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Oh, spare us this! In good ol' Code Masters tradition, Zeppelin have decided to refer to their offering as a "simulator" when it is, in fact, a straight-forward arcade type game. Isn't it about time we dropped this needless name-foolery? Please...

SWS is a horizontally scrolling game which puts you in control of a rootin' tootin' shoot-from-the-hip bounty hunter named Clint Westband (sounds like a big girl's blouse to me). The story goes thus: the Wild West has become a veritable snakepit of outlaws and generally scummy bandits, and Clint (alias your good self) has drawn the short straw to clean up the five worst towns in the county.

All you have to do is wander along the high street avoiding flying bottles, horse-shoes and the like which the locals, as is their want, hurl at you. Eventually you reach one of several buildings, from which emerge various townsfolk. These people's only crime is appearing in the game, so don't shoot them - just hang around until the outlaws poke their heads around the door or windows and pump them full of lead. The enemy is easily recognisable in that they are the only ones who shoot back!

One interesting feature is that you don't lose any energy until you've shot the first innocent, so avoid it at all costs. If you are of the 'shoot now, ask questions later' type and lose large amounts of energy, it can be replenished by eating and drinking the burgers and beer scattered around the street. Meanwhile, each subsequent town has more and more bandits to waste. It can get pretty hairy later on.

The graphics are large and competently animated with a very Wild West feel to them but the disappointment sets in with the gameplay, which is at best awkward. Variety is also conspicuous by its absence: after level one it all just more of the same.

Even at budget price, Spaghetti Western Simulator can't really be recommended, unless of course you're a total Wild West freak (poor devil).

This one may appeal to certain people who have nothing better to spend their money on but I certainly won't be brushing the cobwebs off my cashpoint card.