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Buriabeast is described as introducing a new plateau in graphics and sound. What the insert doesn't tell you is that this is a straightforward 'Panic' type game, and with the amount of versions available already, you could say the game type plateaued out a tong while ago.

You are the sole surviving member of the human race and it has fallen to you to defend the world from hordes of marauding mutant KENS (as in 'D'ye Ken John Peel') and your only tool is a shovel. Quite honestly, if I was the sole surviving member of the human race, I think I would leave the world to the marauding Kens.

Thus described, the game is quite traditional - five platforms, several ladders of varying lengths, holes to be dug or filled to trap monsters which, if they escape from a trap, get more vicious. The novel feature is the Buriabeast (is he a Ken or not?) - a man-sized blue monster who has to fall through three holes to die. The game is played against a falling oxygen level.

Control keys: Q/A up/down, O/P left/right, D/F dig/ fill
Joystick: None
Keyboard play: Responsive
Use of colour: Average
Graphics: Average
Sound: Above average with good tunes
Skill levels: Three speeds
Lives: 3
Originality: Hardly any (close to original)

The graphics are quite colourful and detailed, especially the beast himself. I think this is also the first 'Panic' I have seen where you can dig holes right beside ladders - indeed, even on top of them. The monsters are quite intelligent, although the higher level monsters almost always oblige by falling into your holes. The tunes are quite good. Graphics move by the block and are quite small except for the man and the beast, both of which move well. Overall a fairly neat 'Panic' type game, but still not the best on the market.

l seriously doubt the wisdom of anyone bringing out yet another 'Panic' game, when there are already so many on the market. As to the new plateau in sound and graphics - well the tunes are quite nice but nothing special, and the same can be said of the graphics. Your man moves quite well, and has a nice touch - when he jumps through a hole, he bends his legs quite realistically on landing. When you lose a life you reappear immediately at a random position on the base platform, usually away from the monsters - no time to relax! By no means the worst, nor the best 'Panic' game for the Spectrum.

I think it's a bit late in the day to bring out yet another version of this ancient arcade game, unless, of course, it's spectacular. Buriabeast isn't really spectacular in content, graphics or sound. That said, it's a perfectly playable 'Panic', and if you haven't got one and want one, then this is probably as good a buy as most.