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The facts: the design brief of the F-15 series has changed during its lifetime. It began in the mid 1960s as an ultra-fast air superiority fighter, but the latest model - the F-15E Strike Eagle, featured in this game - has been vastly enhanced by the addition of ground attack capabilities. In addition to a 20mm cannon, it's equipped with a sophisticated zoom laser-target-tracking system and a huge array of air-to-air and air-to-ground weaponry.

MicroProse has attempted to translate this military masterpiece grommet for grommet. The simulation features six mission scenarios: the PC's original quartet of Libya, the Persian Gulf, Vietnam and the Middle East; plus two extra terrains, the North Cape and Central Europe. Medals and promotion are the rewards for particularly successful flying feats, and coffins are provided in case of failure.

The package incorporates a typically encyclopaedic manual, maps of all six scenarios and a single sheet control guide - although not a keyboard overlay.

If you think that there are already enough mission-based combat flight simulations from MicroProse, think again. The most obvious parallel you can draw is with F-19 Stealth Fighter - released last year - but the differences are quite marked: where F-19 was a combination of strategy and fighting, F-15 is almost entirely biased towards combat.

It would be wrong however to assume that, as a result, it's virtually an arcade game: as soon as you get into any form of conflict, you realise just how accurate (and tough!) a simulation it can be. The multiple difficulty levels mean that it is as friendly towards beginners as it is hostile to experts.

Not only this, but there are six terrains to choose from, each packed with a host of targets requiring a range of skills to eliminate. The presentation and selection screens have been abridged to suit the more instantaneous nature of the action - all you basically have to do is select a name, a difficulty level and a mission scenario, and you're off!

This may be a disappointment to serious enthusiasts, but it's ideal for anyone who wants to get directly into the action. The graphics system is an enhanced version of that used in F-19, and the result is some of the smoothest 3D routines you're likely to find in any flight game.

Couple this with a cluster of excellent samples and realistic sound effects, and you've got yet another highly polished and very playable simulation. Don't miss it.