From Here To Kingdom Come

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This is a traditional adventure game, set in a mythical valley in which reside, as you might have guessed, two kings, who aren't exactly on the best of terms.

You play the classic adventure stereotype - an adventurous, bounty hunting, greedy human. Survive long enough, and you'll discover 175 illustrated locations, and 35 creatures, each with its own current strength, maximum strength, carrying capacity, and unattractive personality. You've been set an objective, too, though it's only the rather unimaginative target of amassing 1024 points.

Helped, no doubt, by the low price tag, Twin Kingdom Valley seems to have already caught the imagination of many players, since I've come across hints and tips on the game in several software magazines. It's just as well, as without them, and Bug-Byte's own help sheet, I wouldn't have got far. To be honest, I still haven't got far!

I wish software houses would give an approximate level of difficulty for their adventures, to save baffling beginners and frustrating afficionados. Bug-Byte haven't done so here, so I'll now declare that this game is difficult.

Two particular problems I encountered occurred at the beginning and the end of each game. I found it very hard to get going, and spent a lot of time wandering along forest paths, past endless babbling brooks, meeting just the odd unarmed gorilla. Then, when something deadful happened, and I was sent to meet my maker, I found there's no way of restarting without reloading the whole game. A surprising shortcoming in an otherwise sophisticated package.

Keyboard response is excellent. The program accepts anything from whole sentences to single letters, and responds quickly. Six display options, available throughout each game, determine if and when graphics are shown and the length of location descriptions, allowing players to customise the game to their style and experience.

I'd call this game a very attractively written challenge for the experienced adventurer.

Bernard Emblem