Guild of Thieves

CPC version, Computing with the Amstrad CPC, issue Vol. 4 No. 1 (January 1988), p.39 - reviewed by Gandalf

Rainbird
£19.95 (disc)
CPC6128 only

IMAGINE that everybody who played The Pawn has been waiting avidly for the sequel to appear. Well it's here and, I'm pleased to say, worth the wait.

You play the part of an apprentice thief who has applied to join the Guild of Thieves - an elite band who set tasks to judge the worthiness of applicants. Accordingly, the object of the game is to gain entry to the guild by passing the test.

The Master Thief himself takes you to an island where a known quantity of booty exists and you are instructed to ransack the place and return with all its treasures.

Your first move is to find a way out of the boat on to the nearby jetty. Fortunately, the rope preventing the craft from drifting away is near at hand and can be used to manoeuvre close enough for you to jump.

Having accomplished this, it is time to explore your surroundings. The temple is a repository for any items of treasure you may find and further exploration reveals an old man who is in difficulties with a heavy trunk.

Since he is not as feeble as he looks, acting out of character is likely to be rewarding and will provide a means of entry into the nearby castle.

The gatekeeper will reveal a vital piece of information about a race you must bet on and win, and your efforts should now be directed at finding a stake. The ground floor of the castle should provide several treasures to increase your score.

The coal bucket can be persuaded to yield the first though you may have to break things down a bit first. A perusal of the paintings will lead to your second treasure and a valuable clue as to what to spend your winnings on later.

The settee can be used for more than sitting on and being less comfortable should see you in possession of an object that holds a five ferg note - your stake in the coming race. Your swag bag is now full and you should consider making room for more loot.

The gatekeeper does not have X-ray vision and, if you consider carefully, will not bar your progress out of the castle. Having deposited your swag safely, it is time to return to the castle for the race.

If you don't want to be found holding just a bird, timing is critical here and it may take several attempts to get it right. When you do, examine the rats carefully. I can't tell you which one to back - the answer can't be put in such black and white terms.

Hopefully you will have wagered successfully and now be in a position to buy an object that goes with food and love, and be able to make the painting come to life.

Altogether there are 29 pictures and every one of them adds to the flavour and enjoyment of the game. The gameplay and responsiveness of the program are excellent, puzzles are delightfully well constructed and obtusely logical.

The satisfaction you get from solving the problems in this game is well justified - they are far from easy.

If I had to criticise at all, it would be to say that the copy protection of the disc leaves a lot to be desired. I found there were occasions when I couldn't load the program at all. I suspect this is because my drive is slightly out of alignment, but it does tend to show just how effective the protection is.

It's hard for me to do justice to a program like this. As with The Pawn, the graphics are superb though not, I think, quite as good.

The packaging is also up to the usual high standard we have come to expect from Rainbird and includes a copy of What Burglar magazine containing amusing stories and adverts, a guide to the command structure of the game and a comprehensive, if convoluted, help section. Then there's an official contract of indenture and your very own Bank of Kerovnia credit card. If anyone finds a shop that will accept this, please let me know!

Overall, while The Pawn can claim to have the best graphics, Guild of Thieves must surely steal the title of best graphics adventure. I'm very impressed.

Presentation 94% I don't think you could ask for much more.

Atmosphere 98% Scores highly because of the very evocative text.

Frustration factor 92% I often found myself solving problems more by good luck than by planning.

Value for money 90% Twenty quid is a lot but it's money well spent.

Overall 94% A stunning sequel to The Pawn.