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Several months ago, in the near future, strange signals were being emitted from the Moon by an unusual transmitter. But what did they mean and who was behind such an act? The International Commission for Universal Problem Solving (or ICUPS for those of you who prefer acronyms) were interested, so much so that they enlisted the help of the Rt Hon Charlemagne Fotheringham ('but you can call me Grunes Charlie'). Charlie unwittingly took on the daring deed and took off immediately on an epic journey to explore the Nodes Of Yesod and locate the source of the signals. After a great deal of torment from the maze-like cave structure of the Moon and the hostility of its inhabitants, he did so. And although what Charlie found wasn't quite expected, it didn't come as any great surprise... A large black slab of unknown origin and composition, the Monolith, was transmitting vital data pertaining to the vulnerability of Earth's defences, to someone, somewhere deep in outer space. But who, and more importantly where... ? Charlie promptly returned to his home planet and a hero's welcome, and the incident was soon forgotten by all... all but ICUPS, whose duty it is to worry about such things.

And worry they did, since it transpired that the 'lith (that's trendy spaceman's terminology for Monolith) was an extremely sophisticated tactical warfare computer and was planted on the Moon by a race of galactic megalomaniacs from the planet Ariat (Ariatans if you hadn't guessed), to which the 'lith was transported when Charlie attempted to destroy it. Should the Atarians, sorry Ariatans, get their sweaty little appendages on the necessary information, it means only one thing... The end of the Earth as we know it! Only one man can prevent such a travesty, a man who is familiar with the ways of the 'lith and those who guard it - The Rt Hon Charlemagne Fotheringham!

So, after much persuasion and deliberation, Charlie found himself on a spacecraft to Ariat. And when he landed on the outskirts of the capital city, he found his surroundings uncomfortably familiar - the planet Ariat looked remarkably like... the Moon! Although there wasn't a mole to be seen, rockets were occasionally launched from the craters - but why? He wasn't sure. Despite certain scenic differences, Charlie felt a certain déjà vu... This feeling was strengthened when he began to explore the darker depths of the planet, for beneath the placid exterior there were all manner of alien life forms, behaving like those previously discovered in the Moon. Although they didn't look the same, Charlie knew they would present as much of a problem as before, especially since one strange beast disorientated him on contact. He was in deep trouble (literally) and it seemed that finding the 'lith was going to be even more of a taxing task than he initially though. And of course, once found it must be destroyed... But how?

During his search our aspiring hero discovered several crystals. Their composition was as familiar as their surroundings... Could this be the breakthrough he was looking for? Charlie pondered upon the idea and decided it would be wise to collect them - it worked before, so why not now?

With the aid of a small spherical device of similar qualities to the moles found on the Moon's surface, and by effectively using the transporters placed throughout the multitudinous subterranean passages, Charlie managed to collect eight crystals of the same structure. Now all he had to do was locate the 'lith - its destruction was imminent... But then so was the Earth's if, by some quirk of fate, he should fail...

Nodes was an excellent game, but releasing this is a bit of a gamble - punters may find Arc too similar to the former to be worth buying. Still, Arc is an excellent program in itself, and it's only fair to say that it follows Nodes similarly to the way that Wally games follow each other. The graphics are excellent, with some lovely, excellently animated sprites, and there is some really spectacular scenery. The music is good too, although it sounds rather similar to the backing music of Robin Of The Wood. If you liked Nodes then you should definitely try out this one, it's a great arcade adventure, but maybe just a little too much like its predecessor?

I found The Arc Of Yesod a great disappointment and expected far more from a follow up to the superb Nodes Of Yesod. The former has many similarities to its predecessor and subsequently it became less interesting to play since there was always that feeling of deja vu. There are many original play elements and although the graphics, indeed the game itself, (is) are better, I didn't enjoy the experience quite so much the second time around.

Despite Thor's attempts to plagiarize their own product (ie Nodes), Arc Of Yesod is an excellent product in its own right. Comparisons to Nodes are really unavoidable because of their similarity, and Arc is a great deal more playable. The graphics have even surpassed Nodes' excellent standard. The large detailed figures are beautifully animated and look very realistic. The gameplay itself is very similar to its forebear, though the challenge is far greater since the map is larger and there are a lot more hidden passageways. I didn't like the mechanical equivalent of the mole; it just wasn't as cute! Overall, a truly great game and if you liked Nodes, it's likely you'll love this.

Presentation 82%
A few options and attractive on screen layout.

Graphics 96%
Eloquent backdrops, full of detail and atmosphere with equally attractive sprites.

Sound 83%
Some good tunes and befitting FX.

Hookability 92%
Although the game is a mite derivative it still proves compelling to both play and map.

Lastability 91%
A harder game to complete but just as absorbing.

Value For Money 90%
Maybe not so worthy of you've already bought Nodes... But then if you liked it or haven't got the original, Arc offers a bit more for a little less.

Overall 91%
An improved version of Nodes can only be an example of an excellent arcade adventure.