The Curse Of Sherwood - Hotline Commodore 64 game

THE CURSE OF SHERWOOD

The peace and tranquility of Sherwood Forest have been disrupted by the sinister Sagalia and his cult, who now rule the land with terror and fear. In desperation, the people of the wood turn to Robin Hood and his band of merry men for help.

To aid the do-gooders, the Bishop of Derby agrees to perform an exorcism on the fiend. Friar Tuck, one of Robin's formidable team, is sent to meet the Bishop. However, upon reaching the meeting point, Tuck discovers the Bishop's lifeless body, pierced by a black arrow. Attached to the arrow is a parchment fragment inscribed with a cryptic rhyme that must be solved to find and destroy the heart of the wickedness.

The player guides Friar Tuck through the flick-screen forest in search of items necessary to banish the diabolical Sagalia from the woody realm. Clues to the required objects are gleaned from the poem attached to the Bishop.

J.R If you enjoyed games like Sabre Wulf, Robin Of The Wood, and more recently Firelord, you'll be pleased to hear that Curse of Sherwood offers more of the same, with virtually identical playability and game structure. Despite the poor graphics, there's a large map to explore and plenty of puzzles to solve, and it comes at an affordable price. However, if you're seeking more variety or growing tired of this type of game, it might be best to avoid it.

Sagalia's bizarre servants pose threats throughout the quest, possessing the ability to steal one of Tuck's five lives with a touch. Entering the toadstool ring teleports Friar Tuck to another part of the forest.

Having defeated the guardian skeletons, Tuck can enter and explore the cottage. Armed with a sword, Tuck can dispatch beasts, collecting and utilizing fallen weapons from defeated opponents, each with varying power depending on the creature.

Tuck can also pick up objects dropped by enemies, displayed at the top of the screen, and these objects are key to success. If the correct items are collected and dropped in the right places, Tuck may emerge victorious, though it's no easy task.

Following the disappointing Con-Quest, Derek Brewster's latest game, The Curse Of Sherwood, proves far superior. While the graphics resemble Spectrum-like visuals, they are adequate and don't significantly detract from the captivating gameplay. The puzzles are logical, offering a nice blend of exploration and action. Unfortunately, the program doesn't remember how many creatures you've dispatched on a screen, leading to a respawn if you leave and re-enter. Despite this flaw, priced at two pounds, it's a reasonable choice for arcade adventure enthusiasts.

PRESENTATION 58%: Standard joystick and keyboard options with reasonable in-game presentation. GRAPHICS 31%: Simple single-color sprites move across bland screens. SOUND 3%: Minimal white noise from SID. HOOKABILITY 56%: Initial exploration provides fun and reward. LASTABILITY 51%: Sufficient content for dedicated fans, but others may quickly tire. VALUE 57%: Reasonably priced, though nothing exceptionally new or outstanding. OVERALL 43%: Barely adequate for an avid arcade adventurer.