One game that certainly isn't destined to become a classic is Ripper from Eclipse software. The action takes place in Hampstead Manor in 1900. A number of famous characters, including Sherlock Holmes, Houdini, and Florence Nightingale are staying at the house, which is also sheltering the dreaded 'Jack the Ripper'. Your task, predictably, is to track down this unsavoury character before he fills the larder with bodies.

It has to be said that the game has some ghoulish touches which do add to the atmosphere. As you play, the number of victims is displayed at the top of the screen and occasionally someone passes you by carrying 'a fresh supply of meathooks'. This is all very confusing until you stumble into the larder and discover a whole row of maids strung up on the aforesaid hooks. Ugh....

The game is quite tricky to solve. Most of the characters will offer help of some kind or another, but it can't always be relied upon. Marie Curie, for example, blotted her copybook as far as I was concerned by suggesting I drink a potion which then turned out to be sulphuric acid.

Unfortunately, atmosphere is about all this game has to offer. The location descriptions are pathetically short for a disk-based game, and there are unbearable delays while the program processes your inputs. If these delays were caused by disk accesses, resulting in rich and lengthy descriptions, I might be able to live with them, but they're not.

As a tape-based game this program would look pretty sparse, and it's certainly not a good reason to rush out and buy a disk drive. Even if you've already got one, you should think twice before parting with the necessary £12.95.