Denizen is an action

Action game

Action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes diverse subgenres such as fighting games, shooter games, and platform games, which are widely considered the most important action games, though some...

 computer game published by Players Software in 1988

1988 in video gaming

-Events:*June — Nintendo releases the last issue of "Nintendo fun club news";*July — Nintendo releases the first issue of Nintendo Power magazine.-Notable releases:*January 8, Konami releases Super Contra....

 for the ZX Spectrum

ZX Spectrum

The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...

.

Gameplay

Denizen is a science-fiction action flip-screen maze game, with a top-down perspective. The player controls a marine, with the aim of detonating twenty explosive bolts on each of three levels. The marine is armed with a rifle and is initially supplied with 99 bullets. The player can only move orthogonally, in half-tile steps. Each screen may contain one or more enemies, who move toward the marine in a straight line until they reach an obstacle. The enemies attack the player merely by contact, draining the character's health in a manner similar to Gauntlet

Gauntlet (arcade game)

Gauntlet is a fantasy-themed hack and slash 1985 arcade game by Atari Games. It is noted as the first class-based multiplayer game. Released during the emergence of popularity of other role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, the game was a sensation, being one of the first true dungeon crawl...

. Each enemy requires two bullets to destroy.

Health is regenerated by returning to the marine's start point on each level. If he is out of ammunition, this also supplies him with a single bullet. Items that can be collected include single-use keycards to open locked doors, ammunition, and a torch which allows better vision in dark areas.

Critical reaction

Denizen received poor reviews, with criticism being levelled at the slow character movement. The weapon firing mechanism was a particular complaint; "The self-loading 'Quick Kill' rifle... is anything but quick", "[The rifle] acts in the manner of an aerosol gun, two slow puffs and off goes yer fly". The gameplay itself was described as a "dull maze plod" with unresponsive and repetitive action.

However, all the reviewers highlighted the colourful, detailed graphics, with presentation comparable with Players' previous titles.