Microcosm Gameplay and Hint Supplement



Program Overview



Microcosm has been designed to be the most graphically stunning and

entertaining

interactive shooting game ever. Microcosm employs over 500 megabytes of

graphics

data played back through our exclusive FractalEngine technology. For best

resultis, Microcosm should be played on a system with a 386DX 33 or better, a

mouse, a 16-bit sound card, VGA display, and stereo speakers.



Operating Instructions



Microcosm may be controlled via joystick, keyboard, mouse, or any

combination of

the three.



Mouse Control:

Aim the crosshairs and steer the ship by moving the mouse.

The left button is the primary fire button.

The right button enables power-ups.





Joystick Control:

Aim the crosshairs and steer the ship by moving the joystick.

The first trigger is the primary fire button.

The the second button enables power-ups.







Keyboard Control:

Aim the crosshairs and steer the ship by using the arrow keys.

The space bar is the primary fire button.

The control key enables power-ups.

(These keys are the defaults, feel free to change them using the SETUP

program.)



In addition, you may press ESC at anytime to exit the game or the PAUSE/BREAK

key to pause the game.



Mission Objectives

You play the part of an elite Cybertech agent.  Your objectives are simple:



1. To clear the body of the 'alien' invasion

2. To destroy the VO Capsules

3. To locate and remove the unit that is controlling Korsby's actions:

Grey M.



Gameplay Guidelines

There are a few basic rules of play which, if followed will greatly enhance

the

Microcosm experience.



When moving through the body, always keep your eyes focused on the "deepest"

areas of the screen. This will allow you to see any junctions, power ups, or

enemies in time to react to them. If you are looking at the "middle" of the

screen, then you will probably not have time to steer/aim properly.



While this may seem like a minor consideration, it will vastly improve the

feel

of the game.



Power ups are essential to finishing this game. When in the Carotid, Brain,

and

Vena Cava sections, you must move your vessel to intercept these packages.

Some

power ups must be activated with the secondary fire button, others are

automatic.



Power ups take many forms, only practice and a good eye will allow you to grab

them every time.



Conserve your power ups as much as possible, as they can come in handy when

fighting the Guardians. Keep in mind, however, that power ups are not

transfered

from one vessel to the next so you must use them by the end of each section.



Guardians

A Guardian will be present at the end of each level. The Guardians are nearly

impervious, but can be defeated. To defeat the Guardian, you must determine

its

weak spot and concentrate your fire on that area. The time availible to defeat

each Guardian is limited, so develop a strategy for each.



Constant blasting is not always the best way to win.



Torus (Cephalic) Guardian:



Shoot the moving ball. Try to keep the crosshairs centered on the ball as much

as possible. You do have a time limit here, and if you do not destroy the

Guardian quickly, your ship will be overloaded with radiation. By the way,

this

would kill you and end your mission - so be careful to watch the overload

meter.



Swinging (Femur) Guardian:



Shoot the white glowing area. This one is particularly tricky, as the guardian

is always moving. Time your shots carefully, and you will find that this

Guardian is not that hard to finish off.





Spider (Vena Cava) Guardian:



Shoot the area which is underneath the rotating lid. The timing on this

Guardian

is very critical, although it requires less damage to beat.



Grey M (Brain) Guardian:



To defeat the Grey M requires excellent aim and patience. You can only damage

the Grey M by firing into its open mouth or the highlighted plasma area on its

top.



Other enemies



While in the body, part of your mission is to destroy as much of the invading

force as possible. Any non-organic items should be shot. Be careful to avoid

shooting the red and white blood cells. Shooting these will reduce Korsby's

life

expectancy.



The VO capsules are Axiom's way of killing Korsby in the event of an

attack. You

must destroy all of the VO capsules to finish the game. Your tracking computer

will help you here - watch it closely and try to follow the VO's as much as

possible. If one reaches the heart valve before you have destroyed it and its

missiles, Korsby dies and you will lose the game.



This is the docking station. To enter the station, you must align your ship

with

the sequence of squares emanating from the docking ring. Use the mouse for

best

results. Once inside the station, use the arrow keys for fastest movement

to the

transport tube. You may go either left or right at the juncture, either way

will

work.



In the brain, you must defeat Grey M's defensive screens before you can attack

the droid itself. To disable the screens you must shoot out the power

points on

either side of the screen. This can be very tricky. Try using the mouse to

aim,

and the keyboard to shoot. This will increase your rate of fire, and the

likelyhood of a hit.



That's it. If you need more detailed instructions, please contact Psygnosis

for

hints, or the Microcosm Hint book with spoiler.



Thanks to Christopher W. Caprio 

from Psygnosis Technical Support.



