 HEAVY ON THE MAGICK 
 Gargoyle 1986

 CONTROLS : Keyboard only
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 AIM : Insulting a high-level wizard is not a good idea, as Axil the
 Able has just discovered. He's been teleported from his favourite pub,
 the Golden Thurible, straight into the dank and dangerous dungeon of
 Collodon's Pile. It would be a good idea to find a way out...
 
 GAMEPLAY : Starting the game on the option screen, Axil's vital
 statistics - Stamina, Skill and Luck - are automatically generated by
 the program. You can't alter these but you can re-allocate them (option
 6, Realign Status). This way, you can get a satisfactory combination of
 starting values. If you run out of Stamina, you'll die; your Stamina
 and Skill together affect the outcome of conflicts; your Luck influences
 virtually everything you do. Stamina is sapped by conflicts but can be
 regained by taking food or drink, while Skill and Luck can be enhanced
 by using other special objects.

  Having entered the game, you'll notice that Axil is a mere Neophyte 
 (hence his alternative nickname, Axil the Barely Adequate). As you
 progress through the game, though, he'll gain experience and hopefully
 advance some grades. At the bottom of the screen are three information
 windows. Window 1, the left-handed one, gives miscellaneous information
 such as your current inventory; you can cycle through its screens by
 pressing Z. Window 2, the middle one, gives current information and is
 the one on which you enter your commands. The third window, on the
 right, shows your current status.

  Wandering around the caverns of Collodon's Pile (see KEYS, below),
 you'll sooner or later run into a hostile monster such as a Wyvern or
 Ghost. This means combat, which is entirely magically-based (Axil
 being a total physical coward). You are armed with a Blast spell which,
 if you are lucky, will kill the creature. Be aware though that some
 monsters can hurt you more than you can hurt them! Some creatures,
 however, can be helpful. Look out for Apex the Ogre - recognisable by
 his dumb grin - who can be of help to you.

  Other inanimate objects can be of help too. Look out for the spellbook
 in the starting room. There are also a number of magical keys around,
 to open magical doors; they may not look like keys, but they only need
 be dropped by a lock to be effective. Other locks can be opened by
 magical passwords; say "Door, [password]" and they will open. Finding
 the necessary password may not be so easy, though...

  Also in the starting room is a tattered copy of a magical volume
 entitled "The Net, being the Grimoire of Gugamon the Mage". The little
 that remains of this ancient work is reprinted below:

  "Be Thou warned - attempt no conjuration except that Ye possess the
 right Talisman; neither approach nor touch a Spirit... Place Ye the
 talisman on the ground and proceed with thy invocation from a distance;
 but, let it be known to the Wise, that the presence of such Things that
 are comfortable to thy Chosen Spirit, will ease the Translation of such
 knowledge as may be imparted.

  "And here, for those with eyes to see and Wit to understand, are the
 Names and Natures of the Princes...

  "ASMODEE, the Great Destroyer, whose number is 122 in the House of
 Mars, whose aspect is that of the Basilisk; whose colour is Green and
 whose plant is the Nettle and who bows to all Gems Red.

  "ASTAROT, the Spirit of Assemblage, whose number is 1376 in the Sign
 of Gemini, whose appearance is Legion, who moves through Rock Solid;
 whose pantacle is a Flaming Sword, whose perfume is Wormwood and
 favours the Orchid and the Magpie and bows before the Lustre of
 Tourmaline.

  "BELEZBAR, the Master of Flies, whose nature is Deceit and reveals all
 Deceit, whose number is 20, in the Firmament of Stars; who reveres the
 Amaranth and Musk and all manner of Locust; who bows to startling
 Turquoise.

  "MAGOT, the Diviner, who knoweth the situation of Hidden Treasures,
 whose aspect is that of a Baboon; whose colour is Yellow and whose
 number is 443, in the Realm of Air, who craves the scent of Galbanum
 and bows to secret Topaz and Chalcedony.

  "And the number of Magick is 11; but the number of the Great Abyss is
 24..."

 COMMENTS : "An original, animated adventure".
 RATING : 9/10 (CRASH #29, June 1986)

 NOW : A superb graphic adventure - even now it still oozes quality.
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 KEYS : The game works using a keyword system rather similar to that
 used in 48K BASIC - press the initial key and the whole word appears:

   	Left	 - L	     Right	 - R	(within current room)

	North    - N	     North-east  - NE	    North-west	- NW
	South	 - S	     South-east	 - SE	    South-west  - SW
	East	 - E	     West	 - W

	Halt	 - H	(abandons current command/string of commands)
	Swap	 - Z	(swaps window 1 information)
	Options	 - O	(returns to option screen)
	Examine	 - X object	(examine named object)
	Pick up  - P object	(pick up named object)
	Drop	 - D object	(drop named object)

	Invoke	 - I demon	(invoke named demon)
	Blast	 - B object	(blast named object or monster)
	Freeze	 - F object	(freeze named object or monster)

  You can talk to creatures with the formula "name, object" (the quote
 marks are necessary too). For instance, "Magot, help" will ask the
 demon Magot (if he's present) to help you.