The Pawn - Magnetic Scrolls RRP œ24.95 (Text/graphics adventure) Reviewed by Laura Gow No one really wants to be snatched from their safe, if dull, environment and be thrown into the politics of a strange and fantastic land where people and creatures don't behave according to the rules. However I'm afraid that's what happens in The Pawn. Mind you the kingdom of Kerovnia is anything but dull, it's the perfect place for a holiday away from it all. If only that nuisance Kronos, who zooms around on a magic skateboard, would give you a bit of peace. He sets you out on your quest but there is a slight difficulty - he doesn't tell you what the quest is so you'll have to find out as you go along. Here is a text adventure of the highest order. Now don't switch off because I mentioned that awful word "text". Magnetic Scrolls adventures are well-presented with good graphics to accompany the words. And it is the words that raise their games above the others in the field. The quality of humour is not strained. I mean you don't get the forced humour of some other games I could think of. And there is plenty of drama and excitement thrown in. There are handy menus at the top of the screen which allow you to save or restore files. It's useful to save frequently and in different locations in case you need to go back a few steps. Kerovnia is an unexpectedly dangerous place. Your score and the number of moves you have made are also shown at the top. The parser is quite understanding but is prone to being sarcastic so don't play if you're feeling sensitive. The game comes on one single-sided disk and can even run in monochrome. The graphics don't look so good but you can change the style to taste. The puzzles can be quite difficult. I think a warped sense of humour is essential for some of them. There are a list of very helpful hints in the accompanying booklet though even some of the answers given there left me guessing. So what do you do for a day out in Kerovnia? Well, you could try hill-walking in the mountains or a more restful stroll in the dying forest. Perhaps you'd like to visit the lead mines of the Roobikube dwarves? (Hard hat essential). For the really adventurous there is potholing or perhaps pony trekking on the grassy plains if you can obtain a flying horse. You can even view some royalty at first hand in the palace. There are lots of interesting characters to meet. The natives aren't very polite but some are quite helpful. Oh and do remember to pack a thick jumper. It can be very cold in the mountains even in summer. Take care!