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As far as I recall, The Quest For The Holy Grail isn't a new game and was originally by Dream Software. Whatever the case, Mastertronic has snapped up this mixed text and graphics game for their £1.99 range.

Python aficionados will remember the bizarre film of the same name with an Arthurian Britain populated by anarcho-syndicalist mud gathering peasants and cowardly knights, some of whom tended to say odd things like 'Nic' unless quickly dismembered.

The computer program adopts the same whacky approach to the subject matter and you must wander the evil wasteland in search of the fabled cup, adopting the guise of Sir Tappin. Both Camelot and the surrounding countryside is populated by a variety of weird creatures - exploding white rabbits, three-headed knights, CND demonstrators, and holy hand-grenades.

There are also the knights who say odd things - beware particularly of the knight who says 'Sic'... he really means it. Somewhere within this medieval horror jumble - with liberal doses of anachronism - lies the cup that cheers.

The graphics are fairly slow as are the responses. 'Examine' is not always fruitful but in general the replies are humorous and sometimes downright cantankerous. On asking for an already described object to be examined I was first told, 'Why didn't you pay attention the first time?'. A second request was met with a simple 'No'.

Camelot is easily found but it's not so simple to get past the violently nauseous retainer who bars the way. Before you do that you will probably want to seek out the jester's Hat of Invisibility to escape the murderous intentions of Eugene, Wielder Of the Vic-20. Asking for help is also often fraught with difficulty as the interpreter will sometimes refuse, saying, 'Get lost, I'm sulking!'

The Quest For The Holy Grail, despite its rather dated programming, is still a humorous game with a cheeky interpreter and some silly messages mixed into the bizarre problems. You could do a lot worse at two or three times the price.