Label: Tartan Soft, 61 Barlie Norrie Crescent, Montrose, Angus DD10 9DT
Author: Tom Frost
Price: £1.95
Memory: 48K
Reviewer: Gary Rook

Another title from Tom Frost's Tartan Software label, and, like the double header tape reviewed elsewhere, it's written using the Quill, Patch and Illustrator. A moment's silence, pray, as a mark of respect for Gilsoft, whose adventure writing system has freed many an author from the drudgery of having to program everything as well as write the plot.

You are The Prince of Tyndal. The evil sorcerer Eldin has nicked the Rod of Wisdom, the sacred sceptre which has been handed down in your family for generations. You have to get it back - but how can you defeat Eldin in his lair in the underworld? And before you even get a chance to try your arm at sorcerer bashing, how are you going to get out of your own castle. You've disguised yourself, which means Eldin won't know you're coming after him (you hope), but it also means that your own guards are going to be pretty obstructive - they won't be able to recognise you either. After all. they can't let peasants run around the royal castle, can they?

Perhaps the book given to you by your friend the evil sorcerer's apprentice (he's looking for a better job, with more prospects and evenings and full moons off) will help. But how - and where - to use it? What lies at the top of the tree? Can the greasy sheepskin help at all? These questions - and more - have to be solved if you hope to achieve your objective and regain your family heirloom.

There's not a lot more that can be said about this program. It's a very competent, workmanlike plot. The graphics are well-drawn and fairly varied. The parser seems to be able to handle just about everything you might want to hurl at it. And, for £1.95, what more do you want - tap - dancing elephants?

SUPPLIER: Tartan Software, Mail Order: 61 Bailie Norrie Crescent, Montrose, Scotland
MACHINE: Spectrum
PRICE: £1.99

Prince of Tyndal is another adventure which uses the tried and tested theme of evil villain stealing magical object to protect kingdom. Prince must find and steal back object to restore order and good fortune.

The story unfolds with you as the Prince of Tyndal, the central character to the plot.

Being a prince obviously means you are far too easy to recognise, therefore you dress in the clothes of a peasant making discovery of your real identity much more difficult by the dark forces who would set out to destroy you.

My first problem was escaping from the walled city in order to begin my task. now it may seem odd having to escape from somewhere which is in essence, home ground, but the guards on the main gate don't take kindly to allowing peasants to wander about freely.

The answer as always was to escape over the city walls with the help of a piece of rope, which although easily found, proved a lot harder to acquire than seemed apparent.

One location which particularly gained my interest, was a pleasant little cottage beside a woodland glade.

All attempts to enter this place proved fruitless until I remember a little politeness and walked right in.

A quick search inside soon revealed some items which I thought would come in useful later on, but leaving this charming place proved more difficult trick, so once more I was on my way.

How many people like a friendly adventure? I do, and in this game you must make friends to help you win through.

In fact a generous application of good old charm is required to convince a whole crowd of them to do you a good turn. Otherwise you'll find that all your efforts are in vain.

To say any more would give the game away, but for once, rent-a-crowd sure comes in useful.

There are a fair number of locations in the adventure, and most of them must be visited to complete the game.

In general, the puzzles are well laid out, and usually quite logical in their solution. (I liked the touch where you must be captured and thrown in a jail cell before you could progress further.)

Quite a few of the locations have graphics to accompany them and the usual SAVE/RESTORE from both RAM and tape are implemented.

Prince of Tyndal is reminiscent of the early Scott Adams series of adventures and what is more, at only £1.95 this game is a steal.