Demon Knight

This 8-bit BASIC two-word parser provides a rich set of locations and a complex set of puzzles. It also avoids having (as far as I was able to determine) numerous completely arbitrary deaths, which is a common feature of games of this genre. However, it suffers from a typical fault of many 8-bit adventures. Many of the puzzles depend on the use of specific verb-noun phrases when what are essentially synonymous phrases fail to achieve the same result. I don't find this so glaring a fault when there is some way that this characteristic is clearly indicated, such as by the provision of extensive help/hints, humorous responses that indicate greater precision is required, etc., but these are largely lacking. It also suffers from the fault of inconsistent use of the SEARCH/LOOK/EXAMINE verbs, which means a lot of extra typing is required to make sure that all the clues are discovered. There also appear to be inconsistencies with the OPEN and UNLOCK verbs. The cassette label describes the game as "A Terrifyingly Difficult Adventure." I would describe it as "annoyingly difficult." However, if you are someone who doesn't mind typing and appreciates complex puzzles, especially one's that are informed by a rich understanding of the arcane folklore of European magic traditions, this adventure might be worth a try.