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Time And Magik is a welcome bargain package of three first-rate adventures from one of the country's leading exponents in the fantasy field, Level 9. This trilogy is one of the first releases by a new company, Mandarin Software, which has judged wisely in picking Level 9 products as its initial entry into the marketplace.

Level 9 has always offered good value for money and adventure-hungry gamesters will be well pleased with this latest crop.

The trilogy comprises Lords Of Time, Red Moon and The Price Of Magik and, although none of the three is new, they are some of the best ever produced by Level 9. All have been updated.

Lords Of Time involves you in a search, through various ages, for nine unlikely objects - a jester's cap, a dinosaur's egg, an olive branch, a dragon's wing and a teardrop, to name a few.

It seems that the evil Timelords have been trying to remould history in their favour and it has fallen to you to try and repair the rent in the fabric of history.

Via the time travelling device of a grandfather clock, the hunt will take you, in almost any order you like, through the Ice and Stone Ages, on across the times of Romans and Vikings, past Medieval and Tudor periods, right on up to the present then forward to the future and far future, nine ages in all.

Lords Of Time happens to be one of my favourite Level 9 adventures, particularly because many of the puzzles are so enjoyably challenging and the theme is very neatly worked out.

Red Moon revolves around a crystal, the source of all magic, which has been stolen. It is your job to get it back. There are nine treasures to be collected along the way (note how Level 9 have a penchant for the number nine). Magic features prominently - there are a dozen spells available, most of which require a specific item for item to be effective. Red Moon won much acclaim on its original release, including being voted best adventure of 1985 by several magazines.

The Price Of Magik is a direct sequel to Red Moon. The plot centres on your endeavours to defeat Mylgar, once a good sorcerer now gone bad. The adventure features an even stronger magical element (with eighteen spells to learn). The Price Of Magik also has its own combat system and there are a goodly host of independent creatures which you may, given the right circumstances, command to do your bidding.

Time And Magik is unquestionably good value for money and no adventurer is likely to be disappointed with the volume of puzzles, locations, prose and fun that this trilogy offers.