Producer: Mastertronic
Retail Price: £1.99
Author: Derek Brewster

All is not well in Sherwood Forest, as the willowy-green calm has been broken by the evil presence of the cult of Sagalia. The forest is under its power, and the hearts of the forest's people are filled with fear. In desperation they turn to the only ones who can help. Robin Hood and his band of merry men.

But the odds are stacked high, even against this crowd of dashing do-gooders. So, the Bishop of Derby has agreed to carry out an exorcism upon the forest's fiend, and Friar Tuck, one of Robin's formidable team, travels to meet him. At the forest's edge Tuck finds the Bishop's body, pierced by a black arrow. Attached to its shaft is a parchment fragment, inscribed with a cryptic rhyme. Contained within these poetic lines are clues to be solved if the heart of the wickedness is to be found, and finally destroyed.

Friar Tuck races back to the camp, only to discover that Robin and his men are already under attack, and fighting for their very lives. Who knows who can survive the battle? And Tuck is now the only one free to combat the evil forces abroad in the forest. He is sure to need all of his skills and bravery to save the simple woodland folk from their unenviable fate.

You have control of the good Friar as he moves along the forest pathways, encountering bizarre servants of the Sagallan Priests - each capable of destroying his portly person. Foul tempered ogres are ready to trample on his body, or brain him with frozen chickens; skeletal servants brandish deadly clubs and swords; and werewolves roam with unhealthy appetites.

To avoid such opponents, Tuck is able to move to the left and right, up and down, but he must be fast. If he is hit by a weapon hurled, or fired by his enemies, he dies and loses one of his three lives.

Things become very much easier for our religious Rambo if he throws away his spiritual scruples and instead resorts to killing everyone in sight. Points are awarded for each opponent disposed of, with the score shown at the top right of the screen.

Friar Tuck is initially armed only with a sword, but as he kills his opponents he can collect and utilise their fallen weapons. When our pious warrior picks up one weapon he must drop the one he carries, and several attempts might be needed to kill an enemy, depending upon the weapon used.

Tuck is not only able to take weapons from his fallen toes, but also any objects they may carry, which can help him progress more easily through the forest. The objects and weapons carried are displayed at the top of the screen.

When the fighting Friar eventually encounters the Priests of Sagalla. he must hope that his prayers are answered, otherwise his days upon this planet can be counted on the hand of a one fingered man.

COMMENTS

Control keys: A/D left, S/F right, Y to P up, H to ENTER down, B to BREAK fire, Q quit
Joystick: Kempston, Cursor, Interface II
Use of colour: colourful forest scenery
Graphics: clear and distinguishable
Sound: poor and occasional spot effects
Skill levels: one
Screens: large mappable maze

I am disappointed with this - at first glance it seems appealing and instantly playable, but within a couple of goes I'd discovered a really glaring bug - you get stuck in parts of the playing area (trees and stuff!) so you have to re-load. 'Not to worry' I thought at first, but I soon realised that it's impossible to carry on playing regardless. The graphics are very good, the characters are nicely animated and the backgrounds are Firelordesque in the way in which they are coloured and detailed. The sound is a bit limp though, there are a few beeps during play but that's about all you're going to hear here. I can't recommend this because it just doesn't seem finished.
BEN

Oh, what a novelty!! An exploration game on the Spectrum. Again. As usual there's plenty to explore, if the other characters can be avoided - as they are inclined to deal out death as freely as jelly tots. As with any game of this type it will keep the avid arcade adventurer mapping to his hearts content as the locations are pretty varied. However, on the whole if didn't inspire or excite me, especially as my path was constantly blocked by daffodils, daisies and other weedy plants.
RICHARD

Curse of Sherwood would be a really neat game, except for the tiny little bugs involved. It seems that whenever you start to do well the game realises this and makes sure you can't get out of your present screen without dying - what an ingenious programming technique! Makes playing a bit awkward though. This is basically a good game, with colourful (and sometimes even attractive) graphics and smooth playability. And selling at £1.99, it's well worth thinking about... even if it is marred by one or two problems.
MIKE

Label: Mastertronic
Price: £1.99
Memory: 48K/128K
Joystick: various
Reviewer: Tamara Howard

Gadzooks! I cried. Zounds and by my troth! I murmured as I donned my Lincoln Green. Yes, verily, today was a Monday, and 'twas time to rid Robin and His Merry Men of The Curse of Sherwood Forest.

Alas, alack, in a failed attempt- to exorcise the forest, the Bishop of Derby has been felled by a single black arrow. On finding his body, I Friar Tuck (could I not have been a character of slimmer proportions?) discovered a parchment, containing what was verily, the worst poem I have ever readst. The solution to ridding Robin and his Not-So-Merry Men of the evil cult of Sagalia lay within this rhyme.

I set out, armed with but a sword and the message from the poem. And soon I did discover a flock of murderous birds, followed quickly by a troll that did throw rocks in a most unfriendly way! So I did play them at their own game, and I did murder them, and I did amass points in their thousands. (Well, hundreds)

I also collected a goodly supply of weapons by walking over them, and other objects, such as shields, which I placed in boxes atop of the screen it all seemst awful familiar - quite alike the noble Firelord from brave Hewson - only nary even half so much dosh. But, gentle reader, that knowledge did me little good The gameplay was so simple that a babe in arms could have played, but the poem and the actual point of the game was all confusion. Although I did amass my points and win a brave supply of weapons, I could not find the solution to the rhyme. And though I did enter witches cottages, I found nothing, and thus left again, with nothing gained. Had I understood the rhyme, perhaps I could have found new levels. 'Twas not hugely impressing, methought.

However, forsooth, Curse of Sherwood Forest was a goodly game, and there were many beasties. and the graphics were pretty. There is a drum all while beating in the background (but the drummer he only knew one rhythm, which as those around remarked was a mite dull) and the occasional, lyrical sound of a crossbow firing.

I did not, to my shame, rescue Robin and t'others from the evil cult, but I did have good fun, and 'twas not me that was in trouble from the evil cult, so I did not worry muchly. 'Twas fine fun., and I would recommend that those of large proportions, or even smaller proportions, should play, and advise me of the way in which to win (Pause to slap thigh and twang bowstrings).