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First of all, I must admit to a prejudice against this game. Harrier Attack has unpleasant overtones of the Falklands conflict - although, to be fair to Durell Software, there is not direct reference to Argies, Task Forces or, indeed, the Falklands. But then what would you make of a game in which you take off from an aircraft carrier, fly over an island bristling with defensive positions, bomb an enemy base, and then return to the safety of your ship?

Could be coincidence, of course... and maybe it's only my uncharitable mind jumping to unjustified conclusions... Or is it?

Anyway, ethics aside and, let's face it, micro games are hardly noted for their morality, concentrating as they do on wiping out aliens, bombing cities, etc, etc), what do you get for your money?

What you get is an adequate, if not spectacular, "shoot-'em-down" game that makes very few intellectual demands and which - in my case, at least - palls fairly rapidly.

Harrier Attack begins with your Harrier aircraft in position on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier. Pressing the 'cursor up' control takes you into the skies, and from this point on it is simply a matter of avoiding or shooting down the various obstacles in your path.

Fly low and you'll avoid most of the enemy fighters, but will run into a lot of flak from the ground defences. Fly high, and the fighters will attack in force. You have the choice between trying to blast the opposition to pieces or adopting a lower profile and simply taking evasive action. If you elect to fight, you have to make sure that you keep enough bombs and bullets to deal with the enemy base when you get there.

Points are awarded on a sliding scale, with a mere 10 points for hitting an enemy guided missile, and 750 for shooting down an attacking aircraft. If you get into serious trouble, there is the chance to hit the eject button and bail out - do this just before your plane is destroyed and you'll pick up 1,000 points. Landing safely brings a bonus of 2,000.

There is a choice of skill levels ranging from 1 to 5, and level 1 is a doddle, with the enemy flak making little impression. As the skill level is raised, enemy guns do more damage and you have to fly faster since you are considered to be carrying more ammunition, and fuel has to be burned quickly to reduce weight.

On-screen indicators tell you your speed, how much fuel you have left, and the number of bombs and rockets remaining. And that's all there is to it. I found Harrier Attack a disappointment - taking off could have been made considerably harder, and after bombing the inhabitants of the enemy base back to the Stone Age a few times, it all became too predictable.

There are some excellent Spectrum games around, most of which make much better use of sound and graphics - your money would be better spent on them.

Harrier Attack is also available for the Oric.