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The Mazeli and Sahiban races have been at war for as long as anyone cares to remember. Caught in a stalemate, the two forces have undertaken extensive research programmes to find an end to the deadlock. The result of the Mazeli enterprises is the Blazer, a new ship of incredible destructive powers. Should the Sahiban allow this vessel to come into service, they would surely be doomed.

In an attempt to steal the vessel, a plan has been formulated to send a single-seat fighter on a suicide mission into Mazeli territory. As an incentive, 25 million Galactic groats have been offered to the successful volunteer - an offer than most people would find difficult to refuse. The player takes the role of one such person who couldn't resist the offer.

Strapped into a basic Mark IV fighter, the pilot flies deep inside enemy territory. Here, top-secret work is being carried out on the almost-completed Blazer.

The Mark IV is controlled via joystick and is guided past waves of defending Mazeli fighters that come streaking down the screen. Forward-firing blasters prove effective against the enemy, and the Mark IV's improved docking facilities allow our hero to steal any of the stationary Mazeli vessels encountered along the way. These range from slow single-shot craft to multi-directionally firing spinner ships.

Control of each new vessel is obtained simply by flying into them. The automatic docking facilities allow the pilot to move into the newly-acquired vessel, and this ship is then piloted until it gets destroyed, whereupon a replacement Mark IV is beamed into the fray.

There are five Mark IVs avaiable for the entire mission, and should they all be destroyed before its conclusion the Sahiban are left to the rigours of the Mazeli forces and the Blazer...

On first loading Blazer I thought that Hades Nebula had come back to haunt me, and playing it merely reinforced my fears. The two games are extremely similar in gameplay, graphics and general feel.

The only difference is that while Blazer actually plays better than its forerunner, it's slightly more difficult. Anyone who's battled through Hades Nebula should realise that this is no mean feat, but Nexus have surpassed themselves.

The collision detection is dodgy when the screen starts filling up with sprites, and it's really annoying when your missiles go whizzing through an alien. Mind you, it also brings a sigh of relief when the ship does the same without sustaining any damage!

Blazer is worth checking out if it's a tough challenge you're after, but only if you haven't got Hades Nebula.

Although Blazer presents a challenge at first, interest is lost when it becomes apparent that constant Stallone-style mindless blasting is the only thing that ensures survival.

There's no variety in the attack patterns, and the backdrops are all very similar. Blazer provides some limited fun - but it's not difficult to find something a little more enjoyable and rewarding at the same price.

I must admit to enjoying Blazer when I first started playing, but unfortunately its appeal wanes surprisingly swiftly.

Although the program is extremely polished and attractive to look at, there's very little variation in the backdrops and alien craft. The £10 price tag is a bit on the steep side, and there are plenty of cheaper games around that offer just as much playability and a little more depth.

Shop around before purchasing.

Presentation 68%
Decent high score table, but little else.

Graphics 70%
Some great backdrops plus large numbers of day-glo alien sprites.

Sound 67%
Stirring main soundtrack with some adquate jingles.

Hookability 48%
Frustratingly difficult right from the start.

Lastability 55%
A tough nut to crack, and it lacks a juicy bit in the middle.

Overall 63%
Hades Nebula exhumed, renamed and tweaked - for the better, at least.