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A time of great darkness is settling upon us, the night air is alive with menace and the hills resonate to the howl of the werewolf; or is it just the wind.

For centuries, mankind has been protected from the wrath of the vampires by a number of sacred medallions hidden within the walls of the towns, which served to balance out the forces of good and evil.

But Count Dracula is hungry for blood, and he's decided the time has come to put matters straight. Well, it's hard scratching a living as a vampire nowadays.

In this marvellously ghoulish tale, set over five 20 screen levels, you take on the role of the evil Count, determined to fight his way to the medallions and make a bid for world domination.

Standing in his way however, is that legendary Vampire Hunter Professor Van Helsing, who's not only got wind of his foul plan, but he's also alerted the townsfolk and got them out on the hunt for you.

The odds may seem a little stacked against you as you come across enemies armed with wooden stakes, priests with phials of holy water, archers and sorcerers, but don't worry overmuch, you have a few tricks up your sleeve as well.

Not only are you Dracula, but you also have the ability to transform yourself into a werewolf and a bat as well. Quite a party trick.

On each level, you need to pick up five coloured keys and three parchments. The keys will get you further into the game and, at the end of each level, you'll find the town where the medallions are hidden. Go through the red and blue door and you've reached the next level.

Taking on the form of the werewolf, you'll find yourself impervious to some of the weapons of your adversaries, but watch out for the silver bullets. When taking on the form of the bat, you can get over some murky looking stretches of water, but you can only land again on terra firma, not on any of the platforms.

If you happen to get hit by any missiles whilst in your transformed states, you automatically return to the form of Dracula. Time to get your teeth out and start biting.

Getting used to the transformation and biting techniques will take some time but, once mastered, you can certainly give the good guys a run for their money.

One tip: Professor Van Helsing is indestructable, so avoid him carefully when he appears at the end of each level.

Night Hunter is a splendidly thought out game, with plenty of fresh ideas to keep you glued to the screen. What there may be lacking in colour is more than compensated for by the action and, if you get caught up in it, make sure you get to the crypt before Dracula come the morning, or you'll end up having many a sleepless adventure.