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Flying high-tech jets getting a bit too easy? Just lock onto a target and let loose with a missile - it's all too simple when you're packing the latest IT high-tech death-dealing weaponry, isn't it? How about this one, then - no head-up display, no radar, no missiles - not even a parachute. Knights Of The Sky has you risking your all in a WW1 fighter built largely of small bits of wood.

After a charming little animation and a quick copy protection spot-the-squadron insignia test, it's onto the affray. From the main menu, you can do a spot of training with no danger of wiping out your favourite pilot. You can enter a dogfight with any of WW1's famous German aces flying your choice of plane from either side. And finally, get into the big one - try and survive WW1 itself. Give yourself a suitably heroic name - Squiffy or something - don your sheepskin-lined boots, leather jacket and silly hat and climb aboard the old stringbag. You're now ready to commence a victorious career clearing the skies of the Hun, or - as is more likely, getting pounced on by a bunch of Boche and getting heroically shot to bits. The action starts on 1 May 1916 - the Allies are just recovering from the dreaded Fokker scourge after introducing fighters that actually stood a chance. You are given a series of missions to complete - air superiority, bomber escort, ground attack, balloon busting or something. After each mission, time marches on, new fighters appear and the German aces get even better. There are also a few news stories and rumours about the exploits of the aces - when you feel up to it, you can issue a challenge to one of the blighters, and have a go at ending his career. Yes, you can even challenge Baron Manfred von Richthofen in his red DR1 triplane.

Knights Of The Sky uses vector graphics to represent the battlefield - all the planes and ground details are made from solid filled shapes. The planes are highly detailed and fair representations of each type. The amount of ground detail is impressive: there are loads of ground buildings and, cutting across Flanders like a huge scar, is the front itself - miles of trenches and bunkers where the unfortunate foot soldiers are trapped in a murderous stand-off. The frame update isn't the fastest ever, but it's up to the job.

Flying the little planes isn't easy at first. If you're used to jet sims, they come as quite a change. Fortunately, there isn't a mass of commands to learn and instruments to get used to. Just fire up the motor and pull up the nose. Scoring a victory is just a question of pointing your plane at your enemy's and pressing Fire. Dogfights soon develop into rounds of hectic circling as pilots try to cut inside their adversaries. Early missions end in frustration as the deadly Fokker Eindekkers mercilessly home in for the kill - careers all round tend to be short and fruitless. The multiple difficulty levels come in handy - perseverance pays off, though, and once you get a grip on the tactics involved, the game comes into its own. Eventually your pilot's career starts to get a hold on you - you try to survive the war with a good record, a few medals and your vital organs intact.

Knights Of The Sky is a spiffing jaunt into and out of the wide blue yonder. On top of a first-rate flight sim, there's the long term incentive of battling your way through the big one at the controls of a series of fighters. The graphics are comprehensive and you get the impression you're flying around in a complete game world: there are more than just a few fields and buildings here and there to distinguish ground from the sky and provide the odd target. The choice of a WW1 setting brings a new angle and a refreshingly uncomplicated feel to the piloting. There's no frantic scrambling at the keyboard trying to remember which key you need to switch radar modes - it's just you and your skilful joystick manipulation against all the odds. It's not easy at first, so be prepared for a few ignoble bouts of high speed ground kissing. The control sensitivity can get on your wick at times, but get acquainted with it and you're hooked. Chocks away, you fellows! There, made it through the whole review without one Fokker joke.

1. Same feeing of a complete game world with lots of missions that you get from Battle Of Britain
2. Much more flyable than F-15 2 - gives a sense of being there that many jet sims lack.
3. The 3D routines aren't as fast and smooth as Thunderhawk, but the amount of ground detail is impressive.
4. Heaps more long term appeal than Mig-29 Super Fulcrum with the ultimate goal of "ace of aces".