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If you think it's bad enough that atomic war has done away with the earth as we know it, along with most of your trucking chums, and filled it with such socially acceptable guys as lizard men and 'muties' instead (not to mention a fair smattering of pretty malicious looking seagulls), think again.

Imagine the scenario: there you are, minding your own business over a burger at Greasy Tex's post-apocolyptic truckers' paradise, when these nasty chappies have the gall to hijack your most treasured possession - your beloved armour-plated eighteen wheeler.

Now, you ask any 'king of the road' how he would feel in a situation like this, even without the added inclemencies of a recent nuclear war, and I think you will be able to understand all-round hard guy Brad being a little hacked off by it all.

So, high in expectation, with a Yorkie in my pocket and a pistol on my hip, I gulped down my burger and prepared to battle my way through this latest budget epic from Players in a desperate bid to rescue my chrome damsel from the mutant fortress.

Unfortunately, I have to admit that after spending some time despatching with pan-faced zombies, catching my leg in man-traps and wading waist deep in quagmires my expectations had sunk somewhat, leaving me with indigestion and a profound feeling that I shouldn't have hurried that burger.

My overall impression of the release is: great idea, shame about the game. Those well-worn combat tactics 'dodge, weave, shoot, jump, weave, shoot' will see you nicely through the earlier stages but before long, forward progress becomes painfully slow.

Picking up extra ammunition and strength where and when you can will eventually lead you to an end-of-level guardian who is slightly meaner than his cronies and well worth saving a few bullets for.

Having plodded through the forest and wasteland stages to level three, you get the added attraction of being fired at yourself before finally meeting the infamous head mutie, Smythe.

The information display at the bottom of the screen keeps you well up to date with your weaponry and physical status, which is depleted on contact with the muties, but it is also one of the most colourful bits.

Although the graphics in the play arena are clear and well-defined, the monotone shades of yellow and green at the earlier stages are not particularly impressive.

All in all, rather than shooting a path through to the mutant fortress, hard guy trucker Brad's time would probably have been better spent putting a call through to his post-apocalyptic insurance brokers and leafing through Auto Mart for a new rig.