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Venom is an icon-driven adventure of some complexity. Listen carefully. Picture top left, very list top right, constantly scrolling current reply middle left, characters present middle right, narrative text at bottom. Using joystick or cursor keys (I couldn't fathom the joystick action on the Spectrum +2, perhaps because I had the wrong type) words are picked off the list (selected by pressing zero rather than enter on the Spectrum, would you believe?) and then control passes to the narrative text from the next world. Rather like Koboyashi, but slicker.

One of my main problems was having decided on my verb and selected it, the object I had in mind became unavailable as the narrative text changed before I could get hold of it.

Mundane plot. You, friend of the rule of Armosin, lost land of the Argonath, have arranged to meet in the Dancing Drayman Inn, to plot to overthrow the Evil One, Tralan, and his Hordes. (I would have preferred to stay put, sink a few pints, and listen to the Pogues on the juke box).

The Dancing Drayman has decor and furniture like a transport caff, other graphics are better. Pretty soon the icons begin to irritate. Give me proper text, not clingfilm-wrapped pre-packaged icon text gimmickry, anyday.