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According to the ads, this game will take the country by "storm". Geddit? Certainly the wind blows fiercely in this challenging follow-up to Tornado Low Level. So much so that the helicopter you pilot can get blown off course, and possibly even dumped onto the ground! It all depends how close you are to the centre of the cyclone which is threatening a group of very pleasant looking islands.

Your mission is to locate and pick up crates of medical supplies, five in all, and return them to home base. The trouble is finding them. As in TLL, your aircraft is seen flying over a scrolling 3D landscape. But this time the area is much bigger. There are a total of 14 islands separated by expanses of ocean and it would take about five minutes of flying time to visit all of them.

But visiting isn't enough. Each island must be explored in search of a crate and this means repeatedly using an 'alternative view' which allows you to look at objects (eg. houses, cliffs) from the other side to see if there's anything hidden behind them.

By the time you've covered an island or two, you'll be running low on fuel and must find a base to land on. There's also that cyclone to worry about. You can monitor its progress (and your own) on a map of the islands. When it starts approaching you'd better clear out, or make an emergency landing.

Meanwhile a clock is ticking away. If you haven't completed your mission within about fifteen minutes, you must start again. If you do succeed, you get another set of crates to pick up in trickier locations.

Although Cyclone looks similar to Tornado Low Level, there are enough improvements to give it a character of its own. The game is one of exploration and strategy rather than pin-point control. There's plenty of attention to detail, including a useful range of indicators on the right and bottom of the screen. I also like the people who stand and wave at you on the islands - a pity you can't do anything to help them, really.

Still, this is an impressive piece of programming and an addictive game.

From the moment the helicopter first takes off, with superbly animated whirling rotor blades, to the final crash, the game is enthrallingly addictive. Although derivative of Vortex's previous games, it is enjoyable in its own right. Control of the helicopter is easily mastered but finding all five crates is still difficult, especially with the ever-present threat of the cyclone and reckless pilots. The 3D graphics are superb, with brilliantly detailed houses, hills and beaches sweeping beneath you.

Addictive and frustrating, Cyclone is an excellent game and highly recommended.

of the action, so you never need be unsure of your position. Your helicopter has a shadow which is extremely useful for knowing your exact position in relation to the ground.

Overall, the graphics are slick, without any noticeable colour clash and the 3D effect really does enhance the realism of this game. Sound is functional, with a rasping noise accompanying the movement of your helicopter.

Cyclone is very addictive, very attractive and surely the best game from Vortex.

I've always fancied myself as a helicopter pilot so I really enjoyed playing this. The graphics were good (despite the angular regularity of the islands). The only question I can ask is why are there so many aircraft in a cyclone zone?