DREARCLIFF MANOR (V1.7) A text adventure
            Published by Software Works in 1986

    Available on disk 746 along with Wilderness Survival
                   (reviewed in issue 36)

                 Reviewed by Richard Batey
The story

You have received a card from Lord Cuthburt Stoat the 3rd, DSC.
MP. BS.  HMFIC.  He has invited you and three other people to a
treasure hunt at his 16th century manor, any treasure you may find
you can keep but do not expect the others to play fair.  In fact,
they think nothing of sneaking behind you and shooting you in the
back.  I may be mistaken but I thought that kind of thing was
illegal and I don't see how they can enjoy the fruits of any
discovered treasure when they are going to spend the rest of their
life in prison. And why would a MP allow such a thing to go on is
beyond me.

Anyway, you will find a revolver (with three bullets loaded) one
location away and I suppose if you wish to find the treasure you
will have to defend yourself (I like to see that one stand up in
court).  If you hear your opponents sneaking up on you you can
"shoot w" etc.  You will either scare them away, kill them or miss
in which case they will return fire and you will be dead.  This
brings up niggle number one, you will be dumped straight back into
DOS most of the time.  You may be asked if you want to be be
reincarnated, if you type yes it usually dumps you back into DOS
anyway with the message `sorry, there is no reincarnation in this
game!`.  HA HA HA HA.  Well worth programming this into the game
folks.  The real funny thing is they sometimes do reincarnate you,
so if they can do it then why the blazes do they dump you into DOS
at all?

The second niggle is that the game is over 170 locations, with
little to do in the vast majority of them. If you like map making
then this game will suit you.  If you like mazes then you will
find a small 12 room maze though you can only carry 8 objects at a
time, plus certain object will be picked up by the other treasure
hunters if left on the ground.  Vocabulary is two word only with
only the first four letters being recognised

My final niggle is that I have not finished the game even though I
think that it is not that hard.  Annoying.  To sum up, a bog
standard text adventure with nothing special to recommend it but
with no major faults either.












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