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This is 1984. Human beings are treated no better than Pavlov's dogs. Heartless scientists wind us up and make us play for their amusement, like clockwork rats in a trap. All in the interest of science, you understand.

Such a gruesome fate has befallen Eddie in this game. Imprisoned by the mad professor, Eddie must undergo five tests in a macabre labyrinth to see how long his will to live can last.

And he's such a nice boy_ A round smiling face is topped by a great shock of red hair. That smile's wiped off, though, when the profs plunger thrusts him into the living hell of the maze.

A very original and difficult maze it is, too. You get a bird's-eye-view of Eddie, as if the roof of the building had been detached, as he desperately wanders from room to room.

He's looking for the four keys he needs to unlock the exit. Of course, he's also looking for that too. The trouble with these keys is that they have to be collected in sequence.

Eddie can make things easier if he can get hold of the map, but that too is randomly hidden in the maze and it's a matter of luck if he finds it quickly.

Naturally, this is a dispiriting business and the 'willpower' indicator at the side of the screen shows just how desperate Eddie's getting. If he runs out of this essential stuff, it's all over.

But he can replenish his supply of willpower by gobbling the cherries found in some rooms and by collecting keys. Unfortunately, these rooms also contain a sprinkling of slothful snakes (of the green variety).

Eddie can sneak past them if the serpent head is turned away. If not, he is swallowed whole. The professor has also laid his pet mutated rug in wait and it doesn't like being disturbed one bit. Skeletons are also left lying around to dispirit him still further. But still he troops on with his little feet sticking out in front of him as he goes.

Test 1 can be completed, with luck and practice, within ten minutes. The next maze is bigger, has more keys and takes a quarter of an hour or so. Test 5, if you get that far, will take getting on for 40 minutes.

Back Track is a really original variant of the maze game and provides a gripping and lengthy challenge. Graphics are excellent, but the sound is merely average - not that it's terribly important. Dragon owners will want to get out of this one.

You'd think there was no life in 3D maze games, but here's one which comes up with a brilliant new approach - viewing the action from above. This makes it so much easier to remember your way through the maze - it's far more satisfying than 3D maze games which drop you in at ground level.

Eddie is very cute, even viewed from above, and the scrolling of the maze as he moves is impressive.

Possibly a bit more could have been done with the keys - each key could have opened up a new section of the maze. But just collecting them is adventurous enough - this game would probably be a hit on any micro.

The lovely way that poor Eddie digs his heels in to stop himself being pushed into the maze is tear-jerking, and you can see why once he's there.

The gobbling green snakes and spooky skeletons that hang around in this place, are rather nasty - like if you're not careful, you die. And that's not the only problem!

So, if you enjoy dicing with death, Back Track down to your local score *now*!

I have the will, I have the determination... then again perhaps... oh no, I just can't take any more, Mother!

Sorry, it's just that small spaces, time limits and evil professors have this strange effect on me. The novel graphic, viewpoint and the compulsive maze search all make this a highly challenging game.

Some of the touches, like being pushed into the maze and swallowed by the snake are delightfully done, adding the essential sense of humour. Wonderfully difficult and great to play.