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Arnold goes to somewhere else yet again, in the third of his quaintly named adventures, which are gathering quite a few fans. The Wise and Fool of Arnold Blackwood has to be the first adventure where the purpose of your noble quest is to find a Wimpy Bar in Rochdale. His Lordship has a treat for you and he'll hand it over in the said Wimpy Bar. But first, explains the introduction in typical style: "I must earn a few bob, 'cos I'm on a Whisky Diet. I lost three days last week." Arnold is text-only, using the Amstrad's windowing display to give location descriptions, directions, prompts, responses, inventory, etc, and it's certainly a colourful game. Responses are reasonable quick, but unfortunately the claim that it understands a wide vocabulary is not absolutely true. For example, in the encounter with Mexican Pete (this being just one of Rochdale's strange inhabitants), he has three objects, and offers to sell two of them to you for $500, asking you if it's a deal. I answered "Yes", only to be told to come back with the money, which I already had.

That apart, there's a lot of fun and legitimate brainteasers in the adventure. I still haven't worked out how to wake the bugling busker, though a foray into Rochdale's underground (i.e. the cemetery) was successful, leading to subterranean tunnels and a hilarious routine with a small box.

So despite its faults, Arnold is an enjoyable romp for those with a sense of the ridiculous, and patience to cope with the responses.