Avon - Jonathan Partington/Topologika
         RRP œ20, twin pack with Monsters of Murdac
               (Text adventure for ST or PC)

                  Reviewed by Joan Dunn

What a lovely day for a trip to Stratford upon Avon. You know it
is going to be a very special trip and it is....but not quite what
you expected. Something very strange has happened. You visited an
antique shop run by three old ladies.  They were very anxious for
you to buy their old cauldron and when you refused, you think you
may have upset them. What did you want with a smelly old cauldron
anyway, and the coach driver wouldn't have been too happy either?

From then on, things didn't seem quite normal. The town seemed
menacing, so to get away from it you took a walk along the river
bank. From then on you knew something had gone wrong. This was not
the modern Stratford you knew, there was a chill in the air and
people passing you were talking in an old fashioned manner. You
have somehow travelled back in time to the days of the Bard
himself. How can you get back to your own time? There is a way,
but a lot will happen before you find it.

You start on a plain, the ground of which is made up of boards.
What is this then? You are on a stage. From there you can go North
to the blasted heath where you encounter the three witches. They
have several items and you can chose one. Take the eye of newt,
otherwise you will find in a few moves all is dark and the eye
will help you to see. South again, then exploring East you find a
large laundry basket. This is a very useful item as you can not
only put all your treasures in it but also climb in .... a useful
hiding place. Then North into a magic grove .... but I mustn't
give any more away, only to say this is a game in which you never
get bored.

If you are fond of Shakespeare you will enjoy the numerous
quotations and meeting familiar characters .... the King and his
three daughters,the lady with the caskets (which one will you
chose?) Shylock asking for his pound of flesh, the ghost at the
banquet, Falstaff who challenges you to a drinking bout, and many
more. You will visit Bosworth Field and the Forest of Arden and
the Capitol, but beware the Ides of March, or you will come to an
untimely end.

All this is very cleverly woven into a treasure hunt and your aim
to return to the 20th Century. You could play the adventure quite
happily without a knowledge of the plays, but it certainly adds
interest.

You play the game on three dates, January 6th, March 15th and
July 24th.  Certain tasks can only be performed on certain
dates. You find a sleeping potion in a cell and, by drinking
this, can sleep and arrive at the next date, but there is no way
of going back.

The puzzles are numerous, but very logical and you need to make a
note of any names you come across, as these often give you a clue
to the solution of a problem. Note however, that the names differ
each time.

Like all Topologika games it has a tricky maze in the Forest of
Arden. Here you find the path is marked by Rosalind signs. It
isn't that difficult once you get the hang of it, but rather
tedious as you are constantly sent back to the beginning. So save
your position every time you get to a sign. There is a random
element and I had eleven locations before I got to the clearing.
There is also a maze of mountain paths with exits always NE, NW or
S. This is quite easy. Move NE or NW and if Cassandra appears go S
and try the other direction. Continue like this until you find the
Iliad.

As usual there is a sheet of numbered hints, and these can be very
useful, although with care and thought you can solve most of the
puzzles without help.  You get killed off several times if you do
the wrong thing, but then are asked "Would you like to pretend you
hadn't done that?" Answer Yes, and you can go back a move.

Altogether an enjoyable game with plenty of action. Have fun, it's
well worth playing.
                              - o -