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Once more the fair princess Prin Prin finds herself in evil clutches and none but the brave knight Arthur can save her . Donning his armour he sets forth, lance in hand, to show Lucifer the error of his ways.

The undead can be a little funny about property rights and it is only to be expected when they get a little upset about our hero tramping over their graves. Being polite, they creep up behind Arthur and try to attract his attention by tapping him on the neck with their scythes.

Quite unreasonably, Arthur takes offence and sticks them with his lance. This brings an end to what could have been a pleasant stroll to Hell as the local inhabitants arise to kick up a stink.

The quest starts upon desolate ground where the dead challenge the armour-plated hero. These trendy ghouls with their over-the-shoulder shrouds and designer scythes make the perfect fashion accessory for any questing hero. The occasional ghoul carries a golden pot which, upon its demise, releases an enchanted object. These objects can be anything from the latest in high-tech axes to those all-alluring bonus points. The second method of gaining bonus points and additional weaponry is to tempt the wrath of the sorcerers by whacking their chests with your weapon. If favourable to your quest they will grant you a mighty weapon or some magical armour but if not, you could find yourself on the end of some heavy duty sorcery and spend a short time as a duck.

There are five weapon types for Arthur to wield, each varying in speed, power and trajectory. The lance and sword follow a straight path to their target but at different speeds. The axe, however, takes an upward angle, which is great for shooting flying monsters but lousy when running downhill as all you can do is shoot over the heads of monsters. The discus avoids most of these problems by flying straight until it hits the landscape which it then hugs until striking its victim or leaving the screen. The final weapon is the flaming flask which has a limited range but a long-lasting effect as it sets fire to the ground. If power armour is obtained, the magical side of these weapons can be utilised.

The lance calls down the lightning with devastating effect; the sword creates a double to aid you and the final three release glowing balls which spiral into the heavens destroying all they encounter.

Each of the five levels is split into two sections; losing a life takes you back to the start of the current section.

Once past the rising dead, guillotines and vultures, the rain begins and you battle your way past whirling dervishes to meet head on the end-level guardian. This giant seems to have a severe case of dandruff but instead of the odd flake his entire head floats free. Avoid the missiles issuing from its mouth, land a few good blows and a key is liberated, taking you to further adventures on the next death-defying level.

From the rain soaked hills the knight moves to another extreme, the life-sucking heat of the desert. The rundown windmills look a little out of place in this scenery but the cultural clash is minimal compared to the leaping turtles. This level boasts one of the hardest parts to the game and a monster of which bad dreams are made. Halfway through the level you find yourself sliding down a pit in the sand. What awaits at the bottom appears indestructible and is little more than a jaw with legs.

Later you struggle with bottomless pits and then a final encounter with a leaping end-level guardian.

The first two levels are pretty tough but things deteriorate rapidly as you storm a monster-filled castle before pressing on to find yourself once again in the land of the dead. Sloping ice pathways add a new angle but the end-level guardian is really odd, it's a dead whale.

This gigantic carcass has a few infestations which until removed bar your exit to the next and final level. After battling your way past some pretty heavy minions, you reach the heights of the evil fortress to confront Lucifer in the guise of a winged monstrosity.

Defeat Lucifer and free the princess so all can live happily ever after and you can hear the nice Elizabethan victory tune.

This game is very playable. The graphics and sound effects are not outstanding but the joy of playing this game outweighs all such minor considerations.