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Once upon a time, in a distant valley, cut off from civilisation as we know it, there was a maze...

This is the title page to New Generation Software's Escape, and it is from this maze that you must do just that.

Simple you might think, but you'd be wrong. Besides having to evade several species of dinosaur you also have to find an axe with which to break down the exit door.

You can choose from five levels of difficulty each level relating to the number of dinosaurs. The first is easy because you only have one dinosaur to contend with. You can move twice as fast as the monsters, using the 5-8 keys, unless you are carrying the axe which slows you down because it is heavy. The axe is placed at random in the maze and when you walk (or should I say run) over it a message flashes up telling the axxe using the 0 key - as I said before this slows you down considerably, but if you feel the hot breath of a hungry dinosaur on the back of your neck you can drop it by pressing the 0 key again.

Level five is almost impossible because not only do you have to face earthbound monstesr but an airborne pteranodon which swoops down, and a Triceratops that is small enough to be obscured by the hedges that make up the maze walls.

When, and if, you escape from the maze you are told the number of seconds you lasted and if you were good enough you can enter the Escape hall of fame. This can be saved for prosperity if you wish.

Full use is made of the Spectrum's colour, each monster being different. You can hear the patter of your own feet and those of the monsters through the sound facility and the graphics are excellent with a capital E. The monsters appear to walk most realistically and the maze is viewed from an elevated angle made possible by the use of the Spectrum's "Bright" facility. This makes the top of the maze hedges a light green, while the sides are a darker shade of the same colour.

Escape is a very original and addictive game for the 16K Spectrum and one of the best that I have seen. It is well worth £4.95 and is widely available through major retailers such as WHSmith, or direct from New Generation Software, Oldland Common, Bristol.