With Kingdom of Hamil, or simply Hamil as it was originally known in its version for older computers, it was ported to BBC Micro by Peter Killworth on tape.

This is a story about reclaiming the throne of Hamil that belongs to you. You were robbed as a child by some unscrupulous characters and on your way through the kingdom you have a lot to conquer. But now the time has come to claim both the kingdom and the crown… and so you enter the magical Kingdom of Hamil, a land that the game guide describes as a land of “sorcery and romance”. The journey begins in a primitive stone chapel… Light pours in through the windows, which are set high above your reach in the completely drab walls of the building. experience, is extremely hostile.

In addition, there are a wide variety of monsters and mythical beasts to face, which will surely give you the willies, there is even an old vampire. The object of the game is to overcome all obstacles, animated or not, collecting the stolen treasure as you go. There are a number of typical if uninspired puzzles, from passwords to mazes, with a clue sheet for the desperate moments. Unfortunately, many of the game's locations appear to be nothing more than passageways or corridors, containing little that is useful or interesting. Likewise, you won't get much out of the characters you encounter. Old Dracula is too busy encircling your jugular with his fangs to make small talk. Hamil's Kingdom lacks the sophistication, humor, or interaction of the best adventures.

It's a text-only adventure whose author Jonathan Partington chose to be a bit more lenient with his player. He was the most prolific of the Phoenix IF authors in the 1970s and 1980s, with a particular penchant for large and innovatively difficult mazes. While Hamil still has his fair share of them (including a maze that was included in the Phoenix version but omitted for space reasons when Acornsoft released the game with the general puzzle standard it's a bit easier than most that created over the years. The inventory limit is set at seven items, which seems to be about par for most of these games. Some items have multiple uses, while just one seems to be a red herring.

Fortunately, there is no lamp timer in the game, unlike previous work co-authored by Professor Partington, such as Acheton which is significantly smaller than most other Phoenix efforts, making it easier to map. However, by modern standards it would still be considered large. Location descriptions are short but adequate, with just the right amount of ambiance. There is no option for VERBOSE, BRIEF, etc., so full descriptions only repeat when you LOOK. The converted mainframe version of Phoenix scores up to 300 points, while the scaled-down BBC scores a maximum of 250 points.

Like most Phoenix games, the plot is simply a flimsy framework to support the sheer beauty of the puzzles; you have discovered that you are not a commoner, but a royal blood heir to the throne of the kingdom of Hamil and you set out to try to claim what is rightfully yours. Adding to this odyssey are the usual treasures to collect and deposit in their rightful place to trigger the one-move endgame. There's also an interesting twist at the end that re-evaluates the reason for his trip.

Most of the puzzles can be solved with pencil and paper (the game has its own code system that you will have to play with at the beginning and end of the game and mazes where every turn is crucial). The game isn't overly strict on the order you choose to tackle the puzzles, though there is one near the start that must be solved in its entirety or victory is cut short. This should be apparent when you find it.

The terrain in the game is very unstable and there are frequent earthquakes and rock falls which add to the complexity of various areas and prevent backtracking. Try not to leave anything behind and deposit your items in a central location.

Another one that focuses on Lewis Carroll's Hunting Of The Snark is also very smart and I think he would have beaten me if he hadn't played other games by the author and hadn't known how his mind works. I suppose this is like recognizing a cryptic crossword compiler's style in a journal.

A couple of nuisances include sudden death by a multitude of creatures if you stay in one place too long, and an item that is impossible to hold on to for more than a few moves. This last problem is compounded by the fact that it is impossible to SAVE your position in two of the game's mazes.

There's the usual excellent two-word parser and the lack of a BROWSE command that has polarized opinion over the years. However, TAKE ALL is implemented.

The game has an austere point that is disappointing. That said, just like Countdown to Doom, Hamil includes a good introduction to adventures and adventure games, which will certainly be useful for those new to adventure games.

Figure this out and you'll be ready for even tougher challenges from the Phoenix authors.

In the following images you can check the original packaging.

• Original cover.

Here you have the front of the original cover.

• Retouched cover.

Its measurements are: Width 30,50 x Height 21,00 cm.

Below is the manual printed double-sided on thin cardboard paper and printed in black. Its dimensions are: width 29.70 cm x height 10.60 cm.

Original disk supplied with Kingdom of Hamil

Custom labels to print them. Over the years due to their use, the labels are spoiled and lose their color and quality. Now we try to adapt the closest thing to the best of our ability, the labels so that they can be printed and replaced or for those who work with a copy of the program and preserve the original disk. Measure in 3 “high: 7.00 cm - width: 7.10 cm. The first image corresponds to the original label of the game, the second is the same label modified to replace the broken one and the third and fourth image is for the 3.5 “discs.

Soon.

Help Sheet

Here you have the Help Sheet that accompanies the game. Its dimensions are width 14,80 cm x high 21,00 cm.

Technical notes of the game

Here you have the technical notes that accompany the game. Its dimensions are width 14,80 cm x high 21,00 cm.

Catalogue

Here you have the catalog that accompanies the game. Its dimensions are width 29,60 cm x high 21,00 cm.

Solution

Here you have the solution of the game.

This is a good, challenging game and the hints are very helpful. Type HELP anytime to see 
the hints. Even though you do not have the questions, you can deduce what the hints refer to.

Don't stay in any one room for a long time or you will die.

I extinguished the lamp at one point, though I don't know whether this is necessary.

There are several times in the game when you cannot save. Be prepared.

You start in the west end of the chapel. E, E, GET ALL (steak, lamp, rod), W, LIFT SLAB, D, 
LIGHT LAMP (you see a code - translate it by using the phrase "the password is..." to come 
up with a randomly determined word, E, say the word, E, W, W, W, OPEN COFFIN, E, E, E, 
LIFT TAPESTRY (you get rid of the vampire which was following you), W, W, W, GET 
DOCUMENTS, E, S, GET WAND, SW, S, DROP LAMP, S, (see "swamp" translate it, using 
the code to get "opreh"), N, GET LAMP, S, OPREH, S, GET RUBY, N, N, W, GET BOTTLE, 
E, N, W, GET CREATURE, FEED CREATURE, E, NE, N, E, E, OPEN BOTTLE (the djinn 
gets the tapestry and spirits it away somewhere), W, W, S, SE, GET WATER, NW, E, 
THROW WATER,  W, SE, FILL BOTTLE, NW, E, E, GET HELMET (leave the Valkyrie 
alone), W, W, DROP HELMET, DROP RUBY, SW, S, E, GET CHEESE, SE, S, NW, N, SE, 
E, NE, WAVE WAND, NW, GET CROZIER, SE, S, SE, W, NW, S, N, NW, W, N, NE, DROP 
CROZIER, DROP BOTTLE, NW, (ignore the wheel, but look at the mural for now. What you 
see is randomly generated, and you will come back to this later), NW (note the dust. You will 
need this later), W, W, GET BOOMERANG, S, S, W, THROW BOOMERANG, E, W, GET 
ALL, W (you get through because of the documents), N (you see the tapestry),  DROP RING, 
DROP BOOMERANG (leave the garlic for now), S, E, E, S, SE, SW, EAT CHEESE, S (you 
have a dream. Remember the word - it is randomly generated), N, NE, NW, N, N, N, N (say 
the word. The statue moves off), S, W, GET TALISMAN. You will need to keep retrieving it, 
so map this area. Go E, S, S, S, SW. You are about to enter the cornfield, which is a ma(i)ze. 
You will need to keep retrieving the talisman which is not straigthforward, since the exit from 
each room is not the reverse of the entry to the room. The following is the route (with the way 
out, to retrieve the talisman, in brackets. There are other ways to return besides this one). Go 
W, E (N), SE, (NE), SW (NW), W (NW), SE (SE), E (NE), GET PAINTING, NE (E), SE, (SE), 
NW (W), NW (SW), NE (SE), N (E), W. You are now out. DROP TALISMAN, NE, N, N, N, E, 
E, DROP JACKDAW, GET JACKDAW (it is now covered in poison), SE, SE, DROP 
PAINTING, SW, S, E, SE, E, THROW JACKDAW, E, E, GET CRYSTALS, W, W, W, NW, W, 
N, NE, DROP CRYSTALS, SE, U, DROP HEXAPOD (follow him and go in the same direction 
he goes, noting the directions, as you will need to reverse them to return), GET PEARLS, 
return, D, NW, DROP PEARLS, NE (you are about to enter another maze to get coins. The 
hints give you the directions. Pick up each coin along the way). EXTINGUISH LAMP, E, E 
(GET IRON), N GET LEAD, E GET COPPER, S GET BRASS, SW, GET BRONZE, S GET 
ALUMINIUM (note spelling), E (GET NICKEL), N (GET TIN). You now have all the coins 
needed. Go E, DROP ALL, GET CROWN, S, GET ALL, LIGHT LAMP, W, SW, DROP 
CROWN, SE, E (you will now need to outrun the tyrannosaurus rex and arrive at your 
destination after all the pterodactyls have left. The hints give the route). Go NE, N, N, E, S, S, 
S, S, S, W, N, N, N, W, N, E, E, E, S, S, S, W, W, W, N, E, E, E, E, N, W, W, W, D, D, GET 
BUST, W, GET WHISTLE, D, W, NW, DROP BUST, S, BLOW WHISTLE (a dog comes and 
dispatches the lady), LOOK, GET GOBLET, N. Take whatever treasures you can carry, and 
the lamp and the documents. NW, NW, W, W, S, S, W, W, N, DROP ALL, GET 
DOCUMENTS, GET LAMP, GET GARLIC, S,  E, E, N, N, E, E, SE, SE, SW, W, SW, EAT 
GARLIC, W, GET EMERALDS, E, NE, E, NE. Get more treasures, the lamp and the bottle. 
You may need to take several trips back to the vault. Go NW, NW, W, W, S, S, W, W, N,  
DROP ALL, GET DOCUMENTS, GET LAMP, GET BOTTLE, S, E, E, N, W, GET EGG, E, S, 
S, SE, DROP EGG (in front of the cave), SW, S, N, NW, NE, SE, THROW WATER, E, GET 
FOLIO, W, NW, N, E, NE, E, NW, LOOK (note the names of the explorers. Peary went north, 
Columbus went west, Scott went south and Marco Polo went east. You will need these 
directions, or a combination of two. Note also that you cannot save here until you get the 
treasure.) NW, W, W, S, E, E, D. Go whatever direction or combination depicted in the mural, 
then gown DOWN until you get to the bottom. GET SAPPHIRES. Go UP all the way, W, W, S, 
W, W, N. You now have all the treasures and are whisked into the dancing maidens room. 
Decipher the statements. The hints give the process (which did not work absolutely correctly, 
but also gave the answer). NYMPHS WALTZ and you are finished with 300 points.

Map

Here you have the map of the game which will help you to finish it more easily. (Property of the web “CASA”)

Game

The disk images, taken from the original version of Kingdom of Hamil, have been recorded and verified.

• Kingdom of Hamil (Compressed .DSK file in ZIP format)

Divers

Below you can download Kingdom of Hamil game manual, guide and notes.

• Kingdom of Hamil Handbook (PDF file)
• Kingdom of Hamil Help-Sheet (PDF file)
• Kingdom of Hamil solution (PDF file)
• Kingdom of Hamil notes (PDF file)
• Kingdom of Hamil catalogue (PDF file)

• Play Kingdom of Hamil online
• Play Kingdom of Hamil online