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"The Prisoner", as the author now signs himself, also wrote Spooks and I can't help but notice his fingerprints all over this follow-up. The format is so similar that the two programs could be Siamese twins - not that that matters if you drool over puzzle-trail style games.

After the title page has faded away you find your alter ego standing in the middle of the Glen of Coloured Corpses, wishing he was somewhere else.

That's where your acumen as an arcade adventurer really comes into its own for you realise that by careful acquisition and use of objects and artefacts plus full mobilisation of your pathfinger capabilities, a way out can be found. Hitting the fire button or the space bar switches the control modes of command and inventory.

The display switches from a four-way scrolling representation of the unfriendly environment, tangled woods and old buildings, both hiding the lurgie messengers of doom, and the command action screen.

Various fruits can be picked up to sustain you on the journey to the castle, which apparently is the gateway to civilisation, as well as three objects to help you surmount the sundry obstacles. Now what would you do with a blue key?

Confirmed adventurers will look down their noses at this one. Obviously it is aimed at the gamester who is ready to splash out £2 just to sample life beyond blasting and as such it's not a bad introduction to that style of game.