Zork II comes reasonably close to filling the large shoes left by the first Zork. It continues the all-text, split-screen adventure, starting in the Stone Barrow where Zork I left off. There are another 400 points worth of treasures to find and tricky activities to accomplish before achieving the primary mission of becoming "Master of the Domain", which is currently under the control of the senile Wizard of Frobozz. Whereas Zork was quite faithful to the original mainframe Zork, significant changes have been included in Zork II to the extent that it is almost a "new" game for players expecting the inclusion of the "second-half" of the mainframe game. The changes are revealed in the inability to return to the White House, although you may get a final glimpse of it, briefly and from afar.

Zork II has the same outstanding command flexibility, wry humor, and word recognition of Zork. A wellconceived addition incorporates eight game scenarios which may be saved and quickly recalled at any time, whether you've been killed or not. The overall interest-holding ability may not be as intense as the original possibly due to a certain jaded attitude acquired from too much quantitative adventure game-playing by this reviewer. The initial phase of the contest seems to drag a bit, until the Dragon is conquered and a riddle is completely solved. An especially interesting challenge, at which time a "save" is suggested, occurs at the point in which the demon is ready to do your bidding.

In comparison to Zork, this game is somewhat smaller (by about 75 rooms) and has only one small, but unmappable maze, which presents one of the more difficult puzzles. Even after you amass your 400 points, there is still a final puzzle to solve before you become a "Superior Adventurer." At that point, you also learn of the pleasant surprise that Zork III is coming!