Gawd, I'm up to my neck in "Quattro" budget compilations! This one is entitled "Firepower" and, quite frankly, it's about as interesting as the editor's life story. Of the four shoot-'em-ups, there are two vertical scrollers, one horizontal scroller and one dogfight a la After Burner. MiG 29, the After Burner rip off, is a bit sad to say the very least so I'll say no more about it.

Poltergeist (the resident horizontal scroller) is only marginally better. It's dead fast and smooth but seems to follow no fixed pattern of enemy attacks. This, alongside the tricky controls, means it's frustratingly difficult to progress.

Lazer Force is a shoot-'em-up with a difference as it incorporates scenes reminiscent of many old classics. Let me explain. The first level scrolls horizontally. Then you go into a game that looks a lot like Centipede: a deadly creepy-crawly travels down the screen to destroy you.

Unfortunately, there are so many other things on screen at once, it's horribly unplayable. Next comes a docking sequence (Remember Moon Cresta?) and, finally, a high speed race against the clock through a narrow causeway. Once you've completed all of this section, it's back to the start but this time the first stage is different and the other bits harder than before. It could have been a great little game but your opponents appear and move so randomly it's annoying to play.

Terra Cognita is the final game and is a bog-standard horizontal shoot-'em-up. There are bits of scenery that kill you and other bits that, when shot at, furnish you with all sorts of bonuses and power-ups.

All four games are very well programmed indeed with fast flicker-free graphics and imaginative sprites and backdrops. Unfortunately, little attention has been paid to playability in any of them.

Absolute shoot-'em-up freaks may find some pleasure in this but the lack of a good game design makes it more annoying than engrossing.