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Icon Jon - a legend in his own sub-routine - is rather worried. He has seen all his best friends wiped out at power down which is the fate awaiting all computer programs when the Great Users in the sky have had their evil way with them.

But IJ is that most dangerous of things - an ambitious program who is not too pleased with the idea of vanishing down a plug once his services are no longer required.

Determined to avoid the messy ending which befalls other CPU residents, IJ sets about finding a way out of the computer before it’s too late.

Jon is really quite an independent and free thinking program with a modicum of artificial intelligence but he'll need some help in finding his way around some of the computers more remote recesses. This is where your assistance would be most appreciated.

In order to help Jon escape alive, you must interface directly with him, his two friends Andy Capacitor and Charlie Chiplin, his surroundings and any other characters he may meet.

This is achieved using the HCID - Human to Component Interface Device - which has been developed by a group of mega-brains.

Once HCID is loaded a number of icons will appear on the right hand side of the screen.

These icons are your entry into the system and most of them lead to an option menu which appears in a window in the centre of the screen. By highlighting the option you require you can directly give IJ instructions to help him escape the computer.

The functions of the icons in HCID are: Status, Chat, Term, Manipulate, Act, Move, Notepad, Help, Store, and Quit. Some of these are obvious, but others need some explanation.

Status allows you to see how you're doing and gives you an idea of the temperament of Charlie and Andy. This is important as they are quite moody individuals that are helpful when they are happy.

Chat lets you discuss such diverse subjects as 'the weather' or 'reviewers' as well as giving you the chance to ask people for help.

Term is used when you want to type in something at a terminal while Manipulate allows you to perform simple actions such as wave, dig and hit as well as combining objects together to make new ones - hint hint!!

Move transfers control to the image enhancer on the left hand side of the screen which puts Jon under your direct control in order to move him from location to location inside the computer.

The HCIP enhancer will interface with either Joystick or keyboard.

A nice thing about the Store option is that it lets you make a ROM save which happens instantaneously and means you can return to that point whenever you want. Icon Jon has a reserve energy pack which should keep him going for quite a time providing he doesn't try making an illegal access (get it!!) which quickly drains his energy supply.

You will need to start thinking like the programmer in order to suss some of the more obscure logical conundrums such as what to do with the reggae record. Hint - think of a famous UK Reggae group whose name is made up from two letters and two numbers!

Icon Jon is an easy to play arcade adventure that has more than originally meets the eye. For that reason it is worth playing a few times before passing judgement.

You'll have hours of fun trying to crack some of the many riddles, puns and gags contained in the more than 50 locations of Jon's techno prison accompanied by the strains of Beethoven's choral symphony.