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A few months ago, Salamander launched detective Dan Diamond on the first of a trilogy of adventures, Franklin's Tomb, which was greeted with rather mixed reviews. Lost In Space is the second in the series, with Fishy Business still to come.

Dan is now trapped aboard a derelict space ship that's patrolled by security robots and his task is to find his way to the bridge and take control of the ship.

Salamander's packaging gets larger all the time. This arrived in a wallet the size of a Spectrum and with an accompanying 16-page "Case File" containing 13 pages of illustrations of some of the game's locations. You are get the sub-Chandler introduction: "My name is Diamond. Dan Diamond. I'm a private investigator, or at least I used to be. Now I'm a first class schmuck."

What a shame the game itself contains none of the humour suggested by the advertising and packaging.

In a text-only adventure, that text is all-important, and the opening location description of "You are standing in the transporter chamber" is hardly witty, or even descriptive. Unfortunately, it is typical. About the only thing approaching humour, and that from a long way off, is the response "Don't be silly" when you try to be.

You can carry three items, and single commands only can be entered in the usual verb-noun way.

Although in Basic, responses are quick, and as you wander round the ship (which is difficult - the only thing in its favour) you will encounter in the traditional mazes, security guards sneaking up on you now and again, and tempting buttons to push and levers to pull ... which curiosity impels you to try, even if it does mean starting all over again. That's a fast enough procedure, and there is also a SAVE facility, all the instructions being in the "Case File" along with helpful hints like "Don't be afraid to do stupid things", followed by "Don't go around doing stupid things all the time."

Lost In Space can be played independently of Franklin's Tomb, though you may get one or two extra clues from having played the earlier game, but for me the adventure was disappointing after the promise of the packaging.