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Ocean's first attempt at the Cinemaware-style RPG with arcade action really has been lost - for about six months in fact. It puts you in command of a platoon of soldiers lost behind VietCong lines after a helicopter crash.

As top man, it's up to you to get the boys across extremely hazardous country and back to HQ safe and sound while keeping their morale high. Enemy attacks are dealt with in nicely stages Operation Wolf-esque subgames, and when you run across a village you can either terrorize the inhabitants with automatic weapons or ask them nicely for information.

Apart from these few high points there isn't a whole lot of excitement or tension to be had from this game though. There are some beautiful scenery graphics, but by their third appearance you're counting the seconds until you get back to the game, but even that, for the most part, consists of watching a red market track across a map.

As with F-29 Retaliator, The Lost Patrol's documentation (the piece of paper plus errata sheet) is unimpressive, and if Ocean want to compete with the likes of Cinemaware they really need to put a more substantial manual in the package.

Great to look at, but lacks the excitement and atmosphere to make it a completely gripping game.