Mission Omega is a computer game published in 1986 by Incentive Software 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...

, Commodore 64

Commodore 64

The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...

 and Amstrad CPC

Amstrad CPC

The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...

 home computers. It was programmed by Stephen Ward.

Gameplay

The United States of Europe vessel Windwraith has been sent to intercept a mysterious object the size of a small moon which is speeding towards Earth. Robots must infiltrate the mystery-ship (dubbed the "Omega") and deactivate it within the hour or Earth will be destroyed.

Gameplay is a mixture of arcade adventure, maze game and strategy. The player controls robot

Robot

A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...

s (which are designed, built and named in-game) around the interior of the Omega and must shut down its four reactors. These robots have a limited amount of artificial intelligence and can be programmed to take set routes or allowed to explore of their own accord. The player can also directly control the robots. Occasionally, simple puzzles (often involving setting levers correctly) must be solved or hostile robots aboard the Omega must be combatted.

The player has one hour in real-time to deactivate Omega's four reactors.

Critical reception

CRASH magazine found Mission Omega to be "an interesting, difficult but colourful and enjoyable hybrid game that should appeal to equally to strategy and arcade fans." However, the instructions printed on the cassette inlay were criticized for being contradictory and lacking keyboard controls.