Upon entering The Secret Garden of Mutabor, we are confronted by 'Youmiko', our introductory guide into this beautiful and expressive puzzle game. It is here she tells us of the plight of the Secret Garden, and how its central source of life is the 'Heart of Desire', which cannot control its emotions and therefore must be kept in the only place where the heart will not overheat - the 'Castle of Ice' at the 'Frozen River'. But now the river is melting, which means that everyone could perish. Your task is to save the Secret Garden by finding the four pieces of code that will open the 'Gate of Serpent Zoom' while solving, in the process, the mystery of why the river is melting.

The Secret Gardenuses clear, simple navigation and an extensive help system throughout, and though at times this can seem a little overbearing, on balance it makes the navigation clear and understandable. As Henry Ford once remarked, nobody ever lost money by underestimating the public! The Flash environment allows the site's users to forget the browser and become more immersed in the game. Buttons are reinforced by small sound samples, many of which are voices, and all of which have a feel that enhances the Asian, storybook-like quality of the illustration work.

Unlike many of the Flash sites on the Web, The Secret Garden has made good use of the extra element of depth available in the navigation by utilising the zoom in/out feature. This allows 'hidden' elements, such as clues and comments from the Garden's characters, to enrich the narrative while simultaneously creating a curiosity about the screens - what will I find if I look here? What happens if I go there?

Of course, making good use of prevailing tools is not enough to make a great site, and what really makes this site stand out is the beautiful and complex illustration work. It displays great use of colour and composition, which really bring the story's characters to life while at the same time managing to steer clear of the more clichéd uses of computer-rendering. This results in a warmth and richness that truly make it a visual feast. All of these factors combine to create a site that really stands head and shoulders above many others.

Although you get the feeling that the site is aimed at a younger audience, the fact that the help system is comprehensive and the level of difficulty is not too high means that adults could easily spend time with this and enjoy it. And without wishing to spoil your enjoyment of this site, it has to be said that in the end, the puzzle packs a cynical punch which belies its 'naive' style