Parsec

• Release Date: 1982
• Genre: Shooter
• Style: Side-Scrolling Shooter
• Similar Games: Cosmic Avenger (Arcade), Scramble (Arcade), Super Cobra (Arcade), Stargate (Commodore 64/128), Nova Blast (ColecoVision)

Game Description

Despite colorful, detailed graphics (especially along the planet's surface) and silky smooth voice effects (via the Solid State Speech Synthesizer), Parsec is a flawed side-scroller that is more frustrating than fun. Using a laser-equipped, three-speed ship that can overheat with continual firing, players must blast seven different types of enemies out of the sky in order to protect a planet. There are refueling tunnels to navigate throughout the game and a wall of asteroids to destroy after each level. This would be a reasonable setup for a game if control weren't sluggish, certain enemies weren't overly quick, and if shots didn't frequently appear to go right through enemy ships.

Roots & Influences

Defender (1980) was the first side-scrolling shooter. Cosmic Avenger, Scramble and Super Cobra followed the next year.

Review: Overall

Take elements of Defender and Super Cobra, add smooth and silky voice effects, and you've got the perfect side-scrolling shooter, right? Wrong! Parsec is one of the most frustrating shooters available on any system.

The sins of Parsec are many, with controls leading the way. Gameplay is inexcusably sluggish with your ship's slow back-and-forth movement. While you can toggle up-and-down movement between three different speeds to help you slow down to fuel and maneuver quickly to battle aliens, the game handles poorly, especially when you are using a joystick.

Another problem is that a significant part of the challenge comes from certain alien ships zipping across the screen and slamming into your ship faster than you can react. One can learn to tolerate a hard game, but not one that is unfair. Parsec is especially unjust when enemies attack from the left side of the screen when all you can do is shoot to the right. The game needs the Defender-like ability to let you fire both ways.

Comparisons to Super Cobra lie in the fact that you must refuel your ship, but instead of bombing ground-based installations, you must fly through a little tunnel. The challenge of flying through the tunnels is legitimate, but the game needs bombing capabilities and ground-based targets to keep things interesting.

While the planet is lined with robots, space vehicles, towers and other futuristic constructs, it is primarily window dressing since you can't shoot at anything along the ground. Even if you're fan of side-scrolling shooters, you won't be able to enjoy Parsec. It is a poorly designed game with nice graphics and good voice effects.

Review: Enjoyment

Sluggish controls, uneven gameplay, poorly designed enemies and weak collision detection (shots oftentimes go right through enemies) make Parsec all but unplayable.

Review: Graphics

The surface of the planet is detailed, but it is one solid color. The sky is starry and the explosions look good.

Review: Sound

Sophisticated voice and snazzy sound effects give the game nice audio appeal.

Review: Replay Value

{*Parsec} manages to be frightfully difficult without being the least bit intense. Enemies move in predictable patterns and most are easy to avoid or shoot, but there are enough super fast enemies to make the game inexcusably frustrating. You will probably give up on the game before you get good enough to make it to the first asteroid belt.

Review: Documentation

The cover looks great, but the insides are very plain. Information is more than adequate. Point values for all the enemies are listed.

Production Credits

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