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This blast-from-the-past comes swathed with some impressive critical comments. In Issue 35 it got no less than 98% for graphics with 'incredible' sprites and backdrops. All three reviewers began their comments by raving about the game's looks, but equally they all finished up by picking out faults, most particularly the high difficulty level.

A great many of the various obstacles are passable by one method only; it's not a game which you can get by on luck for long. Recreating your successful, previous moves over and over again to get back to the new bits can be irritating, especially as each death sends you back a few screens minus any add-on weapons.

There are some extraordinary end-level monsters. Jaz claimed they "could be straight from an arcade machine!" but although exceptionally challenging, Jaz still found "it didn't take long before my attention started to wander". There are no new elements to distinguish it from previous shoot-'em-ups other than the graphics.

The overall mark was 80% and over three years later, IO is still very, very tough with all sorts of sprites snipping around at high speed. Graphics are indeed quite nicely detailed, with attack aircraft spinning around as they zoom across the screen. But, at least initially, it's a bit disappointing considering the hype. Not until the end of level one is there anything extraordinary even for a budget game. Indeed, to begin with, the slow, oversized, underpowered ship makes a tough game very frustrating. Once you get powered up (with rapid fire and orbiting orbs), then it becomes more fun and the clever layout and attack waves make winning through very satisfying.

Whether you want another horizontally scrolling shoot-'em-up with extra weaponry, smart bombs and end-level mothers really depends on your attitudes to the genre. If you like it, and fancy yourself as a bitof a whizz, IO's four tough-to-the-point-of-hair-tearing levels will be unmissable at this price.

Even today C64 veterans mention the name IO with respect, it's got that sort of reputation. Oh, and if you do get through it all, don't worry, it apparently wraps around with even faster and more vicious baddies! How thoughtful...