Assassin - Manual DROPPED BY HELICOPTER DEEP BEHIND ENEMY LINES, YOU ARE THE ASSASSIN, HIRED BY ALLIED SECURITY FORCES IN A BID TO CEASE THE REIGN OF POWER HELD BY THE EVIL VILLAN MIDAN, WHO LURKS DEEP WITHIN HIS UNDERGROUND LAIR. SUPER-FIT AND HIGHLY ATHLETIC, YOU MUST USE ALL THE STRENGTHS AVAILABLE TO YOU IN ORDER TO REACH THE SOURCE OF HIS POWER AND RENDER IT USELESS, BEFORE TAKING ON THE MIGHT OF THE FOUL TYRANT HIMSELF. ARMED WITH A DEADLY RAZOR-EDGED BOOMERANG AND LIMITED BODY ARMOUR, YOU MUST LOCATE AND PENETRATE THE SECRET SHAFT WHICH LEADS TO THE LOWER LEVELS OF MIDAN`S VAST SUBTERRANEAN WORLD. THE TASK IS DEMANDING, BUT THE TIME TO ACT HAS ARRIVED...AS THE WIND BLOWS IN YOUR HAIR, YOU CAREFULLY LOWER YOURSELF FROM THE CHOPPER AND HEAD OFF TOWARDS YOUR GOAL... SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: THE GAME REQUIRES AN AMIGA WITH AT LEAST ONE-MEGABYTE OF AVAILABLE RAM AND A JOYSTICK PLUGGED INTO GAMEPORT TWO. WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU RELAY YOUR AMIGA`S SOUND OUTPUT THROUGH AN AMPLIFIER/HIFI TO SAVOUR THE SUPERB STEREO SOUND EFFECTS THE GAME HAS TO OFFER. IF YOUR JOYSTICK SUPPORTS AUTO-FIRE THEN WE RECOMMEND YOU TURN IT OFF AS IT HAS NO POSITIVE EFFECT ON PLAY. LOADING INSTRUCTIONS: RESET YOUR AMIGA USING THE TWO AMIGA KEYS AND THE CTRL KEY, INSERT DISK ONE AND AFTER A SHORT WHILE A TITLE SCREEN WILL APPEAR AND LOADING SHOULD COMMENCE. INSERT DISK TWO ONLY WHEN PROMPTED BY THE SYSTEM. IF YOU HAVE AN EXTRA DISK-DRIVE CONNECTED, THEN YOU MAY PLACE THE SECOND DISK INTO THAT. ASSASSIN DOES NOT SUPPORT THE USE OF HARD-DISK-DRIVES AND CANNOT BE STORED AND USED ON SUCH A MEDIUM, ALTHOUGH YOU NEED NOT DISCONNECT THE UNIT. UPON LOADING YOU WILL SEE THE ASSASSIN ATTRACT SEQUENCE, THE CREDITS AND THE CURRENT HIGH SCORES. THESE WILL ROLL AROUND IN A CYCLE UNTIL YOU PRESS YOUR BUTTON TO INITIATE PLAY. GAME OPTIONS: WHEN YOU PRESS YOUR BUTTON TO START THE GAME YOU CAN SET FURTHER OPTIONS OR COMMENCE PLAY. USE THE JOYSTICK TO HIGHLIGHT "OPTIONS" AND PRESS THE JOYSTICK BUTTON. BY MOVING THE JOYSTICK YOU CAN SET VARIOUS OPTIONS AS FOLLOWS: SKILL LEVEL: YOU CAN PLAY ASSASSIN AT ANY ONE OF THREE SKILL LEVELS, EACH OF WHICH DIRECTLY AFFECTS THE STRENGTH OF YOUR ENEMY AND THE LEVEL OF AWARDED BONUSES DURING THE GAME. ROOKIE: THIS IS THE EASIEST MODE AND ALLOWS YOUNGER (OR OLDER!)PLAYERS TO EXPLORE MORE OF THE GAME`S AREA, SEE MORE OF THE GAMES ENEMIES AND RELAX WITH MORE COMFORTABLE TIME-LIMITATIONS. PLEASE NOTE THAT ONLY THE FIRST TWO LEVELS ARE AVAILABLE IN THIS MODE OF PLAY. ARCADE: THIS IS THE DEFAULT PLAY MODE, YOU START WITH THREE LIVES BY DEFAULT AND THE GAME IS A WHOLESOME CHALLENGE TO THE AVERAGE GAMES PLAYER. YOU MUST PLAY IN ARCADE MODE (OR ULTIMATE MODE) TO SEE THE COMPLETE GAME. ULTIMATE:THIS IS A SPECIAL MODE DESIGNED FOR THE TOUGH-NUTS WHO RECKON THAT ARCADE MODE IS TOO EASY! ULTIMATE MODE REWARDS THE PLAYER WITH HIGH-BONUSES ON LEVEL COMPLETION BUT IT IS NOT CALLED "ULTIMATE" FOR NOTHING..THE ENEMIES ARE TOUGH, VERY TOUGH.. COMPLETE IT IN THIS MODE AND YOU CAN RIGHTLY FEEL VERY PROUD. BOOMERANG MODE: MANUAL: IN THIS MODE YOU ARE ABLE TO SELECT THE EFFECT OF DROPPED BOOMERANG POWER-UPS BY FIRING AT THEM WITH YOUR BOOMERANG. SEE SECTION 3 FOR DETAILS OF THE EXACT EFFECTS AVAILABLE. AUTOMATIC:IN THIS MODE YOU CANNOT CHANGE THE EFFECT OF THE BOOMERANGS AND THIS MAKES FOR FASTER PLAY. THE BOOMERANG IS POWERED UP AS IF THE DESIGNERS OF ASSASSIN WERE PLAYING THE GAME. STARTING LIVES: 1,3 OR 5:THIS ALLOWS YOU TO SELECT THE NUMBER OF LIVES THAT YOU BEGIN THE GAME WITH, THE DEFAULT BEING THREE. BIG BONUSES ARE GIVEN FOR STARTING WITH ONE LIFE, LESS SO FOR THREE AND NONE IF YOU SHOULD START WITH FIVE. YOU MAY EXIT THE OPTIONS AND COMMENCE PLAY BY SIMPLY HIGHLIGHTING "EXIT". PLAYING THE GAME: AT THE START OF THE GAME YOU USUALLY BEGIN WITH 3 LIVES (SEE ABOVE SECTION) AND YOU LOSE ENERGY BY ABSORBING TOO MANY HITS FROM THE ENEMY, WHICH EFFECTS YOUR ENERGY WHICH IS REPRESENTED BY A PURPLE HEART IN THE TOP LEFT OF THE SCREEN. THIS HEART DEGENERATES DURING PLAY AND ONCE IT IS DRAINED, A LIFE IS LOST. DIFFERENT ENEMIES/WEAPONS ARE LOGICALLY MORE DESTRUCTIVE THAN OTHERS, SO BE CAREFUL. SOME HEAVY FALLS CALLS ENERGY LOSS TO, SO WE ADVISE CAUTION. THE OBJECT OF THE GAME IS TO GET AS FAR AS YOU CAN INTO THE BASE, FOLLOWING THE MISSION BRIEFS THAT WILL APPEAR BEFORE EACH OF THE GAMES FIVE HUGE LEVELS. YOU CAN KILL OR DAMAGE WITH YOUR ARMOURED BOOMERANG, DIFFERENT ENEMIES WILL REQUIRE MORE HITS THAN OTHERS AND SOME WILL REQUIRE PRECISE HITS TO BE SURE OF VICTORY. YOU CAN ALSO "POWER-UP" YOUR BOOMERANG AND USE SPECIAL "MEGA WEAPONS", THIS IS EXPLAINED IN LATER SECTIONS. YOU CAN ALSO EARN BONUSES AND EXTRA LIVES BY LOCATING HIDDEN AREAS AND PERFORMING SPECIFIC, UNDISCLOSED TASKS. ONCE ALL YOUR LIVES HAVE BEEN LOST, THE GAME ENDS. YOU WILL BE GIVEN A RANKING AND IF SUCCESSFUL, GIVEN THE CHANCE TO ENTER YOUR NAME IN THE HIGH SCORE TABLE, WHICH YOU ARE ALSO ABLE TO SAVE FOR FUTURE POSTERITY SHOULD YOU WISH TO PROVE YOUR WORTH AS A NOTABLE ASSASSIN. THE TOP RANK POSSIBLE IS THAT OF "TEAM17 GOD" AND WE DON`T ENVISAGE TOO MANY OF THESE BEING HANDED OUT! 1:CONTROLLING YOUR ASSASSIN CHARACTER; YOU HAVE THREE BASIC MODES OF OPERATION, ONE WITH THE FIRE BUTTON PRESSED DOWN, ONE WITHOUT AND ONE TO ACCESS SPECIAL "MEGA WEAPONS". WITHOUT THE BUTTON DEPRESSED, YOU ARE ABLE TO CONTROL YOUR MOVEMENTS AROUND THE SCENERY. LEFT AND RIGHT WILL ENABLE YOU TO RUN IN THE RELEVANT DIRECTION, UP WILL ALLOW YOU TO JUMP, DOWN WILL CAUSE YOU TO CROUCH AND UPWARD DIAGONALS WILL ENABLE YOU TO LEAP IN THE RESPECTIVE DIRECTION. YOU WILL NOTICE THAT YOU CAN INTERACT FULLY WITH THE BACKGROUND AND YOUR ASSASSIN CHARACTER WILL GRAB HOLD OF ANYTHING HE FINDS AVAILABLE TO CLIMB OR SWING ON- THE CONTROL OF WHICH WE THINK YOU WILL FIND QUITE COMFORTABLE AND EASY TO CONTROL. WHEN HANGING BY HIS ARMS, THE ASSASSIN IS ALSO ABLE TO PERFORM A SOMERSAULT AND LEAP ONTO AN ABOVE LEDGE, YOU CAN DO THIS BY PUSHING UP OR THE UP- DIAGONALS ON THE JOYSTICK. TO DROP FROM A LEDGE WHEN HANGING, SIMPLY HOLD THE JOYSTICK DOWN. IF YOU HOLD THE JOYSTICK DOWN WHILST THE ASSASSIN IS STANDING, HE WILL STAY IN A CROUCHED POSITION AND YOU CAN FIRE BOOMERANGS OR ACCESS THE "VIEW MODE" (SEE LATER). TO MOVE OUT OF THE CROUCHED POSITION, MOVE THE JOYSTICK TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. A QUICK PRESS ON THE FIRE BUTTON (WITH THE JOYSTICK CENTERED) WILL THROW A BOOMERANG IN THE CURRENT DIRECTION FACED. IF YOU PRESS THE BUTTON AND HOLD THE JOYSTICK IN THE DIRECTION, HE WILL FIRE A BOOMERANG IN THE DESIRED DIRECTION. YOUR ASSASSIN IS ABLE TO FIRE WHILE STANDING, CROUCHING, HANGING OR SWINGING-BUT NOT WHILST HE IS MOVING DUE TO THE ACCURACY NEEDED WHILST THROWING SUCH A PRECISION WEAPON. THE ASSASSIN WILL KEEP THROWING BOOMERANGS IN YOUR SELECTED DIRECTION UNTIL YOU RELEASE THE BUTTON AGAIN. IF YOU HAVE COLLECTED ANY OF THE PODS THAT ALLOW ACCESS TO THE SPECIAL "MEGA WEAPONS" THEN A THIRD, SPECIAL CONTROL MODE WILL BE ACTIVATED. TO DO THIS, YOU MUST BE STOOD ON A SOLID SURFACE (I.E. NOT SWINGING, CLIMBING OR HANGING) AND THE MODE IS ACTIVATED BY PRESSING AND HOLDING THE JOYSTICK BUTTON. THE AVAILABLE "MEGA WEAPONS" WILL FLASH AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN IN A SEQUENCE AND YOU MUST RELEASE THE BUTTON WHEN THE SELECTED WEAPON IS HIGHLIGHTED. YOU CAN ALSO HOLD THE JOYSTICK IN A UPWARD POSITION TO PAUSE THE SELECTION AND TIME DETONATION OF THE WEAPON PRECISELY. YOU CAN ABORT THIS MODE OF CONTROL BY HOLDING THE JOYSTICK IN A DOWNWARD POSITION. AFTER SELECTING AND ACTIVATING ONE OF THE "MEGA WEAPONS" THE ASSASSON CHARACTER WILL REMAIN STATIONARY UNTIL THE EFFECTS OF THE DETONATED WEAPON SUBSIDE AND IST SAFE TO CARRY ON. OTHER METHODS OF OPERATION; VEIW AREA: TO VEIW THE AREA IMMEDIATELY ABOVE OR BELOW THE ASSASSIN YOU CAN USE THE "VEIW MODE". TO ENTER THIS, SIMPLY ENTER THE CROUCH POSITION AND PUSH THE JOYSTICK UP OR DOWN. TO LEAVE THIS MODE YOU SIMPLT MOVE THE JOYSTICK LEFT OR RIGHT. THIS MODE IS USEFUL IF YOU ARE UNSURE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS. NOTE THAT YOU CAN STILL FIRE WHILST IN THIS MODE. ALWAYS REMEMBER, LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP! 2.TIME LIMIT EFFECTS; EACH OF THE GAME`S FIVE HUGE LEVELS IS SUBJECT TO A STIRCT TIME LIMIT AND ONCE THIS IS REACHED, REINFORCEMENTS AND STRONGER, MORE CAPABLE FOES WILL ARRIVE ON THE SCENE. COLLECTING TIME-BONUSES ARE ONE WAY OF AVOIDING THIS..SO YOU ARE WELL ADVISED TO GET A MOVE ON. 3.POWER-UPS AND BONUSES; THE GAME OFFERS MANY POWER-UPS AND COLLECTABLES AS THE GAME PROGRESSES, GIVING YOU THE ABILITY TO GAIN BETTER, MORE AGILE BOOMERANGS, SCORE LINE BONUSES, TIME LINE BONUSES AND THE ABILITY TO INVOKE SPECIAL "MEGA-WEAPONS" THESE ARE IN THE FORM OF CAPSULES AND ARE FOUND IN SECRET LOCATIONS OR AWARDED AFTER A PARTICULARY NASTY ENEMY HAS BEEN DEFEATED. BOOMERANG POWER-UPS ARE EARNED BY DESTROYING ENEMIES AND COLLECTING THE ROUND CAPSULES THAT ARE LEFT. THE BOOMERANG POWER-UPS THAT ARE OFFERED ARE IN A CUMULATIVE EFFECTED, IN A SERIES THAT WE REGARD IDEAL TO SUIT THE PLAY; CHANGING DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE WEAPON AS YOU MORE - SO THAT YOU HAVE A WEAPON THAT PROVIDES A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING. HOWEVER THERE IS ALSO THE FACILITY TO CHANGE THE EFFECT OF THE POWER-UP CAPSULE BY SHOOTING IT - THE LETTER ON THE CAPSULE WILL CHANGE AND THEREFORE YOU CAN (IF YOU PREFER), TAILOR YOUR BOOMERANG TO SHOW YOUR OWN SPECIFICATION. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ABOVE CHANGING EFFECT IS ONLY POSSIBLE WHEN PLAYING THE GAME IN MANUAL BOOMERANG MODE (SELECTABLE VIA OPTIONS), THIS IS THE DEFAULT OPTION.(SEE GAME OPTIONS IN EARLIER SECTION). THE ROUND BOOMERANG POWER-UP CAPSULE TYPES ARE AS FOLLOWS AND CAN BE POWERED UP A NUMBER OF TIMES ; W GIVES YOUR BOOMERANGS THE ABILITY TOMOVE IN A WIDER ARC WHEN THROWN. USEFUL FOR REACHING ENEMIES THAT A NORMAL STRAIGHT THROWN BOOMERANG WOULDN`T REACH.(RATHER LIKE A WELL KNOWN BEVERAGE!) E ADDS TEH POWER TO HAVE ANOTHER EXTRA BOOMERANG IN THE AIR, TO A MAXIMUM OF FIVE.IF ALL OF YOUR BOOMERANGS ARE IN THE AIR THEN YOU MUST WAIT UNTIL ONE OR MORE HITS SOMETHING OR RETURN BACK TO YOU BEFORE WE CAN THROW ANOTHER. P INCREASE THE BOOMERANGS ACTUAL POWER. WHEN YOUR BOOMERANG BECOMES MORE POWERFUL, THE WEAPON TAKES ON A DIFFERENT GRAPHICAL FORM. S INCREASE THE SPEED AND HENCE THE EFFECT OF YOUR BOOMERANGS. L INCREASE THE LENGTH (DISTANCE) THAT A BOOMERANG IS THROWN. ONE OPTIONAL THROWING TACTIC IS THE "REVERSE-THROW" WHERE YOU THROW A BOOMERANG IN ONE DIRECTION THEN JUMP OR DUCK ON IT`S RETURN, RESULTING IN THE BOOMERANG FLYING OFF IN THE OTHER DIRECTION USUALLY MUCH FUTHER THEN YOU CAN NORMALLY THROW IT. IT`S A VERY USEFUL TACTIC TO ADOPT, BUT QUITE A DIFFICULT SKILL TO MASTER, BUT WITH THE BOOMERANG CAUSING EVEN MORE DAMAGE THAN USUAL, IT`S WELL WORTH IT - ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THAT YOU CAN HIT ENEMIES FROM A SAFE DISTANCE! THE SQUARE "MEGA WEAPON" POWER-UP CAPSULE TYPES ARE AS FOLLOWS; W GIVES YOU THE ABILITY TO USE THE ROBO-WALKER MEGA-WEAPON. M GIVES YOU THE ABILITY TO USE A SET OF PROXIM-MINES. H GIVES YOU THE ABILITY TO USE THE HEAT-SEEKING MISSILES. F GIVES YOU THE ABILITY TO USE THE FLAME-PATH MEGA-WEAPON. S GIVES YOU THE ABILITY TO USE THE FLAME-STORM MEGA WEAPON. YOU MAY ALSO DISCOVER OTHER CAPSULES AND BONUSES DOTTED AROUND THE COMPLEX, THESE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING; CONTINUE (SEE SECTION 7). TIME ADD (SEE SECTION 2). ENERGY RESTORES PLAYER ENERGY TO MAXIMUM. STARS STARS GIVE YOU POINTS AND ANOTHER OPTION, READ SECTION 4. "COLLECTING STARS" FOR MORE INFO. EXTRA LIFE COLLECT THE LITTLE ASSASSIN CHARACTER (YOU CAN SEE HIM WAVING) TO EARN YOURSELF AN EXTRA LIFE. AN EXTRA LIFE CAN ALSO BE EARNED BY COLLECTING 99 STARS(SEE SECTION 4 SPEECH AID IF FOUND, THIS USEFUL GADGET WILL GUIDE YOU AROUND THE MAP AND ON TOWARDS THE TARGET LOCATION. IT WILL ONLY LAST A CERTAIN LENGTH OF TIME AND COMES INTO REAL VALUE ON LATER LEVELS, ESPECIALLY THE LAST LEVEL, MIDAN`S LAIR, WHICH IS A HUGE LABYRINTH. IT IS ALSO INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THIS GADGET WILL ONLY BE FOUND ON ROOKIE AND ARCADE MODES OF PLAY AND ONCE FOUND IN ROOKIE MODE, IT STAYS ON FOR THE DURATION OF PLAY. 4. COLLECTING STARS; ON EACH LEVEL THERE ARE MANY GOLD STARS TO COLLECT. IF YOU MANAGE TO COLLECT 99 THEN YOU ARE REWARDED WITH A BONUS LIFE. UPON COLLECTING 50 YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ACTIVATE THE SPECIAL STAR BURST "MEGA WEAPON" BUT THIS WILL RENDER THE POSSIBILITY OF COLLECTING AN EXTRA LIFE REMOTE FOR A WHILE, BUT THATS YOUR CHOICE.... 5. HIDDEN BONUSES; THE GAME CAN BE PLAYED IN MANY NUMBER OF STYLES, SOME OF WHICH ARE REWARDED BY SPECIAL BONUSES UPON LEVEL COMPLETION. SOME OF THESE SUCH AS COLLECTING ALL 99 STARS ARE OBVIOUS, BUT THERE ARE MANY MORE FOR YOU TO TRY AND DISCOVER. SOME, SUCH AS THE "PERFECT PLAY" SUPER BONUS WILL RARELY BE HANDED OUT, CAN YOU MANAGE IT? THESE BONUSES WILL BE AWARDED DURING THE INTER-LEVEL SCREEN AND WILL BE SHOWN WITH ANY AWARDED POWER-UPS, SCORE BONUSES AND SO ON, IN THE FORM OF ICONS, RATHER LIKE BEING AWARDED A MEDAL FOR YOUR DEEDS. 6. SPECIAL MEGA-WEAPONS; A. ROBO WALKERS TWO SMALL ROBOTIC WALKERS ARE DESPATCHED DAMAGING THE FIRST ENEMY IN THEIR PATH. B. PROXIM MINES TWO POWERFUL PROXIMITY MINES ARE EXPLODED WHICH CAUSE HEAVY DAMAGE TO UNARMOURED ENEMIES. C. HEAT SEEKERS A SALVO OF THREE HEAT-SEEKING MISSILES ARE SENT FORTH TO WREAK HAVOC. D. FLAME PATH A WALL OF FIRE SPREADS OUTWARDS, CAUSING HEAVY DAMAGE TO ALL IN IT`S PATH. E. FIRE STORM HUGE BOLTS OF EXPLOSIVE FIRE LEAP FROM YOUR SOUL TO DESTROY NEARBY ENEMIES. F. STAR BURST USE THE POWER OF THE STARS TO DEVASTATE ALL ON-SCREEN ENEMIES IN ONE BLOW. AVAILABLE ONLY IF 50 STARS HAVE BEEN COLLECTED IN THE CURRENT GAME. 7. GAME OVER & CONTINUATION; IN THE GAME THERE ARE SPECIAL "CONTINUE" BONUSES, WHICH WILL BE FOUND BY ONLY THE BEST. HOWEVER ONCE FOUND, SUCH A BONUS WILL ALLOW YOU TO CONTINUE THE GAME FROM WHERE YOU FINISHED PREVIOUSLY. THERE IS NO OPTION TO SKIP COMPLETED LEVELS, NOR IS THERE SAVE-GAME OPTION, SO LOCATING THE "CONTINUE" BONUSES IS A VERY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF COPMLETING THE GAME, ALTHOUGH A GAME COMPLETED WITHOUT THEIR USE WILL OF COURSE RANK FAR HIGHER IN TERMS OF AWARDED BONUSES. ON GAME-OVER YOU WILL HAVE THE CHANCE TO ENTER YOUR NAME IN THE HIGH SCORE TABLE ( WHICH IS SAVEABLE, SIMPLY FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ON YOUR SCREEN) AND YOU WILL ALSO RECEIVE A RANKING WHICH IS DECIDED UPON BY YOUR SKILL AND STYLE OF PLAY AND, OF COURSE, YOUR SCORE. AT THE END OF THE GAME YOU ARE ABLE TO RE-START FROM LEVEL 1 OR FROM THE TITLE-SEQUENCE, WHICH SPARES YOU FROM A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DISC-ACCESS. --- Typed by SKIDROW