In 1984 a young programmer begins to question reality as he adapts a dark fantasy novel into a video game with multiple endings.

You know that sometimes you read a review and you think that you must have seen something different to what the reviewer watched? Well, that’s exactly what will happen here, as unless you choose exactly the same permutations that I did, you’ll have a different experience. And I don’t know how it was for you, but I had a great time.

Charlie Brooker’s excursion into interactive TV is a wonderful experiment into this medium, and while the options are still finite, you’ll have to replay the experience many times before you see all 2.5 hours of filmed footage from 250 segments. It reminds me of the US release of comedy movie Clue where you had one of three endings – you never knew what you’d get. Here you take greater control of the narrative, from simple things like choice of breakfast cereal or which cassette to play in the Walkman, or whether to… do really bad things.

As I played it, I reached a poor ending very early on and respawned at a crucial point. By the end of 75 minutes I’d reached as satisfactory conclusion as I’d expected, having  experienced a couple of other outcomes. Interactive jiggery-pokery aside, the story features a nervy central performance from Fionn Whitehead (Dunkirk) as programmer Stefan, living an unhappy life with his dad Peter, played by Craig Parkinson (Misfits).

Alice Lowe (Prevenge) also has a key role as Dr Haynes – just don’t think of Garth Merenghi! – and Will Poulter (The Maze Runner) is a mysterious uber-programmer who may just hold the key to what’s going on. Or not. Kudos also to the set designers and art department who have conjured up a recognisable 80s world of WHSmiths record departments, Wimpy bars, big hair and shiny suits.

Pictured – Fionn Whitehead

Verdict: Give yourself an hour-and-a-half to enter Brooker’s dark world of manipulation, paranoia and dangerous tech and see if you’re led down the rabbit hole to a satisfying or dystopic conclusion. You’ll probably want to play it again to see if the slightest change at the beginning causes a hurricane in China. Fun and addictive, but you soon start to question just who is really in charge of the remote… and that is exactly the point. 9/10

Nick Joy