Producer: 39 Steps
Retail Price: £8.95
Author: Tigress Designs

This game comes in two parts. In the first, you pick one of five targets. The money made from one job is then re-invested in the next. A raid on the local coin dealers should net you a few thousand. This can then be used to buy the information you need, and a team of crack specialists, for the art gallery job.

There is a rogue's gallery of 18 hoodlums. Each has a dossier on their past experience, but the nifty gritty is in the last page of information: how much they cost to hire, how much of the 'take' do they expect and what are their skills. This determines how long they'll take to pick locks, dis-able alarms or blow a safe.

At this stage of the game there is lots of information you can buy on the target. Most of this is vital stuff - like where the alarms are, and what you are after. If you just go in blind and whip everything, the 'fence' won't give you the full value of the items - whatever happened to honour among thieves!

Once you're happy with your team, load the next section of the game. The raid must now be planned. This means telling each member of the team exactly what to do. This is all icon-driven. First toggle between the members of your team, select one, and then tell him where to move and what to do. Most actions take time. It is therefore essential to make sure that the actions of the various team members are co-ordinated so that, for instance, two men don't try going through the same door from opposite sides, or no-one breaks into an alarmed case before the alarm has been dealt with.

Once a 'track' for each crook has been made, the program has extensive editing facilities. This allows you to re-orgarlse the raid to make more efficient use of your men. Also at higher levels, you will have to cope with security men on regular patrols, so you must time the paths so as not to arouse their suspicions.

Last but not least, to the raid itself. The men go through their pre-ordained patterns. Messages come up if there are problems. (i.e.locked doors, 'the fifth' etc.). During the raid, you control the boss (who can do a bit of pilfering himself), or act as look-out. He can assist members of the gang who get in trouble, abort the raid and return to the planning stage, or tell the men to freeze when a police patrol goes past.

After all this, the dosh is split up, and you load up the first part of the game again, just in time to go for another job.

CRITICISM

Control keys: definable: up, down, left, right, fire
Joystick: Kempston, Cursor, Interface 2
Keyboard play: fine
Use of colour: rather restrained
Graphics: lacks detail
Sound: negligable
Skill levels: one
Screens: five large buildings

I had great fun playing this. The whole idea of the game is very original, and extremely interesting to play. If you want a fast action game, then you won't like TSAM as it requires lots a brain work and a considerable amount of note making. The menu system of choosing your options is easy to get used to and is very quick to use. The graphics, during the robbery, are very smooth and detailed. Definately one for those cold winter evenings! And much safer than the real thing (I would think!).

Generally I really dislike this sort of game as there is often little or no fun involved in playing them. TSAM however has been written and presented in such a way that even mere mortal arcade freaks can actually play it and enjoy it. The first part is a bit boring, flicking through masses of information windows can get very tedious if you haven' I really got into the sprit of the game. The second lottery stage really is good fun. You've got to be on the ball at all times. Go and buy it.

Gosh, this game is good! The windowing system is superbly done, and the whole game is definitely one that has been put together very well indeed. The idea is a good one, and one that I can't say I've seen before. Presentation is of a very high calibre, and playability wise, I find it hard to fault. Colourful, and graphically very good, TSAM is pleasant on both the eyes and the brain. I usually dislike strategy games, but this one is certainly well worth while. I like it.

Ariolasoft
£8.95

We've all heard of computer crime before, but how about computerised crime? Seems there's an online database for everybody nowadays, including those light fingered types, possessed of names like Bad Bill and Mr Knuckles.

Your monicker for this highway to the land of heist is 'The Boss'so you'd better grab your striped sweater and fill your Spectrum full of SWAG - the Software for Aspiring Gangsters operating system. There's a lot of planning necessary if you're to change your name to the much more attractive Mr Big.

Your first step up the ladder of criminal hierarchy is to log on to the information system you saw advertised in What Crime magazine. This provides you with information on various jobs, criminals and fences and it's important to get the details right at this stage.

Every member of your team will require a percentage of the haul, as well as a flat fee. But each prospective gang member also boasts two skills. So the right choice will help you cut costs in the long run.

Your explosive expert could also be your driver. In addition, his skill with dynamite will mean you don't need that safecracker after all.

SWAG also stores information on the premises that you can raid. You can obtain in-depth information on various areas, but nothing comes free. If you want to know more about where the salesman stores the money at the end of the day, you have to pay for it.

Luckily for you, hardened criminals aren't expected to be hardened hackers as well, and SWAG is super friendly. It's completely driven by nested menus that pop out when you request them. It even keeps track of your bank balance, so there's no opportunity to try any confidence tricks on its accounting system!

To plan the raid you load the second part of the program. This provides you with a blueprint of the premises, including all the extra details that you paid for. You start with the gang sitting in the getaway car and that's also where you'll end up. How much loot they have, and how long they take to get it, all depends on what follows.

Commands are issued to each team member individually. Each action takes a set amount of time, so you can use the clock display to synchronise their efforts. You issue orders via a simple icon system, which expands to include additional options when they become relevant. Another display lets you know just where the character is.

This part of the game calls for careful timing. You'll need your locksmith to deal with the main door, but then he'll have to wait till the electronics expert has entered the building and disabled the alarm. You don't have to specify your moves at this stage.

Once you've got the crime of the century planned, it's time to put it into action. You're now in direct command of 'The Boss', while your cronies follow their instructions. You've given yourself the cushy job of keeping watch, but you're in full contact with the others via a walkie-talkie.

Reports come through to tell you what's happening, while time ticks by. You still have a range of commands, including the opportunity to enter the building or issue further orders to a character who's having problems. But don't stray too far from the door, or you won't be able to keep an eye open for police cars. If you see one the best option is to tell everyone to freeze until it's passed by. If the worst comes to the worst you can abort the whole job and re-plan it.

TSAM comes with a variety of robberies that'll take you to that much sought-after class of 'Public Enemy Number One'. You can save your status, so that any profits can be reinvested in further jobs. And being look-out means that you can do a runner and avoid the long arm of the law. so you're always free to have another go.

If you're into strategy, this game provides a unique challenge. I also reckon it's the most practical computer game I've ever seen. If you can make crime pay on this program, you could well be qualified for the real thing. In fact, it's so educational I wouldn't be surprised if there was some sort of moral backlash against it. But don't let that stop you. If you like thinking games, you'd be criminal to miss this one.

Label: Ariolasoft
Price: £8.95
Memory: 48K/128K
Reviewer: John Gilbert

Ever wondered how they'd turn a caper movie into a game? They Stole a Million from Ariolasoft is how.

They Stole a Million, on the face of it, is a highly original strategy game in two parts: Part 1 is all about planning. Part 2 is the perps (perpetrators) in action against your clock.

So far so good. The snag is, despite its obvious originality, the game lacks pace. In fact it's a bit boring. Selecting icons from the menu and setting the timings for each move of each of your team is difficult, sure. But after a while it's also tediously repetitive.

And Part 2 isn't really any more satisfactory. It cried out for really good graphics and fast action as the heist is carried out, but it has none of these things. I fear They Stole a Million will have all but the most committed strategy game player yawning after only a few heists.

You're a small scale thief, despite your ambitions to be a big Boss, so you should pick your target carefully. There are banks to rob and jewellery stores to smash but, when you're a beginner, go for easy pickings such as the coin shop. Each target also has a different security system. For instance, the coin shop has a sturdy lock on the front door - you'll need the locksmith - whole inside the safe and three display cases are wired. So, you'll need at least a three - strong team.

There's quite a choice of petty crooks on offer for your team. There are safe breakers, people who have turned their legit electrical training to more lucrative ends, and wheelmen who are hooked in the fast lane. OK. To make your plan work you'll need a balanced team made up of three or four villains.

Once you've picked your target and team, now's the chance to develop your time plan. Load in the second part of the program and the exterior of the target premises is shown. It's a simple map just a few lines describing buildings and pavement and a number one, set in a square in the road. That's your first team member Using the system's icons, at the bottom of the screen, move Number 1 through his paces. Then do the same for No 2, No 3 and so on. The general plan of action is the same for most of the robberys: get into the premises without tripping alarms, smash the cases, bust into the safe, grab the loot and scarper. Every action is timed and the computer calculates the amount of time your plan would take. You can't slow down this digital clock but you can add seconds to it so your team pauses, thinks, and doesn't make any mistakes in a rush. The clock timing makes your plan more difficult because each team member must perform their tasks without getting in each other's ways. Take a note of when Detonator D'Arcy does his stuff or Skeleton Joe could get written off if he's in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Yet, a little more attention to on-screen detail and some tightening of the gameplay and They Stole a Million could have switched from interesting-but-unsatisfying to brilliant. A big pity.

Amstrad, Spectrum and C64 - currently undistributed.

Sad to see another title that isn't currently available. This time it's because Ariolasoft pulled out of the UK market and nobody has picked up the rights to market this as far as we know.

It's a very novel game in which you have to pick a team to perform a robbery. There are many different possibilities, each man having different skills. Then the job has to be planned down to the last split second, before you actually see the raid as it happens.

There's an immense amount of planning and thinking through to do. The game is superbly presented using windows. Still a very original concept with nothing quite like it on any machine.

MACHINE: Spectrum, Amstrad, C64/128
SUPPLIER: Ariolasoft
PRICE: £8.95 (Spectrum), £9.95 (C64/Amstrad)
VERSION TESTED: Spectrum

"OK John, I want you to climb in through the window and switch off the alarm so you can let Jim in. After that I want you to let Jim into the office to blow the safe. While Jim is working on the safe you can empty out the cabinets into the van.

"Jim. You'll have to work fast to get that lolly out of the safe and get away in time.

"I hope you two know what you're doing 'cos I want this to go right. Especially after the way you messed up the sweet shop caper!"

This is the way you're going to have to start thinking if you want to become a successful criminal in Ariolasoft's original and intriguing offering They Stole a Million.

If you've watched and enjoyed things like Minder and The Sweeney and thought that you could outwit the police then this is the game for you. But don't think it's going to turn you into a Great Train Robber overnight!

The game comes in two parts. In the first you decide what job you're going to attempt and who you're going to use in your team. You use the Crimenet database, which comes complete with S.W.A.G. - Software for Aspiring Gangsters! It's a sort of Compunet for the Arthur Daley's of this world...

All this costs money - and you've only got a £55,000 budget to play with. ONLY?

The blueprints of your chosen target - there are five in all - come free but you have to buy details on the alarm system and what loot is hidden away. Then you have to sign up the villains for your own special A-team.

You can access the files of 18 top criminals. Each old lag has a special skill which you may need. You also have to select a "fence". No, not something that goes around your front garden, stupid. He's the guy who gets rid of your ill-gotten gains for you if the raid is successful.

Four criminal types make up the team plus a fence. The computer keeps a check on your spending.

Once you are happy it's time to load-up part two. This is where you plan the robbery and stage it.

The planning stage involves giving each member of your team a route or track through the building plus his tasks. You must make sure that they don't get in each others' way and that every action is timed correctly down to the last split second.

This section is all icon controlled and you can preview and edit all the team members moves. Once you are happy that Fingers isn't going to bump into Scarface at a crucial point in the operation and that Adam Prost (!) the "wheels" man is ready for a quick getaway you can hit the button that puts everything into operation. It's a good idea to check every move thoroughly before you go for it!

As the boss you get the lookout job. If the cops cruise past in their panda car you can freeze the action until it's safe to proceed again.

You can check on each member of the team and leg-it if things look like there are about to go reels-of cotton.

If you succeed, the game gives you the option to save your winning team and go back to try another job.

The graphics are pretty good - lots of nice pop up windows in the planning stage. The actual robbery screens are a bit sparse and could have benefited from a few more graphic frills. There's a nice intro tune as well.

They Stole a Million is an original and entertaining game for strategists and arcade adventurers alike.

You'll have to think about what you're doing and spend some time setting things up. But don't you just love it when a plan comes together? "OK, OK. Stop rabbiting and lets get on with the job, John. You know every second counts in this business!"

A BIG TIME CRIME SIMULATION FROM ARIOLASOFT

Ariolasoft
£8.95

You are the Boss of a gang that's decided to hit the big time. Gone are the daring days of riding on the buses without a ticket. Ahead of you lies a life of crime helped by your S.W.A.G. (Software for Aspiring Gangsters) disk.

Through S.W.A.G. you can select your target from Coin Dealers to Banks and buy information and blueprints so that the team you hire is right for the job.

Each team member has their own special skills from safe blowing by Detonate D'Arcy to electronics expert Charlie Volt.

Once you've chosen your team and found the right fence you can plan the job.

In this phase you plot the exact movements and actions of each team member throughout the raid using the joystick or keyboard controlled icons. Therefore you can make sure that Skeleton Joe has picked all of the locks to let D'Arcy through to get the swag. Get the timing wrong and you could end up serving time!

Then it's for the raid itself. If your plan works well you and your team will soon be richer. But the best laid plans...

If any robber has a problem then he'll radio for assistance then you can either give him extra instructions or go and sort him out.

It's important to get your team right as the wrong person doing the wrong job can land you in prison. Even the lookout is important as nosy police cars must be spotted and the robbery halted until the lookout gives the all clear.

If you succeed you and your team will be richer and able to plan bigger and better jobs until finally you get the chance to steal a million.

If you're prepared to do the planning and research you'll find this game fascinating but fairly soon hit all the targets and finish the game.