I remember a few months ago when Cheetahsoft's first advertising started coming through, I thought "well I never - a bit of professionalism at last" Just how wrong can you be? Their ads ranked with Imagine's as some of the best in the industry; but their games have more in common with Mastertronic or even (gulp) the dreaded Activision. The only decent thing about Conquest is the map, but these days any idiot with Melbourne Draw could do it... this is a game which, in all its salient features, appeared in at least one computer magazine about a year ago. Fair enough, as a mag prog it's quite a decent little game. But to tart up the map a bit and try and flog it for seven pounds is a bit strong. The game is a very simple form of empire building, where you gain one new legion for each five squares of territory you conquer, the object being to rule 100 squares. At the end of each go, your flanks are assailed by barbarians, plague and other empires. Plague is the worst - because it takes about two minutes between each of your goes to run its course and decimate your empire. In this time you will have picked the fluff out of your belly button, scratched your bum, done sundry other despicable things, and generally wished you were doing anything else but playing Conquest.

Verdict: go forth and watch TV.