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Well, have Ultimate managed a return to form after the relative disappointment of their recent releases?

No, I'm afraid not. My first reaction upon loading up Cyberun was that it's a step back to the days of Lunar Jetman-style shoot-'em-ups, and after playing it for a while it's clear that Cyberun is a bit more sophisticated than the Jetman games but no means as impressive as the unsurpassed Knight Lore which was probably the game that took Ultimate's reputation to its height.

The planets of the Beta Gamma System are composed of the special element Cybertron, and bound together by a lattic of Plasmic energy. Once the Cybertron ore is remove from the lattice it runs into Cybernite, one of the most valuable substances in the known universe. But the magnetic pull of the Beta Gamma System is so strong that only the specially constructed Crystal Ship can escape with the Cybertron, and this hip is to huge that it has had to be constructed in stages and the individual sections left on the surface of the planet.

At the start of the game you are in control of the command module of the Crystal Ship, which moves fairly sluggishly over the surface of the planet. As you explore the landscape you'll find the other sections of the ship which build up to give you much greater manoeuverability and firepower, as well as extra fuel supplies to keep you going. As with Lunar Jetman, the planet seems to be populated by various enemies which take to the skies in an attempt to keep you from reaching your goal, and there is also another ship similar to your own in competition with you for the valuable Cybertron.

The graphics are large and finely detailed, but have stepped back to the standard two-dimensional style of most shoot-'em-ups, though the size of the planet is quite impressive, with lots of caverns and mountains to add a bit of spice to your frantic manoeuverings. The main challenge in Cyberun seems to be coping with the enemy craft that stand in your way, and as with the jetman games there's a two-player option which indicates that just running up a high score is the main purpose of the game.

There's no doubt that Cyberun is a highly professional and slick arcade game, but with everyone expecting so much from Ultimate that's not really enough to avoid disappointment. And with the price of £9.95, Cyberun really ought to be something rather special. Oh well, maybe the long-awaited Pentagram will do something to resurrecct Ultimate's reputation but at the moment it still looks like they're resting on their laurels.