Mystic Meg's Magic Numbers

I have to confess to being a bit of a Mystic Meg fan in the past. I don't feel I can entirely be blamed since it was my parents who bought The News of the World and her horoscopes seemed to be the most factual thing in there to read.

But still, if Meg said destiny would be bringing me a messenger with the number 3 tattooed across his forehead, I would be left looking out for that sign. For, ooh, about five minutes until I'd forgotten what she'd said, or read my horoscope in Mizz magazine instead.

So I was mildly excited to get Mystic Meg's Magic Numbers and the chance to see if the crystal ball wielding weirdo still has it. The verdict? She's clearly got the knack of this numerology business, as proven by her freakishly accurate surmising of my character as giving, free spirited and very modest. She doesn't lend her name to a particularly good game though - that bit of it is pretty rubbish.

Before you think I'm being a bit unfair to judge Mystic Meg's Magic Numbers as a game, since it's clearly more of a numerology application, I bring to your attention Challenge mode, which is most definitely trying to be a game.

In it, you guide a rigid man around a maze, making sure you pick up gems along the way and stopping to answer the odd riddle or play a mini-game. It's fair to say it's pretty basic stuff. Typical mini-games include one where you balance a ball on a see-saw, and one where you get rid of a grid of numbers by matching up three in a row. There's also one where you type in numbers as they appear on the screen, which is so difficult it's reminiscent of Brain Training turned into a torture device.

At best, you could describe Challenge mode as a way to pass the time for half an hour. But then, you can pass half an hour piercing your own ears using matchsticks dipped in acid, so it's not like that's a good reason to do it. What it does do is introduce you to how numerology works - which is by turning your name and birth date into numbers then using them to make important life decisions. It's as good a way as any.

Where Mystic Meg clearly excels though is in the Readings part of the game. Here you simply enter your name, date of birth and gender and Meg gives you four numerology readings - destiny, life path, inner dreams and birthday.

A Compatibility section also lets you see how well suited you are to someone else. Meg can deduce from both of your first names how well you communicate, from your birth dates how much you trust one another and from your favourite numbers how much passion there is in your relationship. You can save up to ten of these results for cross reference, just in case you want to try out that many before committing to one.

Clearly some will think it's all a load of rubbish, but no doubt there are just as many who would quite like a portable numerology reader they can use on themselves and their friends for fun. For these people, Mystic Meg's Magic Numbers is a decent enough fortune telling device with suitably swirly visuals and slightly disturbing horror movie-esque sound effects while Meg is reading your fortunes. Most importantly, the readings themselves are well written and quite comprehensive.

Now, if you'll excuse me Mystic Meg has said my destiny lies in a job in advertising. I've clearly strayed off my life path a bit. See you, Pocket Gamer!