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Brok the brave was living a life of misery, confined to the top security planet Hawkland for previous misdemeanours. A surprise offer to pop out for a quick bite from an emissary of Sol 1 turns out not quite to be what he expected. Dracula and his vampires are terrorising the earth again, subjecting people to lethal nightmares.

Having nothing better to do with his time, Brok accepts the mission and teleports down to the entrance of Dracula's Castle. His only clue is a cryptic poem that will supposedly help him in his quest. Dracula has been expecting a visit from someone for some time now and his castle comes complete with an assortment of traps and nasties - some lethal, some merely energy draining.

Vampire is a cross (Sorry, Drac, I know you don't like them!) between a platform game and an arcade adventure. There are various obstacles to be surmounted, using either a short or a high jump, as well as various items to be collected. Certain parts of the castle are inaccessible unless the correct items are held. Three keys must be located as well as a cross, a stake and a hammer.

The main problem is that you start with only one life and pint after pint of your available life-blood disappear or vanish entirely before you can find an extra life or two in the form of some flashing food. This makes the game quite frustrating in its initial stages. While nothing spectacularly original, Vampire is well put together and will give you a good run for your two pounds.