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Pick up your knapsack and get set for some epic swordplay in this excellent offering from Atlantis. The scenario is simple, if a little obvious, concerning a damsel in distress, but the gameplay is superb.

The Dark Lord has taken Lalena hostage, and your task is to battle your way through fouor arduous landscapes, taking on his evil hordes as you go, in a desperate bid to save her from a fate worse than death.

Starting off, you already have a fairly awesome armoury, consisting of sword and throwing daggers. However, if you want to stay around for a while, you'll need to buy some more pretty fast.

The only way to progress through the four different levels; the arid plains, bottomless caverns, soaring mountains and dark, forbidding forests respectively, is to collect as much gold as you can.

Picking up as many chests as you can will fill your coffers nicely, though you will have to pick off the guards to get your hands on it. Once you have, keep your eyes peeled for the shops which are scattered over the levels. Here, you can purchase extra shields, spells, keys and parts of the precious Moontorc.

What do you need the Moontorc for? Basically, if you want to get past the vicious Tollmen at the end of each level, you must collect the three parts of the Moontorc, otherwise you'll never get anywhere near Lalena.

Use your gold sparingly and make sure you have enough to buy the pieces, allowing you to move on to bigger and badder opponents.

Buying the colour-coded keys at the shop is also a good idea. Most of the important items you will need are locked behind doors, so buying as many keys to fit the same colour doors will certainly help you out.

Scout around for extra items and food as you do, as every little bit will help you in this superb quest. Featuring some very smart graphics and excellent sound effects, Moontorc is a joy to play.

Use your spells carefully, as they only work against certain creatures. You'll have to work out which ones for yourself, so a little trial and error is called for here.

Above all, Moontorc is great fun. It'll certainly hook you for very early on, and, for the price, it has to be one of the best offerings on the market right now. If you like your swordplay with a little strategy thrown in for good measure, then make sure you get hold of this one soon.