In Praise of STONEKEEP (a mini review which includes mini tips)

                      From Brian Burke

I've just spent a delightful four weeks or so playing Stonekeep.
This much delayed RPG was well worth waiting for. A mixture of
puzzles and monster bashing with an extra dimension provided by
entertaining audio. It all adds up to an extremely satisfying and
atmospheric experience. I guess my rapture with this game is more
than coloured by my disappointment with Dungeon Master (spits on
floor) 2.

Professional reviewers have rated the first few levels as
`boring'. That wasn't my view. I thought that the transition of
the Sewer level from a water filled snake infested maze to its
drained incarnation was terrific. The encounter with the
walrus/octopus creature is certainly not one you quickly forget.

I did find that I needed help on the lower levels. It's not enough
to just read the many scrolls that are lying around, due notice
must be taken of speech as well (for the audibly challenged this
can be displayed as text). I didn't and thus (I am told) this was
a contributory factor as to why I became stuck. So for those who
haven't yet played the game, you should look away now, for those
who want a hint or two, read on -

Use the red-handled daggers to defeat the tough Scargas in the
centre of the ruins level.  Don't waste fireballs on the rank &
file guys.

Drain the Sewers before fighting the `Walrus looking Octopus' -
are you following this!

To enter the Fairy level you need to plant a Primrose in a recess
where the purple lights appear. This should be done on the Feeding
Grounds level where the Dragon is found.

On the Fairy level you come across a sort of mud pile, north of
this is a recess. You need to plant a flower for each member of
the party and then circle round twice to open the way north to the
Fairy Queen. Apparently the Fairy to whom you return the fairy
cake tells you this. Be sure to explore all the northern part
BEFORE entering the spear gate, beyond which the dreaded Trolls
reside.

On the `Ancients' level there is much dropping down pits and
climbing up ladders. As I recovered one of the Orbs in a room that
closed off I learnt, after I'd restored a previous saved game, to
use my Teleport spells. Later I learnt to levitate using the Orb
I'd just picked up. All the Orbs have some use, some more limited
than others.

Use the `Duck' rune on the duck in the south of the `Ancients'
level.

Before entering the door to the Palace of Shadows from the
`Ancient' level, wait a while then go right & left to find some
choice equipment.


In the Palace of Shadows level is the toughest fighting.  Use the
`special' Dagger on the Skulls. When meeting the Skeletons run to
the nearest doorway. Turn and open the door then keep throwing
the Magic Axe, just position the cursor until you hear the
satisfactory `clink of the axe hitting them, till they fall over -
heh heh!

Destroy the mirror quickly before it firebombs you to death.

When entering the Shadow Tower press the Red button first then the
Green one.

There's a Mana Circle to be found by descending stairs found in
the north east section of the Shadow Tower level one. Saves
teleporting back to the `Ancients' level.

There's an evil puzzle in the first tower (in passage way to the
east) , you need to solve it to open the door to the west. The
solution is as follows -

       XX.........
       ............X
       X...........
       .........XX

There are a couple a scrolls that are supposed to be clues..Huh.
Can't say they helped me any. As it happens I spotted the clue
book on sale in my local Byte shop (at an incredible œ15.99) so I
filched the answer from there and left the book where it was.

OK no more clues, someone's probably written a walkthrough by now
anyway.

The CRPG finiky folks may point to the lack of strength and
resting criteria as the mark of an arcade RPG. For instance,
there's no need to feed the hero, he just keeps right on trucking.
Sexism is rampant too, no choice of female main character. But
these details are minor gripes. The quality of the game overrides
these objections, well for most people they will.

Just finally to say that sitting through the interminable credits
brings a chuckle at the end, the sort of thing the X-Files ends on
(the `I made this' thingy), and the promise of more Stonekeep
games to come. If they're as good as this one, or better - roll
on!














                              - o -