From the inlay:
Less than human, far more than mere computer.
The Psytron controls the massive Betula 5 Installation. When the attack comes, it will cope with defensive demands which would leave a human brain unhinged, computer circuits scrambled.
Damage in any sector of the base must be assessed and its effect on the fabric of the installation calculated immediately.
Human lives will be expended as necessary but if the Psytron ever goes down...
User Summary:
Psytron is an unusual shooter in many ways, especially for the mid-1980s.
Each level has the player taking on additional responsibilities. The first few levels simply have you blasting enemies on the ground and in the air, later levels have the player freezing time to deal with damage control. The final levels involve you communicating with ships in orbit to bring down supplies you need to keep the base operational. The aim of the last level is to survive for a full hour.
To progress to the next level, the game assesses not just your one-off performance, but the average of your last five attempts at each level. These are saved to tape as your 'Service Record'.
At the end of the game a score is displayed based 60% on how long you kept the base intact and 40% on the average scores on the previous levels stored in the Service Record.
The code could be submitted to Beyond Software to win a Sinclair Q.L.. This would be won either by the first person to complete the game (surviving an hour on the last level) or whoever gained the best score by 30 November 1984.