Saboteur II
Encyclopedia
Saboteur II: Avenging Angel is a video game created by Clive Townsend and released by Durell Software
in for the ZX Spectrum
, Amstrad CPC
and Commodore 64
platforms. It is a sequel
to the 1985 video game Saboteur. Saboteur II was one of the first action-adventure game
s to feature a female protagonist
. In 1989 the C64 version was re-released by Encore
.
named Nina (a sister of Ninja, the deceased hero of the original Saboteur), who must break into a dictator's high-security compound to alter the course of a nuclear ballistic missile
and then escape.
The enemy’s command centre and office complex is being built on top of a mountain filled with underground tunnels and caverns. An armoury building is on the top left of the mountain, a missile silo is on the top right, while the central top area is still being developed; there is only one way out of the mountain, which is the long entrance tunnel on the bottom left.
There are nine missions of increasing difficulty level, each with more objectives (such as collecting more pieces of punched tape
, or having to disable an electrified perimeter fence protecting the tunnel):
The game starts with a drop into the building from a hang glider
. Then, while watching out for pumas and guards, the player has to search through the command center for boxes of supplies. Some of the boxes contain one of 14 pieces of punched tape, which must be collected and taken to the computer terminal
. Once this has been achieved, the player must make their way to the bottom centre of the underground caves, and escape using the motorcycle
which can be found there. In all, the site covers over 700 computer screens.
rating it at 9/10, and CRASH
giving it 83%. Phil South from Your Sinclair said that the game was "... a fine sequel, but possibly more important, it's a fine game in its own right. Saboteur was an original twist on an old platform riff, so that makes Sab II a double twist with a backflip and a lager chaser!", while CRASH compared the game to its predecessor and decided that "Playability has increased greatly with keyboard response being improved."
When the game was re-released by Encore in 1989, Your Sinclair gave it 80% and declared that "if it doesn't perhaps hold up too well now, it's still an entertaining enough chase-and-kick 'em up with the novelty of a female hero."
The game offered two subtle ways to assist the player:
Durell Software
Durell Software is a UK software developer based in Taunton, Somerset in the United Kingdom. The company is a provider of back office administration and accounting software to Independent Financial Advisers, Mortgage and General Insurance Brokers. Durell was formerly a leading video games...
in for the ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
, Amstrad CPC
Amstrad CPC
The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...
and Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
platforms. It is a sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
to the 1985 video game Saboteur. Saboteur II was one of the first action-adventure game
Action-adventure game
An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...
s to feature a female protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
. In 1989 the C64 version was re-released by Encore
Encore, Inc.
Encore, Inc. is a Los Angeles-based software publisher focused on retail sales.Encore is a wholly owned subsidiary of Navarre Corporation, which acquired Encore's assets from the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California in August 2002.In November 2008 Encore announced...
.
Story
The player takes control of a female ninjaKunoichi
is the term for a female ninja or practitioner of ninjutsu .-Etymology:The term is thought to derive from the names of characters that resemble the three strokes in the kanji character for ; said in the order they are written: ku - no - ichi...
named Nina (a sister of Ninja, the deceased hero of the original Saboteur), who must break into a dictator's high-security compound to alter the course of a nuclear ballistic missile
Ballistic missile
A ballistic missile is a missile that follows a sub-orbital ballistic flightpath with the objective of delivering one or more warheads to a predetermined target. The missile is only guided during the relatively brief initial powered phase of flight and its course is subsequently governed by the...
and then escape.
The enemy’s command centre and office complex is being built on top of a mountain filled with underground tunnels and caverns. An armoury building is on the top left of the mountain, a missile silo is on the top right, while the central top area is still being developed; there is only one way out of the mountain, which is the long entrance tunnel on the bottom left.
There are nine missions of increasing difficulty level, each with more objectives (such as collecting more pieces of punched tape
Punched tape
Punched tape or paper tape is an obsolete form of data storage, consisting of a long strip of paper in which holes are punched to store data...
, or having to disable an electrified perimeter fence protecting the tunnel):
- Mission name: Rin (Strength of mind and body)
- Mission name: Kyo (Direction of energy)
- Mission name: Toh (Harmony with the universe)
- Mission name: Sha (Healing of self and others)
- Mission name: Kai (Premonition of danger)
- Mission name: Jin (Knowing the thoughts of others)
- Mission name: Retsu (Mastery of time and space)
- Mission name: Zai (Control of nature's elements)
- Mission name: ZenZenZen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
(Enlightement)
Gameplay
Hang gliding
Hang gliding is an air sport in which a pilot flies a light and unmotorized foot-launchable aircraft called a hang glider ....
. Then, while watching out for pumas and guards, the player has to search through the command center for boxes of supplies. Some of the boxes contain one of 14 pieces of punched tape, which must be collected and taken to the computer terminal
Computer terminal
A computer terminal is an electronic or electromechanical hardware device that is used for entering data into, and displaying data from, a computer or a computing system...
. Once this has been achieved, the player must make their way to the bottom centre of the underground caves, and escape using the motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
which can be found there. In all, the site covers over 700 computer screens.
Versions
Despite the four released formats being very different in hardware and programming (ZX and CPC notwithstanding), the different versions all looked and played almost identically: with many of in-game Saboteur II images it is almost impossible to tell the difference between CPC, PC and C64 versions (colour clash being the giveaway for the ZX Spectrum version). For some reason, the PC version featured a male ninja on the cover.Reception
Reviews of the game were positive, with Your SinclairYour Sinclair
Your Sinclair or YS as it was commonly abbreviated, was a British computer magazine for the Sinclair range of computers, mainly the ZX Spectrum.-History:...
rating it at 9/10, and CRASH
CRASH (magazine)
Crash was a magazine dedicated to the ZX Spectrum home computer. It was published from 1984 to 1991 by Newsfield Publications Ltd until their liquidation, and then until 1992 by Europress.-Development:...
giving it 83%. Phil South from Your Sinclair said that the game was "... a fine sequel, but possibly more important, it's a fine game in its own right. Saboteur was an original twist on an old platform riff, so that makes Sab II a double twist with a backflip and a lager chaser!", while CRASH compared the game to its predecessor and decided that "Playability has increased greatly with keyboard response being improved."
When the game was re-released by Encore in 1989, Your Sinclair gave it 80% and declared that "if it doesn't perhaps hold up too well now, it's still an entertaining enough chase-and-kick 'em up with the novelty of a female hero."
Cheat mode and map
- The loading screen showed the compound & building in the background, which included a pixel dot representing each screen.
- There was a hidden screen containing a glowing crate which if touched would reward the player with infinite energy. This screen was so well hidden it was missed off several maps printed in computer magazines of the time. World of SpectrumWorld of SpectrumWorld of Spectrum is a website devoted to cataloging and archiving material for the ZX Spectrum home computer popular in the 1980s, and has been officially endorsed by Amstrad which holds the rights to the ZX Spectrum brand...
holds a Saboteur 2 map from Sinclair UserSinclair UserSinclair User, often abbreviated SU, was a magazine dedicated to the Sinclair Research range of home computers, most specifically the ZX Spectrum...
which shows the secret room having been drawn on by the magazine owner.