yourself with what's on the screen? [Illustration omitted from etext] Taking Control OK. Ready? Now start ridding the lab of these hideous pests. And saving the hostages. Here's how to maneuver, once your adventure begins: To move: Push the joystick or use appropriate keys. To fire laser exterminator: Press the fire button or appropriate key. To rescue hostages: Touch them. To earn bonus points: Touch the "?"s along the walls. To pick up a new weapon: Touch it. To see a map: Touch the maps along the walls and the locations of the hostages will be displayed. To exit to next stage: First rescue the hostages. Then go through the EXIT doors. To pause: On the Commodore 64/128, press the RUN/STOP key. Press again to continue. To reset: On the Commodore 64/128, press the RUN/STOP key to pause the game. Then press the Q key to reset. Upgrading Your Weapons Hidden throughout the lab is a vast arsenal of highly sophisticated weapons. They're much better than the rifle you brought with you. So when you do find one, simply touch it. This weapon becomes your current means of defense until you find another. And when you exit the lab, you'll take your current weapon with you. Here's a listing of the weapons you'll find -- and how they work: Fireball (FB): This state-of-the-art weapon shoots large rolling balls of fire. Laser (L): So powerful, it can blast through groups of aliens with one shot. Flame Thrower (F): This weapon sprays a steady stream of lethal fire. Bomb Launcher (B): This is useful with things get intense and it will help with some of the Super Aliens. Shot (S): This is the standard rifle given to you at the start of the game. Meet the Super Aliens Guarding every EXIT (teletransport station) is a Super Alien. They're bigger, badder, meaner -- even uglier -- than all the rest. And -- you guessed it -- they're a lot harder to destroy. Each Super Alien has a weak spot. And when you hit it in the right place you'll see a flash. Even then, it will still take several shots to destroy it. Even with more sophisticated weaponry. Your Name in Lights If you have gained enough points to rank within the existing scores, the "Name Entry" screen will appear and your score will be listed in order. When this happens, you'll be able to enter your initials next to your score. And your initials will remain there until you're aced out by future scores. To place your intials on the screen on the Commodore 64/128, move the joystick to select a letter. Then press the fire button to make your selection. When you're finished entering your name or initials, press the END key. On the Atari ST and Amiga, type in your name, then hit RETURN. Winning Tips * Study the patterns of each group of alien attackers to figure out the best strategy for attacking. * Use your maps to learn positions of the remaining hostages. Remember, studying maps uses up time. * Develop strategic ways to play each sector. For example, remember where certain weapons are kept and head for those areas first. And try to pick up hostages in a time-saving order. * Keep moving all the time. When you stop, the aliens sense your presence and converge on you in hordes. * Certain weapons are better than others for destroying the Super Aliens. Experiment with different weapons.