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I used to have terrifying dreams about being on board a ship which was gradually springing leaks, and I had to tear around trying to fix them. This game is my nightmare come true.

The terror begins when you, a service robot, materialize in the bridge of the ship. This is one of the ship's eleven compartments, only one of which can be displayed on screen at once. You glance at your instruments, and see that - aargh! - water is pouring into the ship's hold!

So off you run, pausing only to grab a sealing patch, and fumble your way through the ship's compartments until you reach the leak. Drop the patch onto the leak. Phew! But already the water level's high, causing you to lose power - better get out fast!

You leave. but then... oh no! You forgot to close the door. The water's pouring through into this room. Quick! Seal the door and get to the pump. But where's the pump handle? You left one in another room. No time to get it, because your power's running out. Help! Must get back to the bridge to recharge.

Just in time! And now if you're lucky, you can dart back to one of the water-filled rooms and pump it clear. If not, the ship's in danger of going down. But... panic! Another leak has sprung! And waters entering the bridge! If it gets at all deep the recharger will no longer work. That's it! You're out of power. The ship sinks with thousands of pounds of cargo on board.

Worse Things Happen At Sea is a brilliantly original panic game. It's so playable you can start enjoying it from the word go, yet as it goes on, you have more and more to worry about enough to turn even a skillful player into a gibbering wreck.

After learning to cope with leaks and pump handles on your first turn, you must then on your second turn take time to keep steering the ship on its proper course. And on your third, worse things still happen including the engine overheating!

The screen is very cleverly designed: the bottom half shows the compartment you're in complete with leaks, pump, and rising water level. The upper half has a number of indicators including the robot's remaining power, ship's direction, distance to harbour, and, most important, the water level in each compartment.

The robot runs around in a rather comic jerky style, accompanied by frenetic sound and some attractive tunes. It's particularly enjoyable watching him pump out a compartment.

Doors are quite difficult to close - you often accidentally walk through them instead, which can be fatal. But you can avoid opening and closing them. by a power-consuming mode of travel called 'supa-step'.

Many of Silversoft's previous efforts have simply been copies of arcade games. This one is in a different class. It's horrifyingly good.