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This quilled adventure certainly caught my eye when I received it earlier on this month. It is based on an apparently legendary 'pop' group called the Beatles, and incorporates many of their lyrics within the game's structure. Of course, if you aren't too familiar with their

ballads (my ancient gramophone doesn't cater for records than run anything less than 78 rpm) perhaps many may not be too interested, but I can see that it is likely to attract fans of their music.

The adventure itself is certainly an odd one. Set in the year 2953 (quite a few years after the Beatles hit records, I gather), you take the role of Keeper of the Archives, looking after remnants of Ancient Earth while pioneers search for a New Earth somewhere in space. While researching, your interest is particularly taken by 'The Four Kings of EMI' and you yearn to return to those times. By feeding certain data into the computer you enter a simulated Beatle world and the adventure begins (what's wrong with a good spell I will never know but still ... )

This adventure is definitely odd, starting with the infamous 'swirling mists of time', where any move puts you into a rather drab location - a late 60s bedsit. All around you are the seedy remains of the past, from Liver Birds tapes (the White Wizard has never heard of such a strange feathered creature) to books, peeling wallpaper and dim lightbulbs.

There's also a girl on the bed, a rather happy seventeen-year old individual who's in the sort of condition that only a bottle of the finest Pipistrel'56 could possibly bring about. She didn't prove too helpful, so I pottered about the place adjusting to such strange surroundings. After a very short space of time, my condition deteriorated and I sought vainly for food (a common feature of Quilled adventures such as this). Moments later my intestines had gone rather wobbly and I was asked whether I wanted another game.

Naturally I set about my duties for a second time. On this occasion I was accosted by somebody called Maxwell in possession of a silver hammer and was promptly 'bang-banged' until I was dead. My third quest was more rewarding, and after delving much further I discovered some weird and wonderful things.

The game's vocabulary is very good, with helpful responses and verbose descriptions for each of the 150 locations, generating an excellent atmosphere. The puzzles, although easier for those with a penchant for Beatles songs, are tricky but interesting to solve.

I must say I enjoyed this novel experience and this is an adventure that wouldn't go amiss even in a collection of one who's not too keen on the Beatles.