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A naughty Gypsy has cast a wicked spell which means that you can't get back in to your castle. To make matters worse, you've been incarcerated in a Crystal Sphere. Only by finding the magic chalice of Cagara can you break the spell and get back home.

To accompany you in your quest is your favourite hamster, Eric. Some help, eh? But little Eric packs a powerful punch. Somehow he's managed to grow helicopter blades! This means that when you release him he can put a timely end to the various nestles that are out to stop you finding the chalice.

Moving out from the castle grounds you enter a world of mazes, caverns, and exotic gardens. Sometimes you have to travel in the dark, with only one section of a maze in view. There are also hidden moms, some of them cul-de-sacs, where you must avoid getting cornered by the grizzly ghouls in pursuit.

The monsters come in a variety of forms: animate g les, whirling disks and crystalline spheres. There are also flying arrows and the odd laser beam or two. And don't get too close to the colourful hedgerows as nestles can leap out at any moment.

Finding out where the chalice is hidden is really a matter of trial-and-error. There are no screen directions, but there are various objects along the way which come in handy. The sword is particularly useful as it can be used to slay monsters: they have to be stabbed in the left ear apparently their most vulnerable spot!

Without the chalice there's no chance of returning home. And don't expect any compliments at the end of the game. It's not nice being called a 'useless worm'!

Control keys: Q up, A down, O left, P right, bottom row to fire
Joystick: Kempston, Cursor, Interface 2
Keyboard play: responsive
Use of colour: nothing special
Graphics: uninspiring
Sound: above average
Skill levels: one
Screens: PLAYERS didn't know!

'Hmmm...! This game, to say the least, is pretty tricky, in fact, I'd say that It's almost Impossible. The graphics are uninteresting, the characters are very primitive and the backgrounds are unveiled. The sound is pretty much run-of-the-mill stuff, although there are a couple of fair to average tunes on the title screen and a few spot effects during the game. Generally, there is nothing here that I haven't seen before. Another less than wonderful game from purees I'm afraid.'

'I had great difficulty trying to get Cagara to load and once I did, I must admit. I wish I hadn't. The presentation is not all that bad for a budget game, and the sound is nearly decent too. I just found the game much too boring. The keyboard response is very good but the graphics a re very poor compared with most budget stuff - they're small and colourful. Even the most excitable person wouldn't be impressed with this one.'

'Cagara is really weird - not in the sense of it being an entertainingly original game, either. The game, even for £2.99, is far too simple, and though it moves at a reasonable pace, gets boring after only a few minutes. I've seen the scenario more than once before as well: recover the chalice and get out? The sound on the title screen is the best bit of it. The graphics are very boring, with only a border around most of the screens, and some very flickery characters. Even for the price, Cagara is one game that I wouldn't think about buying.'