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The icon craze marches on as Alligata's latest offering uses the little picture symbols to implement commands in their island adventure tale.

You play the part of a pirate who has been released from the island prison by the natives to help them defeat the evil High Priest - the tyrant keeping them enslaved.

Luckily, those years in a tiny cell did not prevent you from keeping fit. Which was fortunate because you will need all your acrobatic ability and skill throwing and catching to complete your quest.

In true arcade adventure style the game is divided up into a number of sub-plots. You have to find objects to enable you to perform certain tasks. For example, the crucifix is required to kill the priest, the net to catch the ferret, the ferret, the find the key, a witch's amulet to trade for the eagle. You get the idea - so I won't give away any more secrets.

The High Priest has a heavy gang of soldiers, guards, trackers, bandits and mercenaries in his employ and even a warlock in a certain location.

The icons come into it to enable you to pick up and use the items you need as you explore.

The nice thing about Ark Pandora is that it is not just you against all the nasties.

There are also allies that you can enlist to help in your quest.

The condemned man at the gallows, the fisherman, hermit, witch and prisoner in the dungeon will help you in some way - usually be giving you something to achieve a task.

Weapons-wise you are armed with discs and studded balls which you can lob at the nasties.

Your acrobatic ability has already been noted - it's most useful aspect is the pirate somersault, despite its rather clumsy animation.

The game has no less than ninety-four locations - with fairly impressive graphics in most cases.

One of the main faults of arcade adventures is that they tend to be pretty worthless once you have cracked them. Ark Pandora avoids this obsolescence with a neat trick - a Screen Designer.

This enables you to move the scenery around a little bit. It's pretty time-consuming, and doesn't appear to alter the gameplay very drastically. It's a pity that it wasn't more sophisticated - it could have given Ark Pandora a real advantage over dozens of arcade adventures that have preceded it.

Again on the plus side you can save old games and take up from where you left off - such as a useful feature in tough games of this type.

Musically the game has two excellent original pieces on it. Not quite in the Galway/Hubbard class - but still very good.

This is a well planned and satisfying game to play with good quality sound and graphics.