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The Princes of Darkness have created four evil skulls which must be destroyed at all costs if the land is to be freed of their malevolent influence. Only a druid can break the black spell but he must summon up all of his magical fighting skills if he is to succeed in penetrating the defences of the sinister tower.

This is the scenario conjured up by the Firebird team for their latest all-action game Druid. Though they would be the first to admit that this is not really a Gauntlet clone they would, I am sure, acknowledge that the gameplay is influenced by the arcade progenitor.

For those who have not yet met Gauntlet, it is a four-player arcade machine game in which each combatant controls their own character in an attempt to wipe out the evil masses ensconced in a tower of many floors. Success depends on each character fighting towards the same end but there is enough room for the odd piece of treachery on each player's part which imbues the computer characters with real personalities. This is backed up with the fact that each member of the team has their own special skills and weaknesses which give them advantages at various stages of the game.

There are similarities in Druid but the limitations of a home computer means that a slightly different approach is necessary. The most striking difference is that only two players can join in the battle but the second character can be controlled in a one-player game, unlike the solo Gauntlet game.

Enough of comparison, what does the Druid's task involve? We first meet the wizard in the green but unpleasant land controlled by the Princes of Darkness. His aim is to find the magical spells to overcome the ghosts and giant beetles which patrol the avenues of bushes and ruined buildings of which the area is composed.

Initially armed with a water spell, he finds that the evil hordes come thick and fast. Their mission is to sap all of the life-force from the druid's soul and this they can only achieve at close quarters by touching him. Turning this way and that, the brave druid fires his water spells at any approaching foe but soon finds that his power is not equally effective on all of his assailants.

Dipping into his magical resources he finds two more spells of fire and electricity which are more effective on some of the foes and he soon learns that he must control his powers according to the enemy.

Although his strengths are great, his weaknesses can be fatal. A lone druid is neither fast enough nor strong enough to overcome the Powers of Darkness which close in around him. There must be a way; there's got to be a solution. Evil cannot prevail!

Magical chests containing extra spells to boost his dwindling powers can be opened and their contents displayed on the screen. The opening of a chest is sensed by the omniscient Black Princes and the druid can only seize one of the contents of each chest before their magic destroys the chest for all time.

Now the little wizard must use his powers of reasoning to decide which item in the chest will be of most use to him. Will he need more fire, water or electricity spells, or must he depend on more powerful magic like the Golem Spell, the Cloak of Invisibility or the all-powerful Chaos Incantation? Perhaps he should just remove a key to unlock one of the many doors of the tower. The choice is yours, for you are the druid and it is your decision that will save the world or plunge it into perpetual darkness.

What of the new spells? What power do they wield? The invisibility spell casts a temporary shroud over the druid which prevents the enemies from sensing his presence and he can then travel short distances unmolested.

Chaos destroys any enemy within striking distance which, in real terms, means the area displayed on the computer's screen, but the spell lasts for several seconds and as the druid moves so does the spell. The spell has a double-edged effect - evil powers are vanquished but the power of good is increased and the druid receives a refreshing dose of energy to bring him back to full fighting strength.

The golem spell calls forth an ally from the netherworld. Rising from the very clay of the land comes a powerful golem, strong and compliant it can either be commanded by the druid in the one-player game or controlled by a second player. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Under joystick control you become a victim to the golem controller's whims. The golem is an animated shield which destroys the wicked on contact. Its purpose is to guard and protect the druid with the strength of its body but, under the control of another person, it may not behave the way you expect.

Under the druid's control, the golem must be told what to do but it can get in the way in the midst of battle. The golem is controlled by three basic commands. The usual mode for it is following the druid, acting as a rear guard, but at times it must be held at bay with a 'wait' command while the druid goes about his other business.

If the golem blocks the wizard's path, it can be commanded to wander in the direction indicated by the druid, but magic can only control the golem within a limited range and it will start to wander aimlessly if the range is exceeded. For the druid it is vital that he keeps his beast close at hand as a wandering golem is of little use. If its energy is high when it strays, it must be caught and brought back to heel because a new golem cannot be conjured up while another still exists.

The power of the golem drains as it contacts and dispels the malevolent enemy until the faithful dumb creature makes the ultimate sacrifice and his existence ceases.

The druid is also being weakened by the fighting and soon he must restore his energy. A chaos spell is precious and too drastic to be used merely as a regenerative aid. Fortunately, there are Pentagrams of Life drawn on the ground in special places. The druid is refreshed merely by standing on a pentagram but he must make sure that he protects himself from evil attacks while the regeneration occurs.

Soon the surprise dawns. The tower does not rise from the earth but lies beneath ground in seven further storeys (or dungeons). Dashing down the stairs must be avoided if a golem is following. The result of too hasty an assault is that the golem will be lost forever.

Now the use and selection of door keys becomes more crucial. To succeed, the druid must enter many locked rooms in his search for replenishing magic and for the route to the skulls which lie on the lower floors.

On these levels there are new henchmen of the Princes and the druid must find the most effective magic with which to overcome their power. Additionally, there are energy sapping flagstones and pools.

At its simplest, Druid could be described as a glorified maze game but my impression is that it is a *glorious* maze game. The time is right for a new approach to computer games and this is an indicator of the current wind of change. The result is a wonderful game with impressive graphic animation and a challenge which few should ignore.