Elemental Mage

At least you can't say you don't know what you're getting with a game called Elemental Mage. I can barely think of a title that could scream RPG any louder. At which point it would be good if I could say, "Ha, but guess what, it's actually a Formula One game." But, of course, I can't because Elemental Mage is very much an RPG. I know this because it's got warriors, sorcerers, gold and magic aplenty – all things you don't very often find on the race track.

It also has over 50 levels of traditional top-down RPG adventuring, which will keep you going for a fair time, especially if you attempt to collect all of the gold coins on each screen. The way Elemental Mage is structured, each screen is almost like a mini-level and many require some puzzle solving, block pushing or lever pulling to open the door that leads to the next screen.

Entering a new screen also saves your game, which is handy for playing on the move and also means you don't have to replay ten minutes of game when you forget to save then die. And if you want to reset a screen – say you've idiotically pushed a block up against a wall so you can't move it any further – exiting then entering again magically puts everything back in its original place.

But on top of solving your way out of each screen, there's not really much more you need to think about in the game. A health bar shown in the bottom left depletes if you walk into any of the number of hazards scattered around levels – things such as spikes and moving flames. And this health bar is increased every time you collect 100 of the coins scattered around the game, usually found in tough-to-reach places.

The game's actual puzzles are varied and mostly self-explanatory. For example, there might be arrows on the floor that point in one direction and you'll find you can't walk along them the other way. There are also booby traps such as disappearing bits of floor, and unique puzzles, such as one that plunges you into darkness except for when you stand on a green lit block in the room, forcing you to memorise your route.

There are also a lot of maze-like areas with blocks to push and levers that raise and drop different walls or move enemies out of your way. These are all very cleverly done, although the concept is perhaps a bit overused throughout the game.

So Elemental Mage is a very traditional sort of RPG, although that's no criticism. It purely delivers screen after screen of solid, dungeon-based play and puzzles, which are often quite deviously difficult.

It does feel a bit light on story, though, meaning you're given little idea of what exactly you're making your way through these levels for. It's also short on extras. There are few items to collect or stats to upgrade for instance. And while this could be considered a blessing for those who just want an adventure to get stuck into, the lack of items such as a map hinders the gameplay and can leave you feeling a bit lost at times.

Still, this aside, Elemental Mage is still a very playable game, and one with screen upon screen of innovative little puzzles and solid exploration. Okay, it doesn't reinvent the genre or offer too many thrills but it is a decent dungeon-based alternative to games such as Fantasy Warrior. No surprises, then, unless you really were hoping for a Formula One affair.