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After recently playing Clues-o from Imperial Software (C&VG June, Personal Rating 5), I was none too keen to load a second offering from the same source, in a similarly plain-looking inlay. One shouldn't be influenced by the packaging of course, but it's difficult.

The game started by telling me about yet another evil wizard and how I must get his spellbook, staff, hat and cloak, and what little hope I still held vanished!

It returned very quickly as I got into the game. A variety of original locations, and some surprise ways of finding new exits, combined with well-written and fairly lengthy descriptions to make an interesting game.

My journey took me through a room of seven mirrors into a forest and a magic garden, whilst other routes led to the troll king rest room, from where his castle could be explored.

Eventually, I cam across the troll king himself, standing by a rickety bridge and demanding the return of his crown before he would allow me across! Well, I didn't have it for sure!

The input can be the usual two words most of the time, but longer phrases are supported, increasing the player's options for inventive solutions. Being in machine code, the response is immediate and the replies, although not identifying an invalid word, do give a clue as to whether a command is unrecognised or impossible.

I would only fault the game on the fact that, from a number of locations, there are too many exists listed that lead nowhere - in other words, to the room you are already in. This tends to make the text and size look a bit Infocomish and, while some of the text is up to that standard, the size of the game is obviously not. Oh - that and the maze! I hate mazes!

Perhaps a little overpriced at £8.95, Curse Of The Seven Faces is for the 48K Spectrum from Imperial Software of Imperial House, 153 Churchill Road, Parkstone, Poole, Dorset. Tel: 0202-721666.