''Agent X'', also known as ''Agent X in the Brain Drain Caper'', is a computer game released in 1986 for the

ZX Spectrum The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer that was developed by Sinclair Research. It was released in the United Kingdom on 23 April 1982, and became Britain's best-selling microcomputer. Referred to during development as t ...

. The player takes control of the eponymous Agent X in a

multi-load This list includes terms used in video games and the video game industry, as well as slang used by players. 0–9 A ...

game made up of a number of sub-games. It was followed by a sequel, '' Agent X II: The Mad Prof's Back''.

Plot

The President has been kidnapped by a mad professor, who has left a ransom note telling of an evil dastardly plot to brainwash the leader into a warmongering maniac. Agent X must find the professor's lab, rescue the President and take him to safety, before picking up a bomb and destroying the professor.

Gameplay

There are four sections of the game, each loaded separately. The first level sees Agent X driving a car which travels along a diagonally scrolling road, and is under constant attack from other road users who try to ram it off the road or trap it behind obstacles. The player can make the car jump to avoid crashes. The next level is a basic fighting game; enemies approach from the left and right and must be defeated by kicking or punching them. The third level is a first-person target shooting game in which various objects are hurled towards the screen and must be shot. The final level involves the player controlling Agent X in a helicopter, avoiding missiles and crushers. The player must negotiate a cave complex using the helicopter, collect a bomb, then return it through the caves to destroy the professor's headquarters.

Reception

Reviews were fairly positive, with ''

CRASH Crash or CRASH may refer to: Common meanings * Collision, an impact between two or more objects * Crash (computing), a condition where a program ceases to respond * Cardiac arrest, a medical condition in which the heart stops beating * Couch su ...

'' giving it 85%, ''

Your Sinclair ''Your Sinclair'', or ''YS'' as it was commonly abbreviated, was a commercially published and printed British computer magazine for the Sinclair range of computers, mainly the ZX Spectrum. It was in circulation between 1984 and 1993. History The ...

'' rating it at 7/10, and ''ZX Computing'' rating it as ''Great''. ''

'' said of the game ''"Wow! For £1.99 this has got so much content. The graphics are all fairly neat, but I dislike the need to continually restart and reload."'', Rachael Smith from ''

'' said that ''"Agent X looks great, and has some wacky touches, such as the life indicator, which consists of a little figure moving towards a gravestone. If only they'd been used to slightly better effect this could have been a Mastertronic classic."'' and ''ZX Computing'' said that ''"... the graphics are good, the game is nicely presented, and the programmer's clearly kept his tongue well into his cheek."''.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Agent X (1986 Video Game) 1986 video games Shoot 'em ups Video games developed in the United Kingdom ZX Spectrum games Mastertronic games Video games scored by Tim Follin