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Alligata has dragged in big-name Geordie Jack Charlton to provide charisma in a game that substitutes laser blasters with a fish-hook. Needless to say - he's conspicuously absent from the riverbank.

Up to eight people can play this game, and you'll need that many to captialise on the minimal action. Players are each given a 'peg' (a position by the water), each one having different 'swim' conditions.

When you've read all the peg descriptions, you're asked to choose your tackle. There are three rod options (ledger, float or pole), choice of fixed spool or centre pin, nine types of bait, a variety of hook slices and control over length of cast.

The idea is simple: when your peg number flashes you hit the appropriate number. You then see a cross-section of the bank, with a fish swimming towards your hook. Press the spacebar to hook it.

If your tactics were sound, you catch it, and then get details of the type of fish and its weight. If it gets away, you get a hint of what you did wrong. Tactics can be changed at any time, and peg descriptions re-read. When the time's up, each player's catch is displayed with the total weight.

The game is gentle as the gentle art of fishing itself and definitely not for fast action freaks. Although the mere mention of bream, tench and gudgeon should make the true angler's sap rise. I'm not sure that employing even the shrewdest tactics actually helps your catch. Even a random choice of tackle gets you lots of bites. Admittedly they were tiddlers - maybe the big ones are getting away?