This new adventure-arcade game from Synapse is a fast playing, colorful, and very difficult game to play. The object of the game as you take on the role of Secret agent 'Shamus' is to proceed through the different rooms in order to get to the bottom level where the Shadow's hideout is. Sounds easy doesn't it, well this game is not as easy as explained.
    The first level you start at is the black level which has 37 different rooms. You begin in room number 0 and each room is numbered accordingly. The little man can move in any of the eight joystick positions and can also fire an inexhaustible supply of Ion-SHIVS(Ionic-Short High-Intensity Vaporizers) to disinegrate anything that gets in it'- way. Each room that is entered has something inside of it. It may be a keyhole, key, mystery(?), or an extra life. The hallways joining certain rooms don't have any objects in them, except many types of drones, which are in every room. These drones attack with bullets and by moving into you. These drones are ROBO-Droids, Spriral drones, and Snap Jumpers. If you take to long in getting out of a room the shadow will come out of nowhere to get you. The only way of stopping him is to shoot him but that only stuns him for a second so get out of the room and your time will start over.
    There are four different levels in the game and to get to each level you must open different doors with the keys you find. Each key is a different color to match the different colored keyholes. Besides having four different levels in the lair there are four different skill levels. They range from Novice to Expert, where novice being fairly slow moving and few drones, and expert moving extremely fast and many drones. Once you leave a room and then return back into the same room there will be more drones but no object if you have already taken it. If 'Shamus' touches any of the walls he will be electrocuted.
    The game is very easy to understand and enjoyable to play. You don't even need to read the instructions to start playing.
    This game can make you very frustrated because its very challenging, maybe a bit to much. But the very persistent arcade player should be able to make it to the hideout. If you do write me.
    The graphics are great in all respects of the word. The player moves smooth and the colors are pleasant. The firing of both the good and bad is excellent.
    The sound is good and before the game is loaded in all the way, 'Alfred Hitchcock's' theme song plays in four-part harmony.
    The documentation is not flashy but to the point. You don't really need to read the rules except to get some extra hints.
    My overall rating of Shamus is: This game is excellent change to normal adventure games. It combines both the arcade action plus the mystery of an adventure.