Outcast has little going for it in terms of originality, graphic sophistication or polish. So I'm surprised to see that it's a product of the normally reliable Zen Room team. It's the usual 'quest for the magical objects' thing, with your outcast wizard searching for spells and weapons which will enable him to regain his powers and return to his home. Magical stars allow him to move to hidden areas of the game. Only the backgrounds, which feature some nice touches like trees waving in the wind offer any excitement. The screen display flips from scene to scene rather than scrolling, the enemies - such as birds, dwarfs and reptiles - are poorly designed and subject to attribute clashes, and the sound is minimal. Some of the effects, such as the poisonous spikes, are totally naff. About the only thing you won't encounter in your quest to defeat the Skull of Doom is any excitement.

A feeble attempt to emulate the success of arcade adventures like Heartland. Very overpriced.