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WIZARD SHENANIGANS

Most adventurers will find themselves at home in the world of Kentilla a new mixed text and graphics game from Micromega.

Caraland is a place of magic, strange beings and heroes. A vile wizard, Grako by name, rules from his dark tower and spreads evil and destruction abroad. He possesses a moonstone, the source of his power and unless he can be defeated he will become undisputed ruler of Caraland.

Your role is, naturally, that of the budding hero and you must explore the scorched wastelands, caves and forests to find the means to defeat Grako. Urga-mauls, the local orc equivalents, will treat you with scorn and violence and you may be able to get help from Elva, a creature or person who will follow you rather like Thorin does in The Hobbit.

The overall plot is familiar and takes bits and pieces from many adventure sources. Indeed, Velnor himself - remember Velnor? - gets a mention in the credits.

The insert tells you straight away that the game is devious and gives little clues as to how best to progress in Caraland. The game is described as interactive and the varied beings will react to you in quite understandable ways. The amiable cavezats - rather ponderous cavern dwellers - will treat you amiably until you attack and will then go all out to slay you.

Speaking to characters may get results but they do not appear to be overly responsive. The graphics are clear and colourful and almost instantaneous, whilst the interpreter will accept a wide range of input.

There are a number of useful features - such as recall of the last command - and the cursor can be moved through an entry enabling swift correction. Despite those features the game seems slow moving and it is all too easy to spend time getting hardly anywhere at all. That is an obvious disadvantage and may well mean the program is just too devious for the average adventurer. Time will tell.