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The latest game from Antonio Savona marks the first release from Double-Sided Games, and his first platform game.

In 13th Century France, the Cathar monks are being expelled from the Languedoc by the Catholic Church. One monk, Jean Raymond, tries to run from the Crusaders and comes across a seemingly abandoned abbey for sanctuary. He sets out to explore and discover what happened to the twelve monks who were living at the abbey. With the Crusaders trying to break down the door, Jean comes across scrolls that will give clues, crosses (twelve must be collected to complete the game) and hearts (awarding an extra life). Should Jean die, he will be reincarnated at the last font that he passed. There are switches and other devices that will open passageways, invisible platforms and more. Contact with any enemy, their arrows, fire or water will kill Jean. Fire will make Jean jump, while pressing Down will make him crouch (useful for more than just avoiding arrows). In some rooms there are portals that will transport Jean to another screen. And watch out for the Pestilent Beast (a fire-breathing dragon).

The presentation throughout the game is fantastic, starting with the introductory speech and the lightning and thunder of the title screen. Saul's music is haunting, accompanied by some strong sound effects. The high-resolution main monk (achieved with sprite overlays) has a lot of character and there are a diverse range of similarly hi-res enemies. Backgrounds are filled with detail. It reflects the high-resolution style of the PC original but with a lot extra. One neat touch (among many) is the way the abbey door moves to portray the Crusaders outside trying to break in. Control is fluid, with the monk jumping and crouching on command. There is even a hidden room to find, giving the opportunity to earn extra lives. Solving the mystery will draw the player back.

There are a few places where pixel-precise jumping is required, which can lead to a little frustration. One or two of the puzzles (or routes) through a screen are not immediately apparent but will take some time to figure out. Starting with just three lives is quite punishing, despite the hearts available to earn more. Although the number of rooms is quite small, the challenge is quite high.

Another high-quality release from Antonio, and a great debut from Double-Sided Games.