The Filmation games were a series of ground-breaking isometric titles from Ultimate Play The Game on the ZX Spectrum. Only two titles got a conversion to the C64, Nightshade and Gunfright. In recent years Rod and Emu have used the Atari 8-bit and BBC conversions to create new adaptations for the C64, now neatly packaged into a single EasyFlash cartridge by Excess.

All four games have a new loading screen courtesy of pixel artist Steve Day. New music, for title screens and optionally during the game, has been composed by Saul Cross. All the titles now have extra control methods, including support for the 2-button C64GS/Annihilator joystick and the choice of directional or rotational movements. Built-in cheats are also available.

The first of the Filmation games to be released sees Sabre Wulf cursed to transform into a werewolf every time the Moon rises. The player's task is to navigate the castle to find eight ingredients to return to the cauldron, allowing Sabreman to mix up the potion that will remove the curse. At the bottom right of the screen is an indicator showing the current time of day - when the Sun is up Sabreman is in charge, when the Moon rises the Wulf takes over. The werewolf can jump further and moves slightly faster, an advantage in some puzzles. Flames and spikes must be avoided, and nasty disappearing blocks can hinder exploration.

While the enhancements do make it easier to play, the random choice of start screen can leave a player perplexed as to where to go and what to do. The difficulty level is very high too.

Much more than Knight Lore in space, Alien 8 features a robot on board a giant starship. The robot must reactivate eight cryonaughts held in suspended animation before the ship slows down from lightspeed. Unfortunately aliens have penetrated the ship and can deactivate the robot, costing him a life. There are also more disappearing platforms to contend with, and matching the correct valve to the right cryochamber is tricky.

This is the first time Alien 8 has been available on the C64 and it works quite well. The amusing 'reprogramming' sequence should you fail is great, but once again it can very tricky to navigate the ship from the randomised starting points.

Now wearing the robes of a wizard, Sabreman must hunt through the magic forest to discover the pieces of the legendary Pentagram. He must also collect a number of magic runes before placing the pentagram pieces into the well to reunite them. Sabreman can cast a magic spell to push objects and freeze or destroy enemies.

This is probably the most atmospheric of the Filmation games. The scenery is gorgeous and the ability to cast a spell makes a difference to solving the puzzles. However, some screens are difficult to get through thanks to the enemies, especially those that home-in on the player.

In this Wild West adventure, the sheriff must apprehend the many criminals roaming the town. The updated Filmation engine now shows the walls of buildings as you explore, the walls disappearing as you go into the interiors. More ammunition can be purchased at a varying cost, while rewards are offered for shooting the bad guys - but beware, do not shoot civilians!

Some of the tougher enemies will challenge you to a fast draw shootout. Telegrams arrive at the sheriff's office to notify you of new targets, and your horse Panto can be used to chase horse-riding villains as they try to escape. The more complex graphics make this a slower-paced game and incredibly difficult to get into. It's all too easy to gun down the wrong people.

The new loading screens and music certainly add to the atmosphere, and the control enhancements work really well. It is fun to explore these four games, with their detailed graphics and huge environments to wander around in.

Perhaps these titles have aged badly, but I found at times that they were exasperating rather than innovative; I did not find myself drawn back to play again. The randomised starting points also make it harder to learn the route through. The pace is still quite sluggish compared to the Spectrum originals, with the optional in-game music best left off to receive a (small) speed boost.

Four good games in one Ultimate isometric package, showing their age despite the excellent enhancements!