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Do you remember Stormlord's last little outing into the Underworld? You do? Well, you'll no doubt remember what fun it was. In Deliverance: Stormlord II he's back for more and this time he's not going back without a result.

The wicked queen of the nether regions has been out capturing fairies again and your job is to go in and get them back, battling against some very high odds indeed.

Starting off with just the ability to spit out fireballs, you will meet some pretty formidable adversaries on your way. The idea is to look around you at all times - you never know what weapons have been left behind by more unfortunate adventurers than yourself.

When you have a fair selection of firepower, select which one you like, but some will need a little practice to perfect.

Controlling Stormlord is fairly easy to start with, your main concern being to time those all-important jumps. One false move can cost you a life in this hostile environment. If you need to jump higher, you can try the jump option up to three times in quick succession. If you still haven't made the distance by then, forget it.

Work your way through the levels and collect as many fairies as you can by walking into them. Beware of the demons though, their job is to get the fairies back again.

Your big chance to win back lost lives comes in the bonus level. Here, the fairies want to give you gifts for your troubles but, because they are rather shy, you've got to capture them first. Pressing fire on this level will lay a heart in your path. Use these hearts to build platforms to the fairies and collect as many gold coins from them as you can. For every two, you get an extra life.

When the low flying dragon appears, steer clear or the bonus level is over. Throughout the game, you will bump into a very nasty dragon indeed. Take care when you approach it but be prepared for its favour as well.

In certain parts of the game, if you can prevent her eggs from falling to the ground, you will make a fast and furious ally to wing you through the air.

Deliverance: Stormlord II is a marvellously crafted gem from the Cecco stable, with some exceptional, Gothic-looking graphics and some neat effects to keep the interest. There are also a fair few puzzles to solve.

At the end of every two levels, an encrypted score code will be revealed. Make a note of it, as you'll need it to gain access to higher levels.

You get four goes at getting the code right and if you don't, it's back to the beginning again. Be warned.

Mastering the movements of Stormlord is your first objective. Manage this, and the game is a joy to play. If not, you'll find the demons breathing down your neck and the fairies crying out in despair.