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I would describe this game as a fairly well put together piece of boring old tosh. Captured is a game like a hundred other games. Jet Set Willy meets Monty Mole in Cauldron II.

Don't pay attention to the inlay which, even with the wildest imagination in the world couldn't apply to the game. "Captured sets new standards in computer games and injects innovation into the platform concept." Of course it does, and what's more, Manchester City are going to win the league this year.

Though I find talking about it almost as painful as playing the game, here goes. You move a little man around a platform scenario just like the one in the screenshot. You can run left or right and jump. The animation is actually not too bad, apart from the fact that your little man walks like an Egyptian. [Sounds like a good title for a song - Ed]

There are the inevitable unbearable nasties, a few helicopters here and there, but the most part you'll have to endure pretty nondescript sprites. Contact one and die, how original. Basically, you must work your way through the screens, over a hundred if the blurb is to be believed. This is one instance, where you hope they're telling lies. The objective is to reach the inspiringly titled Chamber of Death, collect pieces of a security code and find your way back out.

You begin with five lives and one "kill everything" weapon, described on the screen as a bomb and on the packaging as a laser weapon. More of these bombs (or laser weapons) can be picked up on various screens.

In its favour, not a lot. But it is quite well programmed and there are a few bugs (don't press RESTORE - well, not unless you want a crashed C64). All of which is pretty irrelevant if you ask me, because the game is so naff you lose interest after the third screen.

I won't bother with any more. Take it away from me, this game is about as enjoyable as having a boil on your bot. The only people I can imagine Captured appealing to are those who have never seen a platform game in their life. If you have, you'll find it as appetizing as a three day old curry.