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The action begins above ground in the Necropolis graveyard. Boone's first task is to find the way down into Midian. With the Sons Of The Free attacking, many of the Breed have already been forced to the surface. The Sons themselves are the real problem though, armed with machine guns and flamethrowers. The first key is found in this vicinity, and from here it's a short trip down into Midian.

Once underground, the main threat to your survival is not the Sons Of The Free (although there are still plenty of them about), but the Breed, now in greater numbers and more gruesome guises. This bizarre lizard-creature, for example, has a habit of detaching his head and attacking you with it while his body looks on!

As a fully paid-up member of the Nightbreed, Boone's a bit handy at this shapeshifting lark. He can transform into a much tougher character (as indicated by the tattoo-like whorls on his face), with increased kicking, punching and jumping ability. The transformation only lasts for a short time though, so make the most of it.

A key! Boone only has to collect this rectangular blue crystal to be one step closer to his date with Baphomet. But he needs to get past this menacing Son Of The Free first.

Against some of the more powerful members of Midian, Boone's feet and hands aren't always tough enough. When a 'Son Of The Free' is killed, he may leave behind a gun that Boone can make use of against such aggressors. Ammunition is in short supply, so use it sparingly.

Before Boone collects the final key, he has to dispose of The Mask. The toughest of all adversaries, ol' zipper-mouth, won't go down without a fight, and even when he is beaten, chances are you won't have seen the last of him...

Nightbreed is one of the more competent arcade adventures available. It's not particularly original - the 'explore-shoot-and-collect' formula has been with us for years - but it's been executed well, with a healthy combination of action and exploration. It's a big game, too, and the armies of adversaries (both human and not-so-human) ensure that it takes time to complete. Sound-wise there's plenty to impress, from a moody title track to sampled thunderclaps and snippets of speech. Above all, it's a worthy adaptation of the film and, despite the odd niggle, a lot of fun to play.

The only marked difference between this and what's seen here is the occasional colour tweak.

CGA, EGA, VGA and Tandy are supported, along with Roland sound card compatibility. The gameplay remains exactly the same.