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What would any Earth government try and go when a ten-million tonne mega-being the size of a small moon enters planetary orbit around Earth? Send a man up to make contact with it, of course! Which is a shame because it's very hungry and it eats you. How are you going to return to Earth and warn them of your deadly discovery?

The only way you can escape is by shutting down the greedy bugger's vital organs (kidney, lung, heart and brain). Each of these organs can be found in their own private level, surrounded by a complex maze of arteries. Through these arteries roam many vile, slimy creatures whose only purpose in life is to prevent foreign bodies (e.g. you) from entering the system.

Around the various slurpy bits of the creature you can find extra weaponry to boost the destructive capabilities of your man. Each section of a level is in turn divided into four smaller sections, each with a special type baddie that can only be killed with a special weapon. You can also find protective helmets which prevent any normal nasties from harming you, but their effect is only temporary.

The most useful piece of equipment has to be the map. The levels are so big that it is easy to get lost or run past a useful object.

During the four stages of a level you have to collect the three bits of the 'tri-puzzle' weapon. This weapon lowers the protective shield around the organ you are attacking so that it becomes vulnerable to the super-weapon which is held in the same chamber.

The organs are surprisingly articulate and big. The first you come across is the kidney. This wobbles round the chamber after you, firing little crab and wormlike creatures. If you have collected the crystals from the first level, the kidney will run from you, giving you time to grab the super weapon held in a chamber in the far wall.

When the organ has been destroyed, all the arteries go dark and a fresh exit from the level appears near the bottom of the screen.

The game takes place mainly on an eight-way scrolling screen, but between the levels you have to traverse a horizontally-scrolling tunnel with the nasties bouncing or dive-bombing you.

Gutz seems to be a meld of Alien Syndrome and Gryzor, and only just above par as well. The character graphics are nothing special; the type that appear on most shoot-'em-ups. The sound consists of blasts, zaps and squeals.

Among the problems with Gutz is the weapons collection. On Level One, the weapons are concealed behind pods in the wall, pods which are the same colour and almost the same texture as the surrounding backdrops!

If you are a screaming Alien Syndrome junkie presently going cold turkey then you should like Gutz. Otherwise I can well recommend waiting for the real deal.