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On the odd occasion you come across a piece of software that stands head and shoulders above the rest. Cylon Attack is such a game in every respect. Let us dispense with the scenario - a game of this class and quality needs little introduction. Devotees of Battlestar Galactica will know what it's all about. It is advertised as a 3D real time space battle and that sums it up perfectly. Nearer to reality on the BBC I could not imagine.

You launch from your mothership to search for and destroy a wave of enemy ships. Your cockpit provides a long-range scan at the top and readouts at the bottom of the state of your shields, fuel and laser power and the ship's attitude. The simulated view of space ahead of you is extremely well done. In the star-studded blackness you will come across the odd planet or two, and even a Tardis and a signpost (someone's got a sense of humour).

When an enemy ship comes within scanner range it swoops towards you, looming larger all the time, with a relentless and frightening reality. The shape of your sights changes to indicate a good chance of destroying the enemy ship as you lock onto it. You should aim to do this before it fires back. If you don't you'll have to out-run its missiles, and each hit you suffer reduces your shields - lose them or your fuel and you've no chance.

The object is to destroy the entire wave before running out of fuel. If you run low you may refuel from the mothership, but you are open to attack during the process. If you destroy the full wave you must return and dock with the mothership to refuel and replenish your shields before the next wave.

Docking - also realistically represented - can be a little tricky. As you attempt to lock on to the mothership it veers away from you. You must constantly adjust your position to maintain the mothership in your sights, until it looms large enough for docking to take place. This is even more difficult in mid-wave with the enemy ships attaching you at the same time.

Each successive wave involves more enemy ships of various shapes and sizes. Some, like the Cylon Base Ship, move much faster and fire a constant stream of missiles at you. If you find the screen full of enemy ships the best thing to do is run away.

The game is a lot easier to play using joysticks, but you are given two sets of keys as an option and they're not too difficult to get the hang of. Cylon Attack is an excellent game and extremely good value for money. The graphics are no less than spectacular and the sounds very realistic. I found no fault with it, and it is one that will fascinate me - and I'm sure many others - for a long time.

Ian Rowlings