''Avalon'' (with the tagline ''The 3D Adventure Movie'' on the box cover) is an

action-adventure game An action-adventure game is a video game hybrid genre that combines core elements from both the action game and adventure game genres. Definition An action adventure game can be defined as a game with a mix of elements from an action ...

written by Steve Turner for the

ZX Spectrum The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer developed and marketed by Sinclair Research. One of the most influential computers ever made and one of the all-time bestselling British computers, over five million units were sold. ...

and published by

Hewson Consultants Hewson Consultants were one of the smaller software companies which produced video games for home computers in the mid-1980s. They had a reputation for high-quality games which continually pushed the boundaries of what the computers were capable ...

in 1984. ''Avalon'' was followed by a sequel in 1985, ''

Dragontorc ''Dragontorc'' is an action-adventure game developed by Steve Turner (game programmer), Steve Turner's Graftgold and released for the Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum by Hewson Consultants in 1985. It is a sequel to 1984's ''Avalon The 3D Adventure Mo ...

''.

Plot

Avalon is set in Britain in the year 408, during the collapse of the

Western Roman Empire In modern historiography, the Western Roman Empire was the western provinces of the Roman Empire, collectively, during any period in which they were administered separately from the eastern provinces by a separate, independent imperial court. ...

. The player controls Maroc, a "lore-seeker" who has been given a staff and map by a strange old woman and pointed in the direction of a place called Glass Hill on the isle of Avalon, where a quest to defeat the Lord of Chaos begins.

Gameplay

''Avalon'' involves controlling Maroc the mage in his quest to destroy Avelach, Lord of Chaos. The player's character cannot be killed. The game world is explored by an

astral projection In Western esotericism, esotericism, astral projection (also known as astral travel, soul journey, soul wandering, spiritual journey, spiritual travel) is an intentional out-of-body experience (OBE) in which a subtle body, known as the astra ...

of Maroc; if Maroc's energy is depleted the projection returns to Maroc's "physical" body on the start screen, from which the game can be continued.

Reception

The game was well received and attained numerous awards from critics. * 91% ('' CRASH'' #10, November 1984). * ''Home Computing Weekly'' * ''

Sinclair User The ''Sinclair User'' was a magazine dedicated to the Sinclair Research range of home computers, most specifically the ZX Spectrum (while also occasionally covering arcade games). Initially published by ECC Publications, and later EMAP, it was pub ...

'' * ''

Computer and Video Games ''Computer and Video Games'' (also known as ''CVG'', ''Computer & Video Games'', ''C&VG'', ''Computer + Video Games'', or ''C+VG'') is a British-based video game magazine, published in its original form between 1981 and 2004. Its offshoot web ...

'' * '' Eurogamer.net'' * ''

Personal Computer Games ''Personal Computer Games'' was a multi-format UK computer games magazine of the early/mid-1980s published by VNU. History ''Personal Computer Games'' was launched in July 1983. The magazine was part of VNU and had its headquarters in London ...

'' * ''MicroHobby''

References

External links

* {{WoS game, id=0000348, name=Avalon 1984 video games Europe-exclusive video games Fantasy video games set in the Middle Ages Hewson Consultants games Single-player video games Video games based on Arthurian legend Video games developed in the United Kingdom ZX Spectrum games ZX Spectrum-only games