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"Cheesy graphics, repititious sounds, kinda clunky controls...fantastic game."

Realm of Impossibility is a definite oldie, even as Commodore games go (released by Electronic Arts back in 1985). The basic gameplay is based on this concept: an evil wizard has stolen the seven crowns of the land, and it's up to you to get them back. Here's the hard part: each crown is hidden deep within a series of 13 dungeons, guarded by spiders, zombies, snakes, and some sort of rolling orb thingies. But some dungeons are locked, and the only way to access them is by finding the keys in the six dungeons that do not hold a crown. And although you'll be hard-pressed to avoid being touched (that's right, TOUCHED) by enemies and losing health, never fear: throughout each level is scattered a series of scrolls, some of which give you health, some that give you a magic spell you can use to stop your enemies for a brief time (Confuse makes enemies walk around mindlessly instead of charging you, Freeze stops all enemies for about 3 seconds, and Protect prevents you from being harmed).

GRAPHICS: 5
Early game, but fairly poor by even C64 standards. They are funny, though, especially the zombies with their wavy hands. The graphics are also rather small, but that's okay, since every screen is a large chunk of the labyrinth you're currently in. The most visually interesting level is the Realm of Impossibility itself, with its Escher-like walkways.

SOUND: 6
Sounds are adequate, with the necessary beeps and boops to describe your character running, being hit, casting a spell, or picking something up. The title song is really catchy, and you might end up humming it for days.

CONTROLS: 7
Moving the joystick allows you to run, simple as that. Pressing a button while running allows you to drop crosses that your enemies cannot move past. You can cast a spell by standing still and then pressing in a direction corresponding to each spell. That's the tough part. Spells are often tough to pull off, due to the fact that you must be perfectly still while eight enemies crowd around you.

OVERALL: 9
Sound, graphics, controls...why a 9? Because the game is a lot of fun. A two-player mode lets you and a friend compete AND cooperate at the same time, since only one can grab scrolls but both must walk from one screen to the next in unison. Also, the sheer thrill of outrunning spiders and zombies is exhilarating, even if they are just little chunky characters on the screen. I recommend finding this where you can. It's not a long or difficult game to beat, but it is an entertaining diversion.


Reviewer's Score: 9/10 | Originally Posted: 03/01/01, Updated 03/01/01