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Just when you thought it was safe to return to the software stores Alpha Omega releases another gift from the gods - Hercules. Yes, if you ever wanted to dispel the fear that Hercules was a menacing and fearsome warrior then this little stick insect will do it faster than Icarus's wax melted.

Taking on the title role, you have to perform the twelve 'mighty' labours of Hercules - not that many people can remember offhand what they all are. but still... This is all controlled by what's called RAP - Random Access Principle. Alpha Omega reckons this is the first game in the world to bring you this, and then goes on for the rest of the instructions chewing the cud about it. Well, okay, I don't want to get into any arguments over whether this is the first game to use the idea, but I know that it's definitely not worth mentioning, let alone making it the game's biggest feature!

One thing that the YS team discovered was that if you stay on any platform for more than two seconds you die. As the instructions were so busy prattling on about RAP they forgot to mention anything about it, so we can only assume that the place must be on fire, or something, 'cos you're only safe if you're swinging on the ropes. Tarzan style.

The labours you have to perform don't seem particularly clear either and since I couldn't do any of them, I gave up in frustration. I couldn't even content myself with ogling at the beautiful graphics - 'cos they aren't. Poor colours and flickery sprites - they were feeble to say the least.

Hercules didn't hold any magic for me, or any of the YS team who saw it. Quite frankly he'd be better off back mending broken cart wheels, or fair maidens or something.