Reviews

Future Looter scores 0 for originality. This is a poor man's Cybernoid in all respects and doesn't offer any new ideas or imaginative spin.
For a work so devoid of innovation, it is nevertheless an extremely playable game that looks terrific – a graphical cross between Jet Pac and Cybernoid, with jewels and gems dropping from the cutely drawn aliens. Good imitation of such esteemed classics is a significant achievement in its own right. It is a flip screen linear shooter with a greater emphasis on puzzle solving than its more arcadey inspiration.
There is one major departure from Cybernoid – the difficulty challenge has been massively reduced, presumably to allow for the more casual and time-sensitive approach of today's mature gamer. I liked this because I could reach the end of the game in one session, giving a sense of closure, and because it gave me a bit of head space to solve a series of puzzles that don't all benefit from a guns blazing assault. The author has a very good eye for a screen layout that is both aesthetically pleasing and satisfying to navigate through.
This is a very satisfying game to play.

Misc positive
A thumping tune from Mr Beep accompanies the intro screen.

Misc negatives
The fx has no noises for firing and just the odd fart or squelch from a deposed enemy. When you lose a life the sputtering explosion goes on long enough to really rub it in. The endgame follows a somewhat miserable but well-precedented Spectrum tradition of offering no word of congratulations on completion, and no high score table.
The general lack of courtesy to the player such as 'guess the keys unless you have read the relevant WoS thread' isn't great. A simple QAOPM on the greeting screen, also naming compatible joysticks and offering 'press fire to start' seem simple omissions.

Verdict
I didn't like Wizard's Lair when it came out because I already had Atic Atac, and the plagiarised ideas annoyed me. This would be the same, except of course the passing of time and the intended homage make it much more palatable.
Seen as a homage it is a super effort standing up well in the shadow of true Speccy greatness and worthy of a 60-70 per cent score in Crash. Back In The Day it would have made a nice budget game (assuming no Hewson law suit). I'm giving it 3/5, erring perhaps a little on the mean side as 3.4- 3.5/5 seems fair (but isn't an option on this site).

Future Looter is a winner and deservedly so !

Great graphics , great atmosphere , great tune !

A shooter with a mental-game orientation ... easy to play and easy to master , with the negative point of having very few screens .

As I said before , a true winner in the vein of R-Type or Cybernoid .

4,5 out of 5 !!