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Doppelganger is German for a double - this game features a sorceress and her alter ego in their quest to recover five ingots of precious metal. The two persona each have to complete tasks in order to finish the game and frequent switches between them are needed.

The twins start in the same location of a 25 room castle with only one of them able to move at a time. The alter ego appears as a green transparent figure with the real self being more solid. The castle rooms are in 3D with doors, making moving around much like it is in Knight Lore or Alien 8. There is only one door out of the start room and this is where the ingots have to be returned.

Each double can move through particular types of door and thereby access different areas of the castle. The sorceress can pass through blue-framed doors while her partner can pass through green-framed doors. Both can pass through white-framed doors and, if they have the right key, through the various colour-coded locked doors.

Keys, ingots and other objects are found lying around the castle and are picked up by just moving over them. The ingots simply have to be returned to the start room but other objects may take some figuring out. A shield, book and a candle-like object are all to be found but what use they are is for you to work out.

As you make your way through the castle, many nasty creatures may be encountered and have to be dealt with. Spiders are a real problem since they will chase after the sorceress from room to room sapping her energy. This is represented by an hourglass which, if it runs out, will end the game. Spiders don't chase the alter ego though so a quick switch can get you out of a sticky situation.

In some rooms, armoured heads or demons may move in patterns across the floor and running into these will also drain energy. Danger can also be found beneath you in the form of floor plates and arrows that run across rooms. There is a way to replenish energy drained by these hazards, but you have to find the right room and be controlling the right character.

The most dangerous foe will give you no time at all to replenish energy since it kills on the spot. The Gorgon's head must be avoided at all costs unless you know how to prevent it killing the sorceress. Aspects like this add the necessary element to stop this being a simple collection game and turn it into more of an arcade adventure.

The graphics are quite intriguing, as is the actual gameplay, but it probably won't manage to get you really hooked since it isn't really large enough. A definite challenge that may take a few pleasant hours to solve.

A very pretty game that just fails to make the grade, mainly because it's too small to pose the long-term challenge a player wants from an arcade adventure. The graphics are well up to scratch, although the figures themselves are a little cut-out. Very nice music at the start, but poor game sounds.

P. Interesting room graphics and characters.
P. Novel dual character control and switching.
P. Adventure elements that will take some solving.

N. Movement control can be difficult.
N. 25 screens may not be enough to keep you happy.
N. A few more clues and object identities would be nice.