Personal Compuer Games


Drogna
By Acornsoft
BBC Model B

 
Published in Personal Computer Games #11

Drogna

Drogna is a two-player board game based on the BBC television series 'Adventure Game'. The idea is to score points by collecting diamonds, which increase in value as the game progresses. This involves the players in a challenging battle of wits.

The playing board consists of rows of Drognas. There are five different types of Drogna - spot, crescent, triangle, square and pentagon - each of which can be in one of five colours.

A player may move in one of six possible directions, from one Drogna to another adjacent to it. However, a move is only valid if the Drogna moved to is the same shape, or the same colour, as the player's ruling symbol which is changed at random before each move. Each player may make as many moves as desired, as long as they are legal and if the other player allows you to.

Drogna

To the left and right of the playing board are separate screens depicting vaults which contain diamonds. The aim of the game for each player is to collect these diamonds and return them to his home base. But the rules are full of subtleties which give the game its tactical interest.

The graphics are good considering this is a board game. The multi-coloured player certainly adds to the enjoyment and the presentation is well up to the usual Acornsoft standard.

It is slightly annoying that you can not play against the computer and infuriating when you can not make a single move because of the randomly chosen ruling symbol.

Drogna

However, the game is certainly addictive and challenging and should prove to be just the game after a four-hour battle on Planetoids.

Rob Patrick

This is something of a peculiarity. A nearly original board game transferred to computer. The 'board' is well drawn and the computer easily handles the random elements.

There's only one real problem - you need two players, so unless you're one of those people who plays chess against himself, its appeal is limited. But I hope it sells as it's really quite a good game.

Chris Anderson

Drogna

Definitely not a run-of-the-mill game, this one. You need to think. And you need an opponent. Those two restrictions may turn away potential buyers, but I found it absorbing.

The nicely-produced booklet accompanying the program includes playing hints which help you get into the game a lot quicker.

Simon Chapman

This is a pleasant little game but nothing really fantastic. The idea is good, but I think the execution lets it down. Very simple to play, nice key layout but it took me a while to figure out the point of picking up and dropping the diamonds. The price of the game is a little steep.

Shingo Sugiura

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