''The Rats'' is a
survival horror text adventure for the
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, is an 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International (first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 7–10, 1982, in Las Vegas). It has been listed in the Guinness ...
and
ZX Spectrum computers. It is based on the 1974 novel ''
The Rats'' by
James Herbert. The game was programmed by GXT (Five Ways Software),
and published by
Hodder & Stoughton
Hodder & Stoughton is a British publishing house, now an imprint (trade name), imprint of Hachette (publisher), Hachette.
History
Early history
The firm has its origins in the 1840s, with Matthew Hodder's employment, aged 14, with Messrs ...
, who were the publishers of
James Herbert's book ''
The Rats''.
An
Amstrad CPC version was planned, but was never released.
Gameplay
The game is a simulation that allows the player to strategically send emergency forces (rat exterminators, police men, fire men and eventually army troops) to areas where the rat threat has spread and provide them with equipment. Also the player can get ten available researchers to develop addition weapons, defences and super weapons to keep the rats at bay and to provide useful information to progress in the game. Should the rat threat reach beyond the London limits, the Research centre, the Government centre or Harris' apartment or if all emergency forces are lost, the game is over.
In between the simulation gameplay, the game suddenly switches to the role of a playable character in a randomly chosen text adventure scenario. The player has to select one or more verbal options to perform actions to allow the character to survive against the rat threat and avoid getting killed. While it is not crucial to keep the characters alive, saving them grants the player additional reinforcements and research to aid against the rat threat. However, if one of the main characters Harris, Howard or Foskins dies, the game is over.
Reception
The ZX Spectrum version of ''The Rats'' was well-received on release in 1985, gaining a 5-star rating in ''
Sinclair User'',
a 4-star rating in ''
Popular Computing Weekly'',
and a 5-star rating in ''ZX Computing.''
''
Crash'' awarded it 70% in its "Frontline" strategy section, giving the gameplay element 90% but marking the game down over issues to do with the loading sequence.
It awarded it 7/10 in its "Adventure Trail" section of the same issue, again marking the game down for its loading sequence, but unlike the review in the strategy section, also for the gameplay.
The Commodore 64 version had mixed reviews, with a 79% in ''
Zzap!64'',
6/10 in ''
Computer and Video Games
''Computer and Video Games'' (also known as ''CVG'', ''Computer & Video Games'', ''C&VG'', ''Computer + Video Games'', or ''C+VG'') was a UK-based video game magazine, published in its original form between 1981 and 2004. Its offshoot website ...
'',
and 13/20 in
Computer Gamer.
published a
retro game
Retrogaming, also known as classic gaming and old school gaming, is the current playing and collection of obsolete personal computers, consoles, and video games. Usually, retrogaming is based upon systems that are outmoded or discontinued, alt ...
review on the C64 version in 2007, giving it 9/10.
In ''Video Games Around the World'', ''The Rats'' is described as one of the first horror games, being games that seek to frighten players.
References
External links
*
''The Rats''at Spectrum Computing
''The Rats'' manual"Doomtown Rats"
feature in '' Your Spectrum'', November 1985
''Rats!''
article in ACE, February 1991
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rats, The
1985 video games
Adventure games
Commodore 64 games
Government simulation video games
Survival video games
Video games about mice and rats
Video games based on novels
Video games developed in the United Kingdom
Video games set in London
ZX Spectrum games