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Due to a strange and inexplicable illness, Professor Storm is losing his intellectual prowess at an alarming rate. To remedy the situation, the unfortunate chap has to collect all his intellectual thoughts and put them firmly under control. This means that he has to travel through his own mind, which is made up of interlocking cogs, and reconstruct the scientific formulae he once took for granted.

The scrolling screen displays a series of rotating cogs, with Storm travelling either clockwise or anti-clockwise around their rims. Speed increases when travelling with a cog's motion, while movement against has the opposite effect. Should Storm stop moving, he rotates at the same speed as the rim. Pressing Fire when the Prof reaches an intersection between a pair of cogs moves him from one to the other.

At the start, a formula is displayed, and when it has been memorised the Fire button is pressed to begin. Parts of the formula found at the centre of some of the cogs and are automatically collected when the Prof runs along the entire edge. When all the components of the formula has been collected in the correct order, Storm moves onto the next, more complex screen. If the formula is wrong, the Prof loses one of his five lives and starts the screen over again.

Storm's routine task is hindered by stray, distracting thoughts. Some journey predictably on the cogwheel's rims, but others switch randomly from one cog to another, or even home in on the poor man. If these touch Storm they reduce his IQ, represented as a diminishing bar at the side of the display. If his intelligence is entirely diminished, he becomes a moron and a life is lost.

Some wheels have found memories or abstract thoughts at the centre, which temporarily paralyse Storm or knock a chunk off his IQ bar. Others, however, have books which increase IQ, calculators to speed up movement, and a hammer which swats the next stray thought that is encountered... If the Prof finds a trash can he's able to reshuffle the collected parts of the formula to read correctly.

When all the formulae have been assembled, the Prof's intellect returns and he returns back to normality.

Ah! A breath of fresh air wafts through the office! Pi is that rare type of beast which is occasionally spotted prowling the software jungle - a highly original and very playable game.

The gameplay has been extremely well thought out, and the pitch between puzzlement and arcade action is absolutely perfect.

The screen layout is aesthetically beautiful, and the playing area is just the right size - big enough to see what's going on, but not quite big enough to see where everything is!

I thoroughly enjoyed playing Pi, and although it won't appeal to everyone, it's definitely worth taking a look just in case you're one of the privileged minority.

Initially Pi is fun to play. The graphics are nicely drawn and very colourful, and together with the pleasing tune they give an extremely pleasing overall effect.

The gameplay is incredibly frustrating but remains constantly addictive as screens are solved - and there's always the feeling that you have to back 'for just another go'.

Those who enjoy puzzle games should find Pi very much to their liking - try it out.

I can see the headlines now... "original idea gets loose and turns into computer game"! Pi is tremendously novel and really well implemented. It's also extremely playable - a little difficult at first, but then it's such an alien environment: you don't shoot things, you don't pick things up and carry them places and you don't have to waggle the joystick like crazy!

The presentation is good, with the gameplay requiring a fair amount of logical thinking as well as manual dexterity. I can see how many people would pass this over as dull, but if you've bought Zenji or Split Personalities then Pi should probably entertain you just as much as they did.

Presentation 88%
Well executed, including a lovely screen layout.

Graphics 79%
Unusual, pretty and perfectly suited to the gameplay.

Sound 76%
The tune isn't brilliant, but it adds just the right sort of atmosphere.

Hookability 82%
The highly original gameplay is confusing, but it's enjoyable getting to grips with the concept.

Lastability 70%
Although the action is repetitive, it takes a long time to become dull.

Overall 84%
A novel puzzle game which provides plenty of entertainment.