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	Title: (GAMELINE) Suspended
	Author: Roe Adams
	Source: Softline, v2(5)
	Date: May-June 1983
	Transcription by Steve Derby
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**Suspended**<br>
By Michael Berlyn

Probably the newest and neatest wrinkle in adventuring is the
ability to separately control multiple characters simultaneously. Not
content to accomplish this logistically difficult trick with two or three
characters, Michael Berlyn gives the player six different robots to
control in *Suspended*. Each robot can be sent scurrying around the
adventure, performing different tasks at the same time. There are
occasions that require the combined talents of several of the robots
working together to solve a particular problem.

The six robots all have their own personalities and attributes. The
robot called Iris is the eyes of the team. Waldo has the strength to
pick up and move heavy objects, or the delicacy to perform microscopic
operations. Auda hears, while Sensa senses. Whiz is your link
to the main computer banks. There, detailed information on a wide
variety of subjects can be gleaned. Poet is the real delight of the
game. Resembling a psychedelic James Joyce, Poet waxes eloquent
on anything he is asked to describe. Deciphering these verbal clues
is slightly harder than understanding the pronouncements of the
Delphi Oracle, yet important hints are often contained therein.

The player is not physically active in *Suspended*. The body is in
cryogenic suspension, but the mind is active. It is your mind that
controls the actions of each robot via computer link-up. The scenario
places you aboard an orbiting space station years in the future,
where scientists have finally managed to control the weather.
Large meteorology stations around the globe artificially maintain
perfect climate. Substantial building structures are no longer needed
to protect people. Most transportation is either by outdoor moving
walkways or by aerial taxis. Food supply is completely computer-controlled.
This space station was set up many years before to
oversee weather, transportation, and food production. Within the
station are the controls for maintaining perfect balance between all
the factors. While most of the routine maintenance can be handled
by the computers and the robots, a human was installed aboard as a
fail-safe device.

The player is awakened from cryogenic slumber to find all hell
breaking loose. Alarms are clanging and explosions are rocking the
space station. Parts of the station's controls have been damaged,
throwing the weather out of control on the planet's surface. The
population below is totally unprepared to cope with this crisis and is
suffering massive casualties. Without ever leaving the cryogenic
chamber, you must repair the space station utilizing the various skills
of the robots.

Unlike most adventure games, *Suspended* can be played over
and over again, even though the solution is known. At the end of
the game, the player is told how many people died while repairs
were being done. More efficient means of using the robots wil!
yield lower casualties.

Once again Infocom earns praise for continued breakthroughs
in packaging and merchandising. The box is a real eye-catcher. Inside
is a large game board showing the layout of the space station
and stick-on disks for each of the robots. You do not have to keep
the current locations of each robot in your head.

*Suspended* represents another milestone in the continuing evolution
of the interactive computer novel. This form of literature may
be one of the most important waves of the electronic age, and
Michael Berlyn and Infocom will certainly be riding on the crest of
that literary wave.

Apple II, II Plus, IIe; 48K. Atari 400, 800, or 1200; 32K. TRS-80. Commodore.
IBM pc. CP/M 8-inch. Osborne. DEC. NEC. $49.95 from Infocom, 55 Wheeler
Street, Cambridge, MA 02138; (617) 492-1031.