Just when you thought you'd heard the whole Story So Far, yet another compilation wings its way out of Elite HQ. A massive pack of ten games, it comes in an attractive pack, all tinted in eponymous platinum, and looks a sure-fire winner. But why should you shell out nearly £20 for a history lesson in CPC games?

On the plus side there are four obvious reasons; the classic Ikari Warriors, the fast and furious Thundercats, the Bond/Domark connection in Live And Let Die and the absolutely 'spiffing' Space Harrier. Together they provide all the blasting fun you could wish for, especially when supported by strong if not famous little numbers like Buggy Boy and Beyond The Ice Palace.

The downside of the collection, though, is equally apparent. All the games are old, the most recent being Live And Let Die which was released way back in AA37 when Gary 'GBH' Barret still ruled the reviewing roost. Not in itself a crime as there are many old games that can still make the grade - just look at Elite. But with Elite - the company, not the game - releasing ever more compilations under its Story So Far series, and its budget label Encore continually raiding the back catalogue, there is precious little here that hasn't been re-released already.

If you haven't got any of the games on the list. Thrill Time would make an exciting addition to your collection. However, it must be asked how long Elite can continue to churn out a finite amount of product re-packaged an infinite number of ways. Elite has turned out some really stunning games for the CPC in the past, so let's hope that this retrospective phase is but a breathing space before the company throws itself wholeheartedly into the world of new games once again.