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There is nothing more annoying in the world than reading a game review where the reviewer bleats about not being able to get past the first screen. This is just such a review.

Ultimate are continuing towards the undisputed enigmatic software house title by producing a game with an opening level of difficulty that is initially challenging but ultimately hard enough to suck your fist through the screen in frustration.

Perhaps Ultimate are producing a new range of games where you start with an impossible task and move onto something more difficult. Buyers of this game may never know unless they devote a sizeable chunk of their life to hammering the fire button.

In case you are wondering whether your correspondent has been struck by arthritic wrist it must be stated that several eminent joystick shifters were flown in to try their hand and in all cases pronounced the level as being virtually unplayable.

So what is difficult? All you have to do in theory is fly Imhotep across the desert while mounted on a friendly vulture. However the skies grow dark with unfriendly vultures each more than willing to ground you. The enemy vultures come with a variety of characteristics. Some fly aimlessly across screen letting off the odd missile but others can lock onto your vulture and hound it remorselessly out of the air. The vultures are colour coded but attack with such speed and accuracy as to make evasive manoeuvres well nigh impossible.

Speeding from one end of the screen to another may be effective in shaking them off but you are likely to collide with vultures ambling onto the screen behind your steed.

The graphics are tremendous and you have plenty of time to appreciate them as your five lives are whittled away to zero.

The level of difficulty (incidentally, the game begins with Level 2 - enigmatic, huh?) would not be so bad if the stage of the game were not so interminable after a few minutes you will be whimpering for level 3.

All sorts of Ancient Egyptian goodies are promised in the sleeve notes in the later stages of Imhotep's quest to unlock the secret of the Nile and free the land from the grips of famine and drought. Unless your brain is in your wrist, it seems that these mysteries will be denied you. If you like a challenge, this game may be for you. I only hope the rest of the game is worth the effort.