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A game based on whaaaaat? Americans fighting in the Arabian Gulf? Oh dear, oh dear. Trifle ideologically unsound, old chaps, what with peace breaking out all over the political scene... even in the land of olive groves and men with sheets on their heads. So one out of ten for international tact.

Durell? Now there's a name which I know. Didn't it used to be pretty heavy in the Spectrum software biz? Well it's a programming house now, and this game bears a less than striking resemblance to one of Durrell's last games before biting the bullet last year... Spitfire, wasn't it? You control what looks like a Harrier (I didn't know the Yanks had any Harriers! oh, I see, it's apparently a McDonnell Douglas VTOL! Yer leam summink every day, duncha?) Anyroad, you control this plane and fly over the ships, left and right, and bomb the bass out of them.

Operation Hormuz is supposed to be a 'realistic and highly detailed simulation of battle against the latest form of international terrorism'. But it isn't. What it is though is a skillfully crafted and playable arcade game with a certain nagging addictive quality that should keep you going for quite a while. Even getting blasted continuously you last quite a long time, so there's none of the frustrations attendant with getting your undercarriage blown off every two seconds. Ahem. But it's true, you get value for money from the length of each game, and great sound and graphics, up to Durrell's usual high standard - especially the music at the front. Definitely Worth a look.

Durell-built flying combat sim, with excellent graphics and sound sound. Shame about the plot.