Flagship Titles

Uridium (1986)

Developer: Graftgold (Andrew Braybrook) — Music: Steve Turner — Platforms: C64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC — see full entry in Catalogue

Uridium places the player at the controls of a Manta fighter over the vast surface of alien super-ships — dreadnoughts so large they function as levels in themselves. The dreadnought scrolls beneath the player; the Manta can fly left and right, weaving between gun emplacements, fighters, and the fixed architecture of the ship's surface. The objective is to destroy enough enemy craft to allow a landing, then run a gauntlet of foot soldiers to reach the self-destruct sequence.

Andrew Braybrook's design is extraordinarily precise. The Manta's momentum — the way it builds speed moving with the scroll and slows against it — is central to the game's feel. Enemy placement and patterns are demanding but fair; each death teaches rather than frustrates. Fifteen dreadnoughts of escalating difficulty, each with its own surface texture and enemy configuration. The C64 SID score by Steve Turner drives the action without overpowering it.

Uridium won the Golden Joystick Award for Best Arcade-Style Game in 1986 — the most coveted award in the British gaming industry. It remains the most famous title in the Hewson catalogue. Full catalogue entry. Music context.

"Uridium is visually awesome, sonically sound, technically stunning — brilliant shoot 'em up."
Zzap!64

Paradroid (1985)

Developer: Graftgold (Andrew Braybrook) — Platforms: C64 — see full entry in Catalogue

Paradroid is a shoot 'em up and strategy hybrid of remarkable originality. The player controls an Influence Device — designation 001, the weakest droid on the ship — tasked with clearing rogue droids from nine derelict spacecraft. The 001 cannot survive long in direct combat; its power is the ability to engage other droids in a circuit connection battle, represented as a logic puzzle played out in real time.

The circuit battle mechanic — a minigame of capturing circuit connections before the opponent — determines whether the player can take over a more powerful droid. A successful transfer grants the defeated droid's weaponry and durability; a failed attempt returns the player to the fragile 001. The higher the target droid's number, the more powerful it is — and the harder to defeat in circuit battle.

The result is a game of constant tactical assessment. Which droid is worth the risk of a transfer attempt? Which should be destroyed outright? The ship layouts and droid populations differ across the nine vessels, requiring adaptation. The C64 version stands as one of the platform's finest achievements. Full catalogue entry. Music context.

Nebulus (1987)

Developer: John Phillips — Platforms: C64, ZX Spectrum, Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad CPC, Game Boy — see full entry in Catalogue

Nebulus presents one of the most distinctive mechanics in the Hewson catalogue: Pogo, a small amphibious creature, must climb a rotating cylindrical tower while enemies descend and obstacles block the path. The tower rotates as Pogo moves around its circumference — a 3D effect achieved through careful sprite manipulation that was technically remarkable on the C64 in 1987.

The game consists of eight towers, each with distinct enemy types and platform configurations. Pogo can jump and fire a weapon, but primarily the challenge is navigation — finding the route through the obstacles while avoiding the descending enemies. Between tower stages are brief underwater sequences. The pacing is precise and the difficulty escalation considered.

Known as Tower Toppler in North America. The engine proved sufficiently flexible to port across six platforms including the original Game Boy. John Phillips's achievement is remarkable both technically and in game design terms. Full catalogue entry. Music context.

Cybernoid: The Fighting Machine (1988)

Developer: Raf Cecco — Music: Jeroen Tel — Platforms: C64, ZX Spectrum, Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad CPC — see full entry in Catalogue

Cybernoid is a shoot 'em up of armament and tactical thinking. The player's ship — the Cybernoid fighting machine — carries multiple weapons: a primary cannon, bombs, homing missiles, a deployable drone, and a shield. Enemies attack from fixed positions and in waves; the challenge is selecting the right weapon for each engagement while managing ammunition.

Raf Cecco's mechanics are precise and demanding. Cybernoid does not reward button-mashing; it rewards understanding each weapon's behaviour, its timing, its arc, and its appropriate target. The screen-by-screen level structure means each challenge can be analysed and mastered methodically. The difficulty is high but the design is entirely fair.

Jeroen Tel's C64 SID score is the game's second great achievement. The title tune's driving melody and the in-game tension cue are genre-defining. CRASH magazine awarded the game 96%. Full catalogue entry. Music context. Press coverage.

Exolon (1987)

Developer: Raf Cecco — Music: Steve Jones / Martin Walker — Platforms: C64, ZX Spectrum, Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad CPC — see full entry in Catalogue

Exolon is a run-and-gun in which Vitorc, equipped with a powered exoskeleton and an arsenal of weapons, must traverse alien terrain destroying enemy installations. The player can fire a gun and throw grenades; certain enemies and obstacles require specific weapons. The exoskeleton can be shed to move more freely in tight spaces.

Raf Cecco's Hewson debut established his signature approach: precise controls, demanding but fair enemy placement, and mechanical systems that require understanding rather than reflexes alone. The ZX Spectrum version was particularly well-received, demonstrating Cecco's ability to deliver quality across platforms. Five platforms received versions.

Exolon established Raf Cecco's reputation at Hewson before the Cybernoid era that would define the company's late period. Full catalogue entry. Music context.