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I was brought up to believe that you only get what you pay for. While that adage is true for most things in life it certainly doesn't always apply to computer software. At only £3.95 I can safely say that The Nine Dancers compares favourably with many adventures at three times that price.

The program is packaged in a very professional manner with superbly atmospheric background notes to prepare you for the adventure ahead. "In The Nine Dancers you play the part of a reporter for a local newspaper who has been asked to write an article on the stories connected with some of the local tourist sites." One such tourist attraction is a circle of nine standing stones about which legends and flights of fantasy abound.

You begin your quest at a bus stop in a narrow country lane outside the village of Steignton. A quick glance around reveals a litter bin (full of messy rubbish), an old button, a bus shelter and a sign post. My first instinct was to examine the sign which told me that Wychwood was only seven miles away. Having already been there, I turned my attentions to the old button.

This button, it turns out, is part of a very clever chaining puzzle involving a needle and some thread - but I'll leave you to solve that one.

The village of Steignton provides much of the focus of the adventure and all the shops are worth examining. The postcards and advertisements in the window of the general store reveal the first evidence of the debt that author Geoff Larsen obviously owes to Scott Adams in the writing of adventures.

The humour is refreshing and touches upon contemporary life. Above the door of the tea shop an emblazoned sign proudly displays the longevity of the company's continued business - EXAMINE SIGN shows: Purveyors of fine teas since 1986.

Also watch out for the antique dealer who is bound to rob you blind!

The inlay notes hint at magic and mysticism which certainly have a home in this adventure. The first sticking points could be the policeman who blocks your way to the Nine Dancers and, outside the general store, an alarm which must need ringing.

If you want an adventure which compares to Scott Adams at his best, then this it.

Pendragon