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The most successful role-playing game of the year stages a comeback thanks to Gremlin, in the form of an expansion pack that gives Hero Quest players ten new scenarios to choose from. Return Of The Witch Lord isn't a computer game in its own right, however. You need to load Hero Quest itself and select the Load Other option from the men to get Witch Lord up and running. And even then, playing the new adventures isn't easy unless you've previously saved some dragon- waster level characters from past Hero Quest sessions (otherwise you won't be able to buy any equipment until you've completed at least one of the new quests).

Just as the original game was made up of ten adventures that linked together, an equal number of new adventures hide in the shadows of the Witch Lord's domain. They're best played in the order they're presented because they lead up to one big showdown at the end. But be warned - they've been designed to present a serious challenge to even the toughest adventurers.

Allowing up to four players to join in, the game is presented as an isometric 3D map of the area the players are in. This is marked out in a square grid, allowing the characters and monsters to occupy one square each.

Each character is controlled in turn and when all the characters have had their goes, the 'Evil Wizard Morcar takes control of the dungeon', meaning that the computer has its go, moving any monsters and making their attacks. This sequence is repeated throughout the game, move by move.

Characters move a random number of squares each turn. Before or after they move, they can search rooms and corridors for traps, treasure or secret doors. Whenever they move off the map through an exit, another map is drawn to show their new location. At any time, players can also take a look at an overhead 2D map of the whole area. But this only reveals what you've already explored.

Combat is another 'dice rolling' exercise that's weighted in favour of the players, though sometimes you wouldn't believe it. (Unfortunately however, Gremlin don't show you the dice rolling. This would have been easy to do, it was missed in Hero Quest and it's a shame it's been ignored this time as well). Most of the monsters fall over for good when they get hit once. But, as players of the original will know, some of the tougher beasties can take more of a bashing - and Return Of The Witch Lord oozes zombies, mummies, chaos warriors and a thoroughly rotten supporting cast of creatures. In fact, as you hack and slay your way through the last of the scenarios, you encounter greater and greater hordes of monsters, making progress bloody and slow. But if that was all there was to the Return Of The Witch Lord, would it be worth having? Well, that isn't all there is to this expansion pack but there's not that much more, either. There are new rooms, new traps, new exits. But there are no new monsters, treasures, characters or spells. And there are still faults that Gremlin haven't fixed since first time around. Spell casters still can't interrupt their moves to cast spells, for instance - niggle, niggle.

If you got to the end of Hero Quest and wished for more, then don't wait a moment longer. Witch Lord will give you what you want. But if you thought that any future add-on would be one big bundle of exciting new ideas, think again.

1. There are no new spells, weapons or monsters (sob!).
2. There are actually fewer types of monster than in the original game.
3. Some old glitches are still there (and you don't see all the dice rolls!).

1. Up to four people can play.
2. Players of the original game can share ten more dark dungeon adventures - if they're lucky enough to survive.
3. The original game system is a great way for anyone to play.
4. Crisp isometric graphics make events absolutely clear.
5. Upload old characters from past Hero Quest sessions.
6. Easy joystick control.
7. New traps and settings.
8. Hordes of monsters.