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I may as well come straight out with it - I was disappointed with Alleykat after the hugely successful and entertaining Uridium.

My press release from Hewson tells me that "Andrew Braybrook looks set to scoop the software charts yet again." Well I'm sorry Andrew, I can't see it.

The game is set inside a huge rotating wheel in deepest space - a space stadium.

Pilots compete against each other flying through cast futuristic obstacle courses - shooting rocks, droid fighters, and attempting to complete the set number of laps of each chosen event.

Unlike Uridium, where you can just pick up the joystick and play and what you are supposed to do is immediately obvious, Alleykat features a highly tedious option choosing system.

This is what you have to do before each blast. Choose a racer from one of eight possible events. Check the number of laps - neither too many or too few to earn you a sufficient bonus to go on to the next event. Check the month - this is also significant, and whether or not there are G symbols on the track.

Now you are ready to start. Well, almost, you still have to make sure the event you have chosen is one that you are confident about.

Even more options here to choose from. The impression you get playing Alleykat is one of choices.

1. Time Trial
   This is about survival at top speed. A few laps are needed to score a top bonus.
2. Endurance
   Stay in one piece - as simple as that.
3. Demolition
   Rearrange the landscape.
4. Survival
   Bonus points are earned by killing Grav-Craft. The what? Grav crafts are there to give players an indication of their current height. It is easy to bump into them as they scroll upwards from the foot of the screen.
5. Dodge 'em
   See how long you can last without destroying the landscape.
6. Random
   Mystery bonus points to be earned here.
7. Speed Trial
   To score highly you have to keep the speedo at full throttle.
8. Slalom
   This event is all about careful flight control - under the bridges and canopies to earn bonuses.

The speeder begins each game with three energy points. More energy can be earned by dipping down and picking up the 'E' symbols that scatter the terrain. You're only allowed to carry five energy units when you start but your capacity can be increased by performing well in certain events.

The sound effects in Alleykat are one of the better parts of the game. Great explosions to accompany the somewhat melodramatic crash graphics. This bit reminded me of one of those ham actors in those spaghetti westerns who'd roll around for ages on the floor before expiring.

Sound effects are also used in the energy mechanism. When you are fully topped up with energy, the bleeping sound will cease.

Each time you loose an energy point - by bumping into terrain or Grav Craft - this is also signalled by a sound.

Graphics-wise the thing just isn't in the same league as Uridium or Paradroid. Perhaps it's Andrew Braybrook's departure from metallic effects that is responsible. I'm not sure, but whatever it is these graphics just aren't as convincing.

The exception to this is the wonderful Katterkiller graphics - especially on the C128 version. (The game automatically detects whether or not you are using a C64 or a C128 and loads the appropriate version). Now these really are good - enormous sprites that wiggle up-screen in excellent animation.

But don't let the prettiness of these creatures fool you. They are not called Katterkillers for nothing. Collision with one of them is instant death.

So what about the crucial question of playability? For my money this is a game for the out and out shoot-'em-up fan. Unlike Uridium, where anyone could play and find their own level, you need to be able to take out nasties with your eyes closed to have a chance in Alleykat.