ZX Computing


King's Keep

Publisher: Firebird
Machine: Spectrum 48K/Plus

 
Published in ZX Computing #34

King's Keep

The country is ruled by a tyrant. The peasants know it. The merchants know it. What makes the fact that you know it even harder to bear is that King Harold the Heartless, as he has become known, is your father. Suspecting that your loyalties lie with the people rather than him, he has had you imprisoned in the depths of his castle. Can you escape and help to overthrow your father the despot, or will you suffer his domination like the rest of the populace?

Like many arcade adventures being released at the moment, King's Keep has heavy platform game overtones. Dotted around the castle are various bits of furniture and brick wall that can, by means of a prodigious leap, be reached thus allowing you access to other parts of the castle. There is also a fair amount of objects to be collected on your travels and people to talk to.

Pressing the '5' key brings up a list of additional commands available to you. These range from talking to someone, giving them something or manipulating a previously acquired item. For example, the crazy old man has lost his necklace. As he is, blocking the entrance to another part of the castle, it would seem prudent to try and find it in the hope that he will let you pass. Certain areas of the castle are marked with an 'F'. This means that you are forbidden to enter them until a certain task has been accomplished. Refusal to obey results in an instant game over message.

The game, if nothing too original or stunning to look at, is quite playable, and if you enjoy the collect-the-objects-and-sove-the-puzzles type of game, then King's Keep is not bad value for money.