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An unspecified time into the future. Man has curbed his bloodthirsty instincts and scrapped all weapons. However, international disagreements still occur so to minimise death and destruction, conflicts are decided within huge simulators. Highly skilled pilots fight it out over computer-generated battlescapes.

But something's gone wrong. A virus has infected Simulcra, the battlescape supercomputer, and given it a power-hungry mind of its own. It's tapping into its rich power reserves and projected some of its battle vehicles - Simulcraft - into the real world. With no weapons to defend themselves against the craft, the humans are helpless and can only run for cover.

You are at the controls of an SRV (Surface Reconnaissance Vehicle), a sleek tank-like craft with extendable wings to enable limited flight. The SRV is the main hope for civilisation: you must attempt to cut off all power lines to Simulcra by destroying its energy projectors.

The rotating projectors are spread throughout the 30 battle matrices, defended by various types of gun empacements, robots, tanks and jets. The SRV itself is shown from behind and slightly above, the platforms which form the pathways of the current battle matrix stretching panoramically ahead of it.

You can drive the SRV as speedily backwards as forwards, the platforms rotating around the vehicle, Rotox-style. The same is true when you switch to flight more, although the SRV moves faster and isn't restricted to the platforms. Your exact position in the matri and the direction you're facing can be checked by calling up a map. Red platforms form impassable energy barriers, deactivated by destroying the energy projector that powers it - when all have been destroyed, the main barrier around the matrix is disabled.

The standard SRV is armed with cannons, which mean projectors and most vehicles require a number of hits, but they leave behind pods when destroyed. Some pods give points, but others provide extras including radar, missiles, a missle-targetting system, and extra energy.

With such a derivative plot and apparently tired game design, I wasn't looking forward to Simulcra. But slap my wrists and eat my words, Graftgold's latest 16-bit creation is one of the most immediately playable future combat games ever.

The SRV is a speedy and highly manoeuvrable craft, its reverse gear (as fast as forwards) great for getting out of dead ends or dangerous situations.

In flight, there's a sense of organised chaos in steering, a bit worrying but all part of the fun of the craft. It moves in smooth, fast 3D, the matrices spinning about you, platforms coming into view and various adversaries moving on or flying about them.

Although some of these opponents are derivative of Tron designs, they integrate well with the game to produce a believable computer simulation of a combat zone. Although gameplay is basically shoot-'em-up fare, there's plenty of exploration involved (frequent references to the map are almost essential), and the search for those elusive projectors and the best places to go for a quick flight mean brain power's needed too.

Simulcra has apparently been in development since before Zarch, although the game isn't really that complex.

It's a fun shoot-'em-up, lifted above average by attention to detail in both gamplay and graphics. The wide variety of weapons, the different attack patterns of the aircraft, gun turrets and ground vehicles mean there's never time to pause.

The graphics are beautifully detailed, with a real Tron feel - especially in the 'n'-shaped Recognizers, Solar Sail and MCP-like generators. There's plenty of original stuff too, such as various superb aircraft (including helicopters) which make diving attack runs.

It's all very fast, something you appreciate when you've taken off and are zooming over the attractive landscape. Heartily recommended for blast-'em-up fans.

Presentation 78% Impressive Simulcraft creation screen, codeword system, matrix maps and clear dashboard display.

Graphics 94% Fairly smooth, fast-moving filled 3D landscapes, with atmospheric use of shading. Vehicles are detailed but pixel shading's a little crude.

Sound 71% Functional but simple, almost 8-bit effecst, pleasant title music.

Hookability 91% The SRV's immediately easy and fun to use and the game concept is easily grasped.

Lastability 87% 30 levels of varying layout and increasing size plus a widening array of assailants as you progress.

Overall 88% A playable, easily grasped 'accurate' simulation of a computer combat simulator!