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Tired of cleaning out the sewers, Floyd the droid has been refurbished and sent to work in the more hygienic atmosphere of a BIG (Big In Gastronomy) kitchen. Here he attempts to prove himself capable of coping with the hustle and bustle of a busy fast-food restaurant, where the orders are coming in thick and fast.

Poor old Floyd's not totally automated though, and he still needs help in completing his tasks - this is where you come in. Floyd has many operations which are accessed by using the joystick-operated menu system.

The kitchen is pictured at the bottom of the screen and scrolls with Floyd as he goes about his business. It is fully fitted with all the latest in modern conveniences, and has heaps of storage space. There's also an overhead view of the units, showing if hot-plates or sinks are in use. Above this there is a view of the serving counter which shows customers arriving. As they sit down, their order scrolls along a message bar and is stored in Floyd's memory, allowing you to keep track of the meals which require preparation.

Floyd has to be guided through every step of the meal's preparation, including finding the ingredients, cleaning, cutting and cooking. Memory is not our hero's strong point, but he can be taught how to cook up to three different dishes, and the next time these are ordered Floyd is able to execute them on his own.

As orders begin to accumulate, meals have to be prepared within a time limit. If Floyd fails to meet this deadline, or the customer gets annoyed and hurls abuse. If this does not hurry Floyd along, then the customer hurls something heavier at Floyd's head, and then leaves - somewhat disgruntled at the poor service. The damage caused by this assault must be repaired, wasting even more of the serving robot's valuable time.

Standards are high in Floyd's company, and slacking is not tolerated. Repeated failure to prepare orders in time results in Floyd receiving his cards, and the game ends with our hero joining the ranks of the unemployed.

No messing about here - you're thrown right in at the deep end. Whether you understand it or not, the main problem is working out a logical order in which to complete the tasks, and where they can be done most efficiently.

Slowly, the game begins to reveal itself, and after consulting the instructions several times the essential jobs such as selecting food and preparation can be understood.

Unfortunately that's as far as I managed to get - the instructions are somehow incomplete. The customer orders do tend to pour in a bit fast, so it's difficult to keep track of what you're supposed to be doing. If you're prepared to persevere with this, it may prove interesting - but don't expect too much from it.

Read the instructions for The Big Deal and you can immediately tell that it is going to be like - frustrating!

There are an immense number operations to be carried out, all made worse by the fact that you are under pressure to serve the customers that arrive at a hectic rate.

I don't find this sort of game enjoyable - it merely mimics the sort of hassle we can all do without. This is a pity because the game is well implemented and looks very smart. Let's hope Floyd III gets his act together.

There's no denying that this is original, but it's over-complicated... and very dull with it. The problem lies in Floyd's control method - it's extremely difficult to get him to do anything you want him to.

The long-winded instructions don't help, and frustration sets in after a couple of goes. It's a shame really - there's some quite reasonable graphics and sound here, which are let down by the frustratingly fiddly gameplay. Look elsewhere if you're after an enjoyable and addictive game.

Presentation 78%
Unusual control method, which takes time to master, and lots of instructions.

Graphics 61%
Generally air with some neat touches.

Sound 59%
Two tunes - one barely bearable, the other pleasant.

Hookability 42%
Tricky to grasp the serving techniques - lots of reading and mistakes to be made before any form of proficiency is gained.

Lastability 62%
Not overly varied, but quite rewarding - if you can be bothered to get to grips with the control method.

Value For Money 50%
A lot to pay for the 'pleasure' of computerised hassle.

Overall 57%
Original, but lacking instant appeal and lasting satisfaction.