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A strange, alien grid system has been found in a remote region of deep space. While carrying out the usual observations, your ship's hyperdrive suddenly kicks in, hurling you into the heart of the network. Miraculously, the ship remains intact, but you are left stranded in the grid, with no obvious means of escape...

The system is occupied by disrupter pulses, moving randomly around the grid. When hit by a laser blast, pulses automatically jump to another part of the grid, leaving a green energy crystal in their wake. The crystal then moves around on its own and is available for collection. Leave the crystal uncollected and it eventually burns out, destroying any crystals already taken.

The upper part of the screen shows a pilot's eye view of the grid in full perspective, with obstacles and other features represented by coloured squares moving in relation to your ship. Below this is a full screen scanner, giving the layout of the current grid system, and the position of the disrupter pulses. A local scanner lies to the left, showing any objects in your immediate vicinity.

A central information panel displays the current ship status including the amount of energy remaining and the number of crystals obtained. An alarm sounds when the ship's energy is running low, warning of your impending doom.

When a full complement of ten crystals has been amassed, the Hyperwarp Cell is then approached. This is protected by a yellow, obstruction pulse wall, which encircles the cell and can only be crossed by passing through a small moving entrance. Once inside, a single laser blast to the cell warps you to the next, more complex grid, where the same procedure is carried out.

Sun Star is fairly original, but simple and rather tedious with it. The main display can get very confusing, and the scanner at the bottom of the screen does little to help.

I didn't find it remotely enjoyable to play, and there was nothing about it to draw me back. At times it felt as if I wasn't getting anywhere, and the whole thing struck me as being totally pointless.

Basically, it's not up to much and I wouldn't even consider recommending it.

Sun Star is an unusual game to play, being a strange blend of Beam Rider and Z. The graphics are good, but while the author has gone to great lengths to recreate the correct view from the cockpit, you inevitably end up playing by the two small scanner screens alone.

The action can get quite hectic at times - due in part to the disorientating control method, which takes a little while to get used to. A smaller price tag might have been in order, especially when you consider the lack of variety. I can't see Sun Star providing any real lasting interest - which is a shame, as it's initially quite engrossing.

Enjoyable, challenging and addictive - that's Sun Star. The problem is that the feeling doesn't last very long - mainly because there's not enough variety. The 3D effect is very good indeed, and it's quite exhilarating to whizz down the gridways in hot pursuit of a crystal.

It's a shame that the novelty wears off really - if there had been anything flying around to break up the crystal chasing it could have been quite good. As it stands, it's only fair, providing a couple of day's entertainment before being destined to spend the rest of its life on a shelf...

Presentation 73%
Adequate instructions and useful on-screen information.

Graphics 69%
Reasonable control panel, and a bizarre, but quite colourful and very effective main display.

Sound 38%
No music, and the spot effects are nothing special.

Hookability 71%
It takes time to familiarise yourself with the odd control method, but the action is quite addictive thereafter.

Lastability 47%
Very little difference between the levels, but still quite fun.

Value For Money 53%
Would have made more impact had it been at a budget price.

Overall 56%
An unusual concept, which sadly lacks the variety to make it something special.