1st June 1984
Ghouls is a delightful game set in a mansion on top of a creepy hill. There are said to be 'power jewels' inside, but all those who have gone in search of them have fallen victim to the mansion's deadly inhabitants.
The mansion has four sections. First you must traverse Spectre's Lair, on through Horrid Hall, into the Spider's Parlour and finally to Death Tower. Each one must be finished before your time runs out.
Each section has defences, however - poison-tipped spikes that you must jump over and a ghost that follows you. The spider, which guards her parlour, bounces up and down and you have to dodge beneath her. Worse still are the moving platforms and disappearing floorboards. On some levels, you use powerful spring boards to bounce from floor to floor. You are not without defences, though. If you can eat a stray power jewel, the ghost will disappear for about fifteen seconds.
The graphic quality of Ghouls is impressive, despite being fairly straight-forward. I liked the sideways scrolling after each level (as described in April's Acorn User) and the way that the screens are displayed, but some of the movement is jerky. The funniest aspect of the game is the way your character moves, complete with the pitter-patter of tiny feet, though I was concentrating more on the spider.
Sound can make or break a game, and the sound in Ghouls is superb. Some of the noises are creepy, and would be well-placed in a horror film! You can even have music playing while the tape loads.
The program includes a top ten scores table - and you can pause while you brew your tea. Controlling your men (you start with four) is simple, using Z and X to move and RETURN to jump. The game itself is not so easy!
Ghouls is a great game with superb sound, fair graphics and enough problems to keep the player trying.
Other Acorn Electron Game Reviews By Stuart Menges
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