 The game was well received by video game journalists upon its release . ZX Spectrum magazines Crash and ZX Computing awarded Cauldron II their top accolades : " Crash Smash " and " Monster Hit " , respectively . Similar to the first Cauldron , praise from the video game press focused on the graphical quality , and criticism directed at the gameplay was mixed . Computer and Video Games reviewer Paul Boughton praised the size of the game world , but criticized the audio quality of the Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum versions , citing the limited capabilities of the two systems . In concluding his review , Boughton felt any version of the game would be worth purchasing . Phil South of Your Sinclair praised the game 's presentation and design , calling the graphics " lovely " and the platform gameplay " original " . ZX Computing ' reviewer praised the audio @-@ visuals , and recommended the title for fans of the previous game . A Crash magazine reviewer lauded the audio @-@ visuals of the ZX Spectrum version and commented that the gameplay offered more than its predecessor 's . The reviewer described Cauldron II as difficult , but felt that the sense of accomplishment gained from successful completion outweighed the negative aspect . Computer Gamer 's reviewer criticized the bouncing gameplay , citing unpredictable reactions and difficulty in navigating around tough enemies . Rich Pelley and Jon Pillar of Your Sinclair echoed similar comments . Retro Gamer writer Craig Grannell described the game 's difficulty as the " only real criticism " . The ZX Computing reviewer also criticized the bouncing aspect , but praised the overall game design as enjoyable . Phil King , another Crash reviewer , praised the Silverbird re @-@ release . He called the graphics " colorful " and " well @-@ animated " , and felt that the game was of good value despite an excessive difficulty . The commercial success of the two Cauldron games prompted Palace to give Brown more creative freedom for his following project , Barbarian : The Ultimate Warrior . 
