Wayout is a maze game with a big twist. While other such games give you a view from the top, Wayout uses superb 3-D graphics to put you right in the middle. Everything appears as it would if you were actually trying to walk through the maze itself.


There are twenty-six totally different mazes for you to escape from, and not even the introductory maze can be considered a pushover. It's all too easy to become very disoriented as you pass the tall blue walls - they all look alike no matter which maze you are in. To help in your search for the Wayout, you're provided with two on-screen tools. One is a compass that shows you the direction in which you are heading. The other is a standard two-dimensional maze map that is drawn as you wander, and contains a moving dot that shows where you are and where you are heading. Each time you see a new wall or door opening, the mapmaker sketches it in.


Of course, a compass and map would make things too easy, and so you have to fight to keep them. Entering every maze with you is a harmless mischiefmaker called a Cleptangle, and the name fits. It's a kleptomaniac 3-D rectangle that flashes in red and white and sneaks up on you to steal your tools.


To recover the equipment, you have to catch up with the Cleptangle and tag him. Finding him isn't too hard, as he often comes back to find you and his approach is always signaled by an alarm that gets stronger as he gets closer.


When you do find it, the Wayout is easily identified. It appears as a flashing panel changing from red to black to blue, and emits a distinct buzzing sound easily distinguishable from the other game noises.


While definitely better than most other maze games, Wayout has its drawbacks. After a while, looking at the uniform dark-blue walls gets monotonous. But the graphics are excellent and the mazes are original and challenging. Wayout also keeps score by showing how much distance you covered getting out. The score, along with the player's initials, can be permanently entered alongside the name of the maze in the selection menu, so score-beating becomes the challenge of a maze you have already solved.


If mazes and puzzles are your thing, then Wayout is for you. But if you're a person with little patience or no natural sense of direction, you're likely to find nothing but frustration.


The Wayout can be located anywhere but is usually somewhere in the middle of the maze. Searching the outside edges is generally a waste of time.