With every game on the market trying to blow your eyes out of their sockets with dazzling graphics it's nice to come across a couple of games that don't look much but play well. Alien Swarm is your basic, no-frills space invaders. Aliens, looking no more ferocious than horses wearing nosebags, rain down on your laser base.

You get fifty aliens to start with and a running check is kept on the number remaining. Points value and speed increases after each base hit or wave completed. Keyboard control only but very responsive action. Sound is pretty poor.

Arena is an absorbing original that has you in control of a small figure at screen centre carrying a moveable shield. Objects ricochet around the arena and come at the figure from all angles. You have to make sure that the shield is in the right position to deflect the object. Points for each deflection, one life (of five) gone if you miss.

Oh yes, and just for good measure the walls are closing in on you.

Limited side to side movement is possible but uses up energy. Seven skill levels and ten speeds give enough variety for the most demanding player (try speed 0, skill 1 - you won't last 20 seconds!). There's also a useful demo mode. An enjoyable game that combined tactics and plain arcade action. All in all, two good games on this K-Tel Doublesider for under £7. Guess you could call that value for money.