GOLD OF THE REALM

 GOLD OF THE REALM is a graphics-oriented fantasy adventure. Written by David
Lindsley and Ken Badertscher, published by Magnetic Images, and with music by
Dave Thorsen, REALM features over 300 graphic screens, very good sound and
animation, three levels of difficulty, joystick and mouse control, a game-save
option, and a MIDI-compatible soundtrack. This review is based on the Atari ST
version.

 For the most part, GOLD OF THE REALM is okay -- which is to say, colorful, to
learn and play, and reasonably interesting. There are, however, long stretches
during which nothing much happens, an emptiness punctuated only by the sounds of
your footsteps clacking on the stone floors and echoing along the corridors.
Over 300 (Hard Level) screens to explore make for a lot of clacking and echoing.

 The actual "gold of the Realm" is a hoard of riches accumulated by four princes
who, long ago, benevolently ruled the Realm. The wizard of the Realm could do
all things magical except conjure up gold. He gained the complete trust of the
princes, and they eventually allowed him to move the gold to the Gray Castle.
The wizard protected the gold with magic, and then promptly overthrew the
princes, cast out all the inhabitants of the Realm, and summoned demons to kill
anyone who managed to survive.

 These days, the gold is the stuff of legend. Then again, it can't be too
legendary...otherwise there would be no reason for GOLD OF THE REALM.

 Your task is to search the corridors and rooms of the Castle(s); correctly use
the items you'll find; overcome spooks and skeletons and blobs and barbarians;
locate the gold; and return to your trusty horse, which is waiting patiently
outside, munching the foliage.

 The ST graphics display consists of separate, 3-dimensional screens, made up of
brick-lined corridors and passageways, rooms, stairways that lead to upper and
lower levels, and locked and unlocked doors. On reaching a screen edge --
assuming there's an exit -- the current screen disappears and a new screen takes
its place.

 To the right of the play area is a Status Box; below the play area is a
Strength bar. From the Status Box, you can select for use any of eight items
(maximum); you can also Pause, Abandon, Save (you'll need a blank,
previously-formatted disk), or Quit the current game.

 The Strength Bar is red; it shrinks incrementally for each minute of play.
Encounters with demons and spooks further reduce your strength, although pills
of reconstitution can be found along the way.

 REALM is controlled with the joystick and mouse. The joystick is used for
directional movement, as well as for taking, using, and dropping items. Clicking
the mouse button pauses the game, so you can fool around in the Status Box:
Since you have to be holding an item -- as opposed to simply carrying it -- the
mouse-controlled Pause lets you make the change.

 If you have a Casio CZ-101 or a Yamaha DX-7 (a Casio CZ-230S worked, too), you
can use the ST's MIDI ports for the soundtrack. The game's other sound effects,
such as doors opening and footsteps clacking and apples being eaten, come
through the monitor only.

 While neither spectacular nor particularly original -- you'll see the influence
of other fantasy quests here -- GOLD OF THE REALM is well done. It's not at all
difficult to learn; once learned, it's not at all difficult to play. The music
and sound effects are part of the game, rather than gratuitous add-ons. The
graphics are good, and the animation of certain events -- falling off the
bridge, for example -- are even better.

 Each newly-begun Hard Level game randomizes events and item locations, thus
making every game slightly different. The Castle on Easy Level is duplicated on
Medium and Hard; Medium adds a second Castle, and Hard Level offers a total of
four Castles and 320 screens.

 As noted earlier, though, there are stretches of aimless meandering along empty
corridors. You'll encounter sword-wielding skeletons, bearded barbarians,
airborne stone gargoyles, and diaphanous ghosts, but you won't meet them very
often: This game isn't DUNGEON MASTER.

 Expect a smooth (though not necessarily action-filled) ride with GOLD OF THE
REALM.

 GOLD OF THE REALM is published and distributed by Magnetic Images.

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