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Like its predecessor, Hercules, Gods And Heroes is a 50-screen platform game. The player takes control of Hercules, guiding him around the screens in search of prizes. The hero walks left or right and moves vertically by jumping or climbing up and down ropes.

Vile creatures inhabit the platforms and make the task even trickier by roaming about on a preset course, roaming about on a preset course, removing one of Hercules' three lives on contact. Some static objects (stars and little plants for example) are also deadly to the touch. Just to make things worse, booby-trapped platforms pose problems by either disappearing or bursting into flames as soon as Hercules sets foot on them.

Occasionally the prize seems impossible to reach, but jumping into space sometimes makes a platform appear, allowing what was thought to be an inaccessible part of the screen to be reached. Springboards also help our hero to reach the parts that other heroes can't reach.

Having collected a prize, Hercules automatically progresses to the next screen. A useful option is that when the game ends Hercules can carry on from the screen he left off at by using the option on the title screen.

Now this is a decent platform game. No pretentions to being anything big, commercial and boring - Gods And Heroes is simple, immensely frustrating but playable.

Most of the screens have been superbly thought out and are both difficult and rewarding to complete. It's just so good - in many ways better than Hercules, and certainly a lot more addictive than any recent releases of this type. It looks dire, and will probably be overlooked because of this, but if you consider yourself an ardent platform fan you can't give it a miss and expect your conscience to allow you to get away with it.

This game is easily described in one word - incrediblyfrustratingbutplayable. It is the type of maddeningly addictive program that drives people to distraction (or is it destruction?).

Gods And Heroes is a graphical travesty, but it incorporates plenty of scope and the urge to complete a scene is quite strong.

Fans of Hercules should go loopy over Gods And Heroes, but not falling into this category, I wasn't absolutely convinced of its merits. The borderline between frustration and annoyance is a fine one... tread carefully.

Bad news I'm afraid, platform fanatics. The follow-up to Hercules is just as tricky, just as frustrating and just as addictive as its predecessor - Arrgh!

Collecting the prizes involves negotiating some incredibly devilish hazards, and just when you think you've found a clear path... the platform burtts into flame under your feet!

The graphics and sound are a complete and utter joke, but the playability passes with flying colours. There's even a free copy of Robobolt on the other side - the unbelievably grotty game which was awarded the lowest ever Zzap! rating.

Now you're got two reasons to go out and buy.

Presentation 84%
Variable game speed, music on/off and you can start on any of the 50 screens.

Graphics 30%
Grotty, with poor definition and use of colour.

Sound 28%
A crude tune plays throughout, but mercifully it can be switched off.

Hookability 81%
Instantly addictive and challenging, but unbelievably frustrating.

Lastability 88%
Solving the fifty tricky screens is extremely difficult, but highly rewarding.

Value For Money 92%
A genuine bargain - especially with Robobolt on the other side.

Overall 84%
An excellent platform game which offers plenty for those willing to persevere.