SIR RAMIC HOBBS AND THE HIGH LEVEL GORILLA - Author Gil Williamson
   (AGT game for Amiga on PD 490, ST on PD 75 and PC on PD 453)

          Amiga version reviewed by:  Phil Richmond

In the kingdom of Trasch Khan, Knight Errant Sir Ramic Hobbs,
after a night on the ale, signs an agreement on Octember 32nd to
rescue Princess Anne de Pea from the clutches of the High Level
Gorilla (so called because he resides at the apex of the mighty
Midden Mountains).  Sir Ramic awakens in a cave half way up a
mountain, having stupidly forgotten to bring the ransom.  It is
here that the quest begins. Our hero must first get his bearings
and then negotiate the cave system and discover its secrets,
traverse the dangerous cliffs and ledges, and make his way to the
valley and thence onwards to his home Castle where he can be
reunited with his fellow knights.

Sir Ramic is not alone, however, on his journey, for he has two
travelling companions - a friendly owl, who is an invaluable
source of knowledge at times, and the disembodied voice of the
Wizard Prang who can be summoned by calling for HELP when the
going gets tough.  Conversations with these two assistants can
result in some highly amusing replies, often very droll and
sarcastic, but they make an affable duo and are much welcome as
guides through this strange and mysterious land.

Sir Ramic should proceed with caution, plotting his progress by
use of a map, obtaining the objects he will need, and putting them
to good use. He should also save his position from time to time as
sudden death or accident will mean starting over again,
necessitating a game reload from DOS.  The game is *relatively*
easy though, and quite solvable after some bouts of trial and
error.

The author has crafted a highly enjoyable and memorable work, and
constructed some ingenious puzzles which result in an addictive
and entertaining game that will delight adventurers old and new.
It has a wonderful atmosphere and variety of location settings.
The author has not been too hard on the player, either, and has

introduced objects, the uses of which are reasonably logical and
not too obscure.

Sir Ramic can carry a fairly large load quite easily, but will
need to relinquish things at times in order to acquire some of the
'heavier' items at certain stages. It won't be long before he is
equipped with those trusty stalwarts - the sword, the rope, and
the torch - and off on his explorations in earnest.

Reading the 'grubby manual' in the start location will enlighten
the player as to the full range of commands that the game
accepts/understands.

There are 163 points in total to be scored for solving the quest.
At first, points are hard to come by and progress may seem slow,
even though one seems to be solving the numerous puzzles
encountered. This changes markedly when a certain room is reached
whereupon scoring dramatically increases and the player feels
amply rewarded for his efforts as the game gets progressively more
absorbing and newer intriguing puzzles unfold.  Several creatures
and characters will make their presence felt.  Those that are
openly hostile will have to be cleverly disposed of for, normally,
violence and vandalism are prohibited in the game.

Even though 'Sir Ramic' (love the name) is an old game - it was
written in 1989 - it has been penned by an author with much
experience and knowledge on adventure creation.  This probably
explains why the game has remained so popular and been a firm
favourite with gamers for such a long time.  The fact that there
are no graphics or sound does not detract from what, in my
opinion, is a nicely presented, likeable and satisfying yarn. I
liked it enough to want to complete it fairly quickly (with full
points I may add) and after dogged persistence and determination,
a couple of late nights and several cups of coffee, I finally did
so - a glowing tribute to the author's ability and competence in
devising a cracking good tale.

 An AGT classic.                  Phil's Rating:  89/100

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