Please move this topic if it's in the wrong forum! I've tried in many places to find this game and was recommended this site by someone on the facebook MSDOS games group.

Platform(s): PC MSDOS

Genre: Top-down adventure

Estimated year of release: 1989-1991

Graphics/art style: Simple sprites, much like NES dragon warrior and MSDOS tower of the sorceror. Set in a cave or castle interior.

Notable characters: You are a knight and you must avoid small critters (slimes, rats iirc)

Notable gameplay mechanics: You collect silver coins and gold coins, gold being worth more. In order to get to the next level, you advance past pay-gates in the northern area of the level. I remember there were huge amounts of optional extra pay-gates you could go through to get to bonus areas. You can take damage and I believe there are potions to replenish health.

Other details: You can collect a helmet in the south-west area on the first level which is surrounded by lightning that makes it difficult to obtain. Collecting the helmet reduces damage taken by a significant %. There are other pieces of armor such as breast plates to collect too but they are hard to get, many behind pay-gates.

Attached picture is just a picture drawn from memory, not the actual game.