Three Of A Kind | Objectives | In Play | Verdict
Computer: Dragon 32
Price: £7.95 (Cassette)
Publisher: Dungeon
Reviewer: Piers Letcher
Rating: 3/5

Three Of A Kind

Three adventures no less, and not just from the same company, but by the same person - Mike Meineck. It isn't made clear whether he's the author or the programmer, but he's the chap whose name appears on all three boxes. This explains at least some of the similarities between the adventures here.

Objectives

Adventures seem to have two main aims. The first is that you collect something, and the second is staying alive while doing it. Supplementary aims consist of doing your utmost to slay the various lifeforms that you inevitably encounter and exploring as much of the territory as you can.

In one game you are collecting Merlin's treasure, in another you are regaining the crystal chalice, and in the third you are after a map and a golden orb, and, of course, staying alive is not easy.

In Play

With adventures for the Dragon it is very important to judge them against their peers. So it isn't particularly damning of me to say that the graphics on all three leave something to be desired.

The graphics are in Treasure Tombe. These are just character graphics on the text screen, but they are fairly effective. The game is centred around collecting 32 bits of treasure, and killing as many of the 48 guardians of the 90 rooms as you can. The fights may be simple, but the game is entertaining.

The other two aren't such fun to play, and have further similarities. The messages are of the same format, and the replies are all too predictable. Being called a puny wretch for the first time might be quite funny - but it's funny once only.

All three games help you out the first couple of times you get 'killed', which makes the storylines less credible.

Verdict

Treasure Tombe is far and away the most enjoyable, and seems to be about start of the art for the Dragon at the moment.

The other two are stuck in a place reserved for the real enthusiast, and I wish them luck - they'll need patience and stamina. All three are so-called real time games in that things still happen if you stop for a rest. It keeps you on your toes.

Rating

Lasting Appeal 4/5
Playability 3/5
Use Of Machine 2/5
Overall Value 3/5

Three Of A Kind | Objectives | In Play | Verdict