Foxx Fights Back


by John Heap
Image Works
1988
Crash Issue 58, Nov 1988   page(s) 24

Revenge of the vulpine vigilante.

Producer: Imageworks
Out of Pocket: £8.99 cass, £12.99 disk
Author: Denton Designs

Poor old Mr Foxx is a henpecked husband. His vixen (wife) has a tendency to whack him over the head with her favourite rolling pin it he doesn't bring home anything for dinner. But poor old Mr Foxx can't just pop down to the local Tesco's and fill up his trolley like everyone else. No, he must forage the countryside for titbits like every other wild animal. The trouble is that those hardworking farmers (like myself) aren't particularly fond of Foxx, and send their trusty hounds to hunt him down with guns. Well they only want to borrow his lovely fur coat, don't they?!

But Mr Foxx isn't going to take all this aggro lying down, so what does he do? Yes, you guessed it - he goes and gets himself a pistol! And it's just as well he has some form of defence as even his country companions aren't much help; badgers lob rocks at him, while squirrels aren't averse to throwing a few nuts at the hero's bone! Even more dangerous are the dive-bombing chickens which chuck exploding eggs at the hero. Collision with any form of missile reduces Foxx's energy, which is displayed by the pantometer- Foxx's tongue hangs further down as he gets tired!

When Mr Foxx returns to his den with something to eat, Mrs Foxx is elated. Unfortunately this frame of mind doesn't last long and she's soon reaching for the rolling pin again - well at least this vixen doesn't brandish a whip!

It's great to see a game about the countryside for once, but what I want to know is where are the sheep?! Anyway, Foxx Fights Back is a humorous and instantly playable game which holds your interest with cute graphics and good tunelets. Go and hunt for it in the shops!

PHIL [86%]

THE ESSENTIALS
Joysticks: Cursor, Kempston, Sinclair
Graphics: well-animated sprites run and jump through a smooth, horizontally-scrolling country landscape
Sound: a bevy of neat tunes at the front end, plus plenty of atmospheric effects and tunes during play
Options: definable keys


Foxx Fights Back is a hilarious romp through a game fraught with such dangers as bomb-throwing chickens, motorcycle-riding dogs, and squirrels who lob exploding acorns at our unfortunate hero. But he isn't defenceless, no siree, he gives as good as he gets. As for the game itself, well it certainly looks good, with a tough looking Mr Foxx running around the countryside trying to find some grub for the even tougher looking Mrs Foxx. Sound is also well implemented, with a very 'tally ho'-sounding title tune, and a variety of boom and blast gun effects. In short, a great game in which the poor old fox at last manages to wreak revenge on his age old enemies.
MARK [85%]


'What a relaxing change from all those mindlessly violent games', I thought when I heard that this was set in a peaceful, rustic scenario. But hold on a minute - a gun-toting fox fighting some of the weirdest enemies you could wish for?! Much skilful joystick jiggling is required to counteract Foxx's strange pursuants. I just love the dive-bombing thickens but what have they been eating to make them lay exploding eggs?! And poor old Mr Foxx needs all the firepower he can get, so it's fortunate that as progress is made he can find more powerful weapons. This is a superbly presented, whacky scenario with neat sprites and some good classical tunes on the front end. An instantly playable farmyard romp.
STUART [85%]

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Presentation: 83%
Graphics: 83%
Playability: 86%
Addictive Qualities: 82%
Overall: 85%

Summary: General Rating: Probably the best farmyard game yet!

Transcript by Chris Bourne

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