<s>
Dark	B-Application
Sceptre	I-Application
is	O
a	O
strategy	B-Application
adventure	O
video	O
game	O
by	O
Mike	O
Singleton	O
's	O
design	O
team	O
Maelstrom	O
Games	O
,	O
for	O
Beyond	O
Software	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
published	O
by	O
Firebird	O
Software	O
for	O
the	O
ZX	B-Operating_System
Spectrum	I-Operating_System
in	O
1987	B-Application
and	O
for	O
the	O
Amstrad	B-Device
CPC	I-Device
in	O
1988	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
task	O
in	O
Dark	B-Application
Sceptre	I-Application
is	O
to	O
recover	O
the	O
eponymous	O
artefact	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dark	B-Application
Sceptre	I-Application
was	O
well	O
received	O
by	O
critics	O
on	O
its	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Your	O
Sinclair	O
awarded	O
Dark	B-Application
Sceptre	I-Application
9	O
out	O
of	O
10	O
,	O
highlighting	O
"	O
nifty	O
graphics	O
and	O
sound	O
"	O
and	O
the	O
easy-to-play	O
design	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
CRASH	O
magazine	O
awarded	O
it	O
88%	O
,	O
highlighting	O
the	O
large	O
,	O
animated	O
sprites	O
that	O
avoided	O
the	O
Spectrum	O
's	O
attribute	B-Algorithm
clash	I-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
Maelstrom	O
Games	O
had	O
also	O
designed	O
a	O
play	O
by	O
mail	O
version	O
of	O
Dark	B-Application
Sceptre	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
sent	O
in	O
their	O
turns	O
via	O
ZX	B-Device
Microdrive	I-Device
cartridge	O
,	O
whilst	O
Singleton	O
adjudicated	O
the	O
whole	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
