The Essential Myth
£7.95 (48K), £9.95 (128K), £12.95 disk

Nineteenth century literature gave birth to a whole series of sinister characters: Dracula, Frankenstein's monster and Jekyll's dangerously violent alter ego, Mr Hyde. Drawing on the more forbidding elements of R L Stevenson's novel, The Essential Myth have recast the dark tale of Mr Hyde in PAW ed adventure form.

The nightmare is divided into three parts entitled Dichotomies, Duality and Denouement and weaves from the relative safety of Jekyll's house through dingy and sometimes blighted London streets. As the tale begins, you are jettisoned straight into the role of Jekyll on the evening before he is destined to brew his infamous potion. He still believes, idealistically, that giving life to his darker side will be of infinite benefit to mankind. So far he has two of the three essential ingredients; your task is to get hold of the third, brew up the mixture and successfully negotiate the painful metamorphosis into Hyde. The rest of the story concerns the consequence of that terrible night.

Time passes and the everyday events of Jekyll's London household unfold, regardless of whether he chooses to involve himself in them or not. A maid of dubious repute, a loyal if unintelligent footman and a butler with strong views on his master's welfare quietly go about their business. Unless they are interrupted, their actions may seriously jeopardise the vital experiment and bring Jekyll's journey into the unconscious to a sudden, premature end.

As a result the puzzles, very much in the style of an interactive novel, are strongly linked to problems of time and place. Observation and interaction are far more important than the systematic use of objects. Realistically, there are more ways than one of solving certain problems. You can act with foresight, and attempt to prevent a situation before it arises or try and make good after the damage has been done.

The process takes a little getting used to and involves playing the game over and over again to work out the order of events; the Ramsave option definitely helps. Everything in the location descriptions, even the colour of the text, has to be taken into consideration. As long as you try to take into account other people's views, progress shouldn't be too difficult.

An oppressive Gothic atmosphere pervades. As Hyde, you can wander through the landscape of your former life, leaf through Jekyll's diary and explore the experimental debris in his lab. The occasional monochrome graphics create a grim period flavour and the slightly tortuous location descriptions (designed to imitate Stevenson's style) alter at different times of day and night.

The weather, in particular, contributes to the suffocating atmosphere. Before the storm of Jekyll's subconscious is finally let loose, the air is 'tangibly close, and almost muggy'. 'Far off yet ominous thunder' constantly threatens to descend anticipating the terrible power about to be unleashed on to the unsuspecting London streets.

The poser is of standard PAW ed sophistication. It accepts complex input and allows for all the usual commands including Ramsave and REDESCRIBE. On some occasions, particularly when speaking to other characters, finding the correct input is slightly awkward but this is an almost unavoidable problem and certainly shouldn't put anyone off.

The gloomy, foreboding atmosphere of Jekyll and Hyde makes for an unusual and demanding adventure. By drawing all aspects of the location descriptions, ongoing events and experiences into the puzzles, the programmers have managed to suggest a link between Jekyll's subconscious and the unfolding of events. The technique may take some getting used to but it's definitely worth the effort.

At present The Essential Myth are looking for a company to publish their game on a wider commercial basis. In the meantime they can be contacted at 54 Church Street, Tewkesbury, Glos, GL20 5RZ. The 128K versions, unavailable at time of review, should have more graphics, extended location descriptions and generally more sophisticated responses.

FAX BOX
Title: Jekyll and Hyde
Publisher: The Essential Myth, 54 Church Street, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire GL20 5RZ
Price: £7.95 (48K), £9.95 (128K tape), £12.95 (+3)
Reviewer: Mike Gerrard

Today we announce a small sensation on the adventure pages of Your Sinclair - the first ever (I think) 10/10 mark, for the text of this Jekyll And Hyde adventure. But what else could you give it when the original's written by Robert Louis Stevenson, who's a cut above most adventure-game authors, and his words have been brilliantly adapted by Essential Myth to produce a great Gothic adventure that outdoes Dracula, Frankenstein and even Jack The Ripper.

I had an exclusive preview of the first part of this three-parter back in the January issue, and now that the whole game's done, it more than lives up to the high expectations I had of it - and of the type of adventures we'd see written using Gilsoft's PAW in the hands of capable programmers. First a note about the different versions. The 48K version which I played, comes in three separate parts, a password being earned at the end of each part to enable you to load in the next one. The 128K tape version will also come in three parts, each one being expanded to the full capacity of the bigger machine. The basic game will be the same but there'll be more location graphics, more examine messages, extended text, more sophisticated non-playing characters and alternative ways of solving puzzles. The +3 version will be identical, just bunged onto a disk. All come with a 16-page booklet introducing this 'Gothic Nightmare'.

The nightmare in question is that of the mild-mannered Dr Jekyll who, by the end of the first part, should have concocted a potion that turns him into the evil Mr Hyde who stalks the streets of London by night. Part two begins with your butler Poole ushering your legal friend Mr Utterson into your study - that's if you want to see him. Part of the game is in deciding which course of action to take sometimes. If you see him you'll discover that you have decided to change your will in favour of one Edward Hyde. A glance at the last page of your diary, written on the fateful night that ended part one, refreshes your mind. "I know now my wildest suppositions are fact and I am filled with a deadly fear. Yet what can go amiss? None can pierce the impenetrable mantle of my safety - let me but escape to my laboratory and, whatever he has done, Edward Hyde will pass away like the stain of breath upon a mirror... There is but one worry on my brow - I must ensure that Hyde can benefit from my will, should the unthinkable occur."

The subsequent transformation from Jekyll into Hyde is accompanied by a transformation of the typeface too, into a Gothic font that's a bit tricky to read but seems appropriate as Hyde walks the foggy Victorian streets - through Soho and even into a gaming club where a hand of pontoon might net you a few more pounds. (And if that doesn't show you how versatile PAW is then nothing will convince you!)

Sometimes the game can be a bit tricky to play, as it's very sequential in design and you can wind up wandering round totally lost with no alternative but to start again or load up an earlier saved game to see if there's something of significance that you missed, or if a different decision might help you progress. But when things start to go right the story really bursts into life - I reckon you ought to burst into life and buy it right now.

Label: Essential Myth
Author: Essential Myth
Price: £7.95
Memory: 48K/128K
Joystick: None
Reviewer: Sandra Sharkey

I am in the drawing room - a peaceful place, furnished simply but (if I may say so) elegantly, with soft leather armchairs and a sofa, and deep-piled carpets, all most agreeable in colour. A glowing hearth keeps the night at bay, and lights also the countenance of my father, whose portrait hangs above the mantle. The air of the room is, however, tangibly close, and almost muggy; I fear it threatens thunder.

No, I haven't suddenly become a literary genius - (I've noticed that actually - GT) - I'm just quoting the opening room description of Essential Myth's new game to give you a taste of the atmosphere pervading the whole adventure.

Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde - A Gothic Nightmare comes in three parts. Parts two and three are only accessed by inputting the correct password. In part one you have to find the necessary ingredients to make and drink the potion which will turn you into Mr Hyde; for some reason this is a good thing.

In trying to finish part one you will meet several characters who can reveal a few clues if asked the right questions. Your first problem however, is managing to stay awake, so make this your top priority. Perhaps a refreshing cuppa would do the trick.

Some special commands incorporated within the game are (A)GAIN to repeat the last input, (O)OOPS which undoes the effect of the last instruction, E(X)ITS which gives you all the obvious exits from the current location. (L)AST returns you to the last location visited, all of these combine to make the game extremely friendly.

Essential Myth is initially publishing the game itself, but would be highly interested to hear from any company who would like to publish the game on a wider commercial basis. So, if anyone out there wants a well written unusual game to publish, get in touch with Lee.

At the moment Jekyll & Hyde is only available by mail order from Essential Myth at 54 Church Streete, Tewkesbury, Glos GL20 5RZ.

Are Essential Myth schizophrenic?

Great idea for an adventure, this - the hideous exploits of Dr Jekyll who, believing in the dual nature of man, finds himself split into two personalities: himself, and the evil Mr Hyde.

Essential Myth are a small independent adventure programming house who've been going for some time and whose best known game is probably Book of the Dead (published by CRL). This latest game was produced using PAW and is an excellent example of what can be done with a good utility and a bit of extra work on the side.

The game loads in three parts, which must part is tough enough as you take dinner with your friends and attempt to bring to fruition the months of research. The second two parts are extremely tough. The puzzles never, however, degenerate into the illogical or the irrational, which endeared the game to the Pilg, although he didn't get very far with it in the time available!

An attractive character set, simple illustrations, and an excellent prose style make this an impressive game for such a small company. Any larger companies looking for a source of quality adventure software might consider giving them some support. In the meantime, the title can be ordered from EM at 54 Church Street, Tewkesbury, Glos. GL20 5RZ. At up to £12 95, it seems just a little on the expensive side to me, but the company insist that "the pricing structure for the game is justified; the game took 6 months to write and test and due to the limitations of PAW quite a lot of the program had to be programmed outside of the utility."" Hmmm... Well, at least I can say that I had no complaints on grounds of quality!

Reviewer:

RELEASE BOX
Spec 48, £7.95cs, Out Now
Spec 128, £9.95cs, £12.95dk, Out Now
Atari ST, £TBA, October
C64/128, £8.95cs, Imminent
Amstrad, £12.95 (disk only), Imminent

Spectrum 48K Cassette: £7.95

Mark Davies, Lee Hodgson and Andrew Dean together form The Essential Myth software company. Their previous exploits include Book Of The Dead and The Gacpac - the latter being a compression and optimisation utility coupled with a font design facility for Incentive's Graphic Adventure Creator.

Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde - A Gothic Nightmare is reminiscent of Rod Pikes style - author of Pilgrim, Dracula, Frankenstein and Wolfman. This is no bad thing as the man is a writer worth emulating - but does his influence work for The Essential Myth?

Written using Gilsoft's PAW, this adventure possibly tries too hard to create an atmosphere. It shoves prose down your throat until one begins to long for a brief command. However, I'm always one for a good read as well as a good game but does J And H provide the latter?

Arriving in three parts - at least value for money is offered - part one (Dichotomies) concerns the good Doctor and his quest to make and drink the potion which transforms him into the bestial Mr Hyde. Salt, alcohol and phosphorus are the three main ingredients and they can all be found with a little logical thought and character interaction. Unfortunately due to the game's very fast real-time element, one or two typing errors and you may find progress impossible.

HYDE AND SHRIEK

Part two (Duality) can only be entered by use of a password gleaned from the closing scenes of part one. Slightly tougher than Dichotomies but with the same attention to detail, it's more enjoyable to play, especially as the real-time slows to a more manageable pace.

I found a bug!! The letter accompanying the game stated that all bugs would be ironed out before the game went on general release. However, I want to mention this one... just in case the publishers have not come across it! One of the many useful commands is LAST, which takes you back to your preceding location and; after traveling to Gaunt street in a cab and subsequently returning home I stood in my hallway and typed it. It took me back inside the cab which proceeded to take me to Reeve Lane, an as yet undiscovered address, where I found an estate agent. Obviously I could not interact much, as I knew not why I was there, but the presence of such an error is worrying.

The third part (Denouement) purports to be the toughest of the three. Again entered through a password, it probably is of at least the same standard as the other parts. Unfortunately I was not supplied with the password and deadlines prevented me finishing part two. So I didn't play it.

Overall J And H has a very professional feel about it, including plenty of useful commands to aid the struggling adventurer; MEMSAVE/LOAD, AGAIN, OOPS, LAST, EXITS and WAIT - most of which may be abbreviated. Character interaction is also extensive with commands such as 'Ask Poole about the caddy' and 'Say to Footman, 'How are you?". Sentences may be strung together via a comma or full stop and pronouns may be used. This, together with the attention to detail and atmosphere created by the over-the-top prose, make for a very worthwhile game. Soon to be released on all major 8-bit formats plus the Atari ST, Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde should do well for The Essential Myth.

The game is only available mail order at present; the address is: The Essential Myth, 54 Church Street, Tewksbury, Glos GL20 5RZ.