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Traditionally, a game review starts with the plot. Being a lettuce for tradition this one's no exception, so here goes (deep breath)...

The world, it seems, has a bleak future. With its energy sources rapidly running out, a number of starships are launched to seek a new home lor the desperate population. As usual with these kind of voyages, a formidable alien power decides to be awkward and nick the ships for scrap! Unsurprisingly narked, the colonists decide to act - do they send a huge battle fleet, armed to the teeth and carrying thousands of troops eager to board the alien vessels? Tish! Why waste all that time and effort when one man and a pifflesome little fighter can do the same job? You've guessed it, that man's you and Hades Nebula is another vertically-scrolling shoot-em-up jobbie (sight)...

All the essential elements of the genre are here - extra weapons. collectable shields, hordes of badly drawn enemies, etc. This is all well and good, but what happened to the speed? The aliens effortlessly drift around the screen while your own weedy little craft's virtually static!

Speed power-ups can be collected but they're lost when you die, and you die very quickly! This one fault kills the game stone dead - it's almost impossible to get anywhere! It's a pity really, as its got some good ideas, For instance, when you collect a power-up it visibly attaches itself to your ship making it look very mean indeed, but what's the use of that when you've the life expectancy of a Spectrum mag?

Written (so Steve thinks) on Sensible's Shoot-'Em-Up Construction Kit and tweaked, it's certainly very professional. The background graphics in particular are really good, it's just a shame all that time and effort was wasted. One to seriously avoid due to a single game-destroying flaw.

Presentation 30%
Nothing much to write home about

Graphics 65%
Surprisingly good to considering its origin

Sound 24%
Diabolical! Turn it off, please!

Hookability 30%
Sluggish main sprite really puts you off

Lastability 19%
Far too difficult to persevere with

Overall 40%