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Not too long ago we found the intrepid explorer Burt, from Automata, helping to paint in a pyramid in Pi-Balled. Burt now finds himself reduced in scale and transported to the inside of a computer where his mission is to track down the elusive Big Bug.

Burt also have to avoid contact with the minor bugs that infect the machine, and if he does happen to touch one of the bugs it's an early grave for him.

Scattered around the numerous levels of the computer are a number of items which Burt must collect. Once all of the objects are collected he will automatically be moved to the next level. There are a number of revolving edit keys scattered around the computer and passing under one of these will cause it to fall, squashing any bug that happens to be too close.

Moving up a level brings a greater degree of difficulty. The monsters tend to get a little meaner: you'll find Burt being chased around the computer by red bugs that can tunnel around the computer after him, white speed bugs, green grabbers and magenta menaces.

Visually, Pi-in-'Ere is good. Our hero Burt is quite large and extremely well animated, and the rotating keys spin very smoothly. The fact that the graphics are large isn't really a good thing, since it means that the playing area is very small and you don't have the room to manoeuvre around the nasties that are chasing you. You also get the normal Spectrum problems with the colours becoming confused with objects get close to each other.

Sound can't really be described as being good. The reverse side of the cassette contains what has now become the standard piece of 'music', of the same quality as earlier releases by Automata - bad.

Pi-in-'Ere is not an original game and there are others that are a lot more playable, even if they don't look as good.