Doppleganger for the Amstrad, reviewed last month is a challenging 3D action/problem solving game with the unique twist of having to manoeuvre two characters around the game. Some doors between rooms can be crossed by both characters and some by only one of them.

The game is based on a five by five grid, and it is best to map it out in a diamond shape, due to the perspective of the game. The start screen will therefore by the lowest room and the recharge room will be in the centre of the 25 rooms (remember this room). The recharge room is the only place where you can replenish the hourglass that goes down with remarkable rapidity. Also it is only your main character (not the ghostly alter-ego) that can get replenished. This means that in the early stages of the game it is wise to leave the main character on a recharge spot and let the alter-ego do all the for-raging, so if the hourglass gets a bit low you can just switch back to the character in the recharge room and your energy is back again.

Next you need to go about getting the keys to the four rooms that have locked doors. To do this you must also get certain objects to get past the nasties that are after you.

The first hazard that is likely to cause problems is the spiders, these tend to ignore you when you are carrying the shield, so it is a good idea for the main character to be carrying this object when she is sitting in the recharage room in the early stages of the game, as here there is a danger of the spiders moving in on you.

The mirror is used to guard against the medusa, though the medusa looks more like a skeletal monk than the mythical gorgon.

One room has what looks like a green key in it, this is not in fact a key but a dummy key, there is one room that has a real green key in it, though as soon as you take it the room fills up with water and you drown. Dropping this false key before hand means that the room is conned into not flooding.

The candle is used to get another key that is guarded by a snake. You cannot see the objects in that room as it is dark, dropping the candle means that the room is as visible as any other.

Unfortunately, I haven’t got much further than this so from now on you are on your own.