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This mind-teasing adventure comes from the stable that produced Philosopher's Quest, Castle Of Riddles and Countdown To Doom. If you enjoyed those, you will probably enjoy this one. It has the same strengths and weaknesses.

Kingdom Of Hamil starts off with a simple entry-game, probably simpler than any of the others mentioned, even Philosopher's Quest. So you are rapidly into the main game and find you can move about completely at will, entering one subgame or another by going in various directions. It has just the right mixture of easy puzzles to keep you buoyant and difficult ones to tantalise.

There is a strong air of irrationality about the world you are exploring. At one point you can climb onto a plain rocked by earthquakes and right next door you find a 'lost world' full of prehistoric creatures. Unexplained museums and mazes full of snarks jostle with a baby dragon, an enchantress and a vampire.

In spite of this, the atmosphere is good - something autumnal and Grecian seems to pervade the game. The puzzles are mostly excellent, as adventure addicts have come to expect from Acornsoft. The overall theme is codes and how to break them, so be prepared too think a bit. The solution to the vampire problem is hilarious, and the use of the baby dragon most original. There are no fewer than five mazes, which have to be solved in special ways. The maze of Hamil eluded me. The lost world is a brilliant idea that deserves a whole adventure, and guess what happens when you enter the field of magic maize?

The most frustrating aspect is an object that seems to have a will of its own, since you keep leaving it behind without meaning to!

Acornsoft will supply hints and answers to the puzzles, which is a good idea long overdue. The game is slow in reacting since it is in Basic, but good value, and it looks as if it might be the first of a sequence.