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Durell is an independent software house with a good reputation that can only be added to by its latest release. It's another one from Mike Richardson, the author of Thanatos and Turbo Esprit. The game is completely different in style from his previous games featuring a three-stage arcade: shoot-'em-up. collect-the dots, and puzzle.

The game is split into 21 sections, three basic phases repeated seven times but getting harder each run. These are extremely easy at first. They become much more testing as you progress. The task in each of the three phases is completely different, and this variety is the key to the game's lasting appeal.

The first stage is a shoot-'em-up similar to the arcade game Zaxxon. Your ship is launched - horribly slowly! - from the bottom left of the screen and can move diagonally across that corner of the screen. Ships appear in waves of six and fly about the screen, while stars and planets scroll by from top right to bottom left. The ships come in many different attack patterns and don't shoot but try to crash into you.

You can shoot the ships with a laser and the explosions created are big, beautiful and noisy. Most ships will eventually disappear off-screen after a while but some will home in on you at the end of the wave and make dying a virtual inevitability. Losing your ship sends you back to the start of the whole phase. The number of attack waves increases as you go through the seven levels. But survive the phase and you go on to the next one.

This is a 3D version of Pacman. It's got the same view as the first phase: a long maze of pathways stretches off the screen to the top right. You move a tank along these, picking up dots and trying to get to the exit several screens up to the right. On the pathways are never-ending moving robomines that you can shoot, but that destroy you if you collide.

Somewhere in the layout of dots is a pattern that can't be removed and has to be remembered for the next phase. Within a time limit, you have to collect a certain number of dots to be able to exit the phase - the number increases with each level.

The third phase is a platform floating in space. On it, you have to reproduce the pattern from the pathways of phase two. This is done by bouncing a sphere onto a grid at the right time and place, but avoiding a defence field that follows you around. This too has to be completed against a time limit.

On completing each of the 21 phases, you are awarded three bonus lives, so with a little practice you can amass many lives. This may not help, because the time limits in phases two and three are the real difficulty. They are tight on the higher levels. If one runs out the game ends, however many lives you have.

The explosions are the most impressive part of the game. In phase one you'll think the whole screen is being torn apart when you hit three or four ships in close succession. They're just as impressive in phase two but less frequent. The enemies on phases one and two alter with each new level and are well designed.

The first phase is just a shoot-'em-up but quite gratifying. The second phase is the really tough one, needing quick reactions, great concentration and some forward planning. The third phase also needs sharp thought and reactions, plus a good memory for the pattern from phase two.

At first I thought the game was going to be too simple but as you get through the levels you're really hooked by the increasing difficulty. It is very tough to beat. The variety of the three phases will always keep you on your toes.

Also a round of applause for the free-cassette coupon that Durell includes with the game: it will get you any one of its other games for nothing!

50,000.

Three games in one package! Sounds too good to be true. All are colourful, furious and noisy. Sigma 7 is enjoyable and has several nice touches: the explosions - there's nothing like them - and what is that odd noise the CPC emits while waiting for a keypress?

All three phases playable.

Graphics 82%
P. Fantastic explosions.
P. Nicely designed sprites.

Sonics 75%
P. Explosions sound good too.
P. Good ditties but not very long.

Grab Factor 85%
P. Very easy to get into.
N. Start-up sequence is slow and unnecessary.

Staying Power 82%
P. Phases get very tough towards the end.
P. Three different phases provide variety.

Overall 84%
P. Excellent special offers with game.
N. Overall, lacks originality.