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For those of you who don't know about these things XOR is a machine code instruction which manipulates bits of data. If you think that's boring you'll have to agree that this game is aptly titled. XOR is like a cross between a three year old game called Boulder Dash, which involved a lot of falling rocks, and a prehistoric thing for the ZX81 called Mazogs. In other words it's a maze game with things that fall on your head. In their day, Boulder Dash and Mazogs were pretty good, but things have moved on a bit since then, haven't they?

There are fifteen mazes in all which, although they are similar in rough layout and design, have various different properties. All fifteen of them are displayed on a menu bar and you can start with whichever one you want. My advice is to start with the first one and work your way down - they get progressively more difficult. On completion of each maze you are given a letter. When you have all fifteen letters you are in possession of an encrypted clue to XOR's true nature. You can send this off to Logotron for a certificate and badge declaring you a member of the Order of XOR. I can hardly wait.

The first maze is called dots and waves, which might have something to do with the two different kinds of force field barring some of the routes. You have control of two shields, one depicting a lion, the other with a chevron. Control is switched from one to the other by pressing the Fire button. In this first maze there are 47 masks and you must collect the whole lot within a specified number of moves before leaving by the door and collecting a letter of the code. That's all there is to it.

Unusually, there are no spooks to chase you around, no sneaky traps, no keys to find. All that stands between you and the masks are these force fields. The dotty ones can be passed through horizontally and the wavy lines disappear if you travel vertically through them. The only problem arises if you need to go up or down through a dotty force field or sideways through a wavy one, in which case you'll have to find another route.

The map will help you find your way around, but to get all of it you have to pick up four map segment icons which are located in different parts of the maze. Unfotunately, there is no map showing you where the map segments are.

The remaining fourteen mazes are based on the first, with varous things introduced to complicate matters. The first of these is fish. Fish are to XOR what rocks are to Boulder Dash. They perch on top of maze walls and if you bump into them they fall blocking your only exit. Later on, fish can be used to explode bombs and make new paths, but you have to be careful you don't blow yourself up with them. A variation on the theme is spring loaded chickens which shoot off to the right or left when any obstacle is removed from their path. In the later mazes things can get very complicated. Working out the end result of removing a mask stuck between half a ton of fish and a dozen or so chickens is a time consuming business and the 'try it and see' approach inevitably ends in disaster.

XOR can definitely be classed in the strategy/tactical bracket, a game for people who like to think for half an hour before making a move. But does it have to be this dull? The graphics are very ordinary and the only sound available is one of those awful plink-plonk-beep tunes which sounded pathetic even five years ago. The best thing that I can find to say about it is that it's "OK, but nothing special". My mate Malcolm liked it, but then he's from Newcastle and wears a bright yellow waterproof.