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Beyond The Forbidden Forest is the sequel to a game called The Forbidden Forest which I never saw or heard of, so we won't go into that. The game took absolutely ages to load from the disk, but the wait for the impressive intro screen was well worth it. To the eerie sound of thunder and torrential rain the Forbidden Forest logo flashes up on the screen like lightning.

Eerie is not the word. This is the spookiest game I've ever played. The church organ music sets the mood and the forest itself looks none too friendly. The trees are all twisted and gnarled, but this is nothing compared with what's coming up.

You are the hero archer (You'll have to use your imagination, the blurb on this preview version was unreadable). For some reason, no doubt a very good one, you have been dumped in the middle of this creepy forest to have all manner of hideous creatures try and kill you.

The creatures are the most terrifying specimens I have seen in any game. They creep up and pounce on you with a ferocity that, quite frankly, is disturbing. In most other games when you are killed something beeps, or says "You are dead", or your little spaceship explodes.

Not for Forbidden Forest these pathetic euphemisms, you are exposed to the full horrors off being eaten alive. To the sound of psycho-like screaming music, your blood is sprayed around the screen as the beast's teeth rip into your flesh.

I was eaten by no less than five different types of creature. The least threatening was a scorpion which, it has to be said, was pretty stupid. The scorpion just chases after you and it's simply a matter of turning on the run and firing arrows into its back. If you're daft enough to let it catch you, it stings you to death - blood everywhere.

The dragonfly is a different matter. That buzzes around all over the place and is particularly difficult to kill. If you're not careful, it descends from above and chews off your head - more blood everywhere.

The worm appears out of the ground at random locations gnashing its huge pincer mouth. It takes about five or six arrows to finish it off, but a hit is most satisfying as the worm bleeds too. If you're good you can take the top of its head off with a well aimed shot, but if it appears underneath you - lots of your blood everywhere.

It's a similar story with the others, either finish them off with your wooden weapon or prepare to die yourself. If you do manage to kill a beastie, you are presented with a golden arrow by something that looks like a working model of an atom. Golden arrows are pretty useful because they give you powers of rejuventation.

I get the feeling there is more to Forbidden Forest than I saw. Perhaps some second stage that can be attempting after collecting so many golden arrows. Mind you, I managed to collect twelve (which took me half the night - the screen went black and the stars came out) and there were no signs of anything new to come.

The graphics are very well done. The forest is drawn in that chunky block graphic impressionist style and is truly 3D. You can walk in and out of the landscape, in front of and behind trees, and the landscape scrolls in perspective, i.e. objects further away move more slowly than those nearby.

Beyond The Forbidden Forest is an enjoyable and horrific game.