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The stuntman is a hardy fellow, and in Danger Freak, you can find out first hand what happens when the soppy actors step aside and the going really starts to get tough.

How about a bit of climbing on motorbikes, jumping over ramps, ducking roadblocks and avoiding hazards such as blazing barrels, holes in the road and vicious baseball bat-wielding extras?

Next try and stand on the back of a speeding sports car and attempt to grab hold of a rope ladder attached to a waiting helicopter (but make sure you don't leave it too late or you'll go smashing headfirst into a wall), then pull your water wings on and get into the sea for a mad dash on a jet-skis, taking care not to go careering into log;s, buoys, sharks and landmines!

You begin the game with three lives, and eight 'takes' per life. Hitting an obstacle means the scene must be cut, using up a take, and losing all eight forfeits a life.

I thought Colt Seavers was a hero. But after that little lot, the Fall Guy may as well go into retirement!

Smashing, I thought, an action-packed stuntman aim, full of different obstacles, to really test your skill and courage. Playing, however, made me feel like smashing my head against the wall. And the trouble is that the game (well, the C64 version at least) could have been something special if not for one problem: it's just too difficult.

The 8-bit version stands head and shoulders above the Amiga in terms of presentation but in both the obstacles are way too close to one another. Graphically, the C64 wins hands down, with neat sprites and scrolling backdrops, while the Amiga has to make do with basic character definition and animation, with average parallax scrolling scenery. This'll take a long time to master and, in the long run, it's probably not worth it. Try it out first.

I thought stuntwork was supposed to be an exciting job, full of danger - and isn't it meant to be demanding to an almost unbelievable degree? If it's anything like it's portrayed in Danger Freak, I think I'll join them - I just fancy a bit of a kip.

The only exciting thing about this game is waiting for the next level to load, to find out if it gets any better. Saying that, though, the levels are very difficult, with new obstacles appearing almost directly after negotiating the previous one. As an example (and this applies only to the Amiga version, by the way) in 80% of the cases, if you jump over a ramp, you'll land right on top of an explosion, losing one of your eight takes. Not very forgiving, to say the least.

The C64 game is streets ahead of its 16-bit counterpart in the graphics and sound departments, sporting some really effective characters and obstacles. Playability wise though, Danger Freak should go back to the storyboard.

Presentation 54%
Average title screen, with pleasant rainbow effect.

Graphics 47%
Poor by Amiga standards. Basic sprites which aren't animated at all well, although there is some effective parallax scrolling on the background though.

Sound 48%
Again, not the best to be heard from the 16-bit. Sparse effects and an annoying title tune.

Hookability 41%
The game's bland appearance does nothing to inject atmosphere into the frustrating gameplay.

Lastability 38%
Progress is annoyingly slow, seriously diminishing any lasting interest.

Overall 39%
A poor attempt at a potentially interesting subject, Danger Freak misses the mark completely.

Presentation 68%
1 to 4 players. Usual Rainbow Arts attract mode and a colourful loading screen.

Graphics 81%
Great sprites and backdrops, with masses of colour, and effective animation on the characters.

Sound 62%
Fitting sound effects, but an annoying title track.

Hookability 45%
The game looks and sounds good, but it's too difficult from the outset.

Lastability 47%
Progress is slow, putting a dampener on any initial interest.

Overall 48%
Pleasing to the eye and ear, but a killer on the patience, so ultimately it fails to impress.