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Lapis Philosophorum or The Philosopher's Stone, is a graphic adventure with 83 different screens. The graphics are quite detailed and, best of all, very fast.

According to the packaging, it has seven different ruotes to completion, and by that, I presume it means the game does not have to be solved in a set procedure.

The story unfolds in a small kingdom of Alkanian, where the King, having no son of his own, has decreed that his stepson will succeed him on his death.

To hasten this event, his stepson poisons him. With little time left before he dies, the King issues orders for all healers and wizards to come and save him.

Expecting such moves, his stepson warns all would-be healers to stay away, or face death in a most unpleasant manner. At this point, you enter the game.

A retired alchemist, enjoying a quiet life, your peace is shattered by the arrival of a king's messenger who begs you to try and find a cure. You know of onl one, the Philosopher's Stone.

I started on my quest with little else than a book and my trusty old lute. Having no money with which to buy items, I turned my hand to busking for a living. Soon, with a little cash in hand, I started to equip myself for the adventure.

My first problem was escaping the walled city where I lived, as the guards at the only exit had been told not to allow me to leave.

However, my good deed for the day presented me with a hypnotic solution, and I was soon on my way. Not alone, I might add, but with a pig of all things, for a companion.

Once outside the city I had to figure a means of getting past a bunch of drunken knights, (out for a knight's fun, you might say) who take pleasure in killing poor defenceless alchemists. I wandered on through forests, gathering objects I thought would be useful later in the game, and solving the problems.

An encounter with a large unfriendly bird didn't help much and being thrown down the side of an abyss did my health no good at all.

With most of the obstacles behind me, my instincts told me the final solution lay across a fast moving and dangerous river.

The only way across was via a small ferry, which was moored on the other side. I could see the ferryman in his boat, but no matter how much I shouted or waved my arms, the ferry man saw me not.

But before long I was on my way, once more with the pig in tow, looking for the elixir of life.

The Philosopher's Stone is of German origin, and has been translated into English.

But beware of some of the responses, they're really weird. They don't make the game any harder, just a little unusual.

The only negative aspect of the adventure involves buying tools at the start. You are not told which items are available. Instead, you are required to guess, buy typing, for instance, BUY AXE. If such an item is available, then you'll get it, but otherwise you have to keep trying different objects.