SORCERY Plus is a souped-up version of an old, but in time very popular game. The original Sorcery was written for 8 bit machines, and I'm afraid it shows. In both sound and graphics, Sorcery Plus is really quite effective but it is a different story where gameplay and depth are concerned. There simply isn't enough variety or meat in it.

The game is set in the Dark Ages where, as usual, a nasty necromancer is causing havoc, having trapped all the sorcerers of the land and loosed various horrors to do their worst. As a small fellow wizard, it is your job to clear the kingdom of this blight and blighter.

The action is divided into two parts. IN the first, you must free all the imprisoned sorcerers, while the second, an additional scenario to the original 8 bit game, involves you in a seek and destroy mission, the necromancer being the main target.

The game is basically a puzzle-cum-collect 'em arcade adventure. Your sorcerer gets to fly around a large number of two-dimensional screens, entrance to each of which is gained by passing through one of the small doors placed (usually) in the corners.

To open a locked door, you need to pick up one of the keys scattered around the place. Certain keys can be used to release the captives. There is a large assortment of weapons, each of which can only be used once. Your sorcerer can carry but one object at a time - grabbing a fresh one causes the current item to be dropped.

The main interest lies in discovering which objects do what, and because of this trial and error element you'll spend a lot of time flying backwards and forwards between locations.

To make things more difficult, a host of bizarre monsters infests the land; contact with any of them drains your energy. Weapons are the solution to this harassment. Water is another hazard - you can fall in and drown - and a time limit on the game means you can't dawdle.

Graphically the game is attractive, although the animation is pretty basic, and sampled spot sound effects - thunder crashes, creaking doors and satisfied sighs - liven up the fun. However, although there are plenty of screens, objects and puzzles, the gameplay is all much of a muchness - collect and fly, fly and collect - and soon becomes less than engrossing.

The chances are that, despite its good points, you'll either solve Sorcery Plus quickly or tire of it within a fortnight. This is a good game but not good enough in today's company.