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The basic idea in all platform games is to kill everything in sight and make it to the end of the level. Myth has this, and more. Within each level you're required to sort out a puzzle before you can progress onto the next level. For example, in level two you need to collect the Medusa's shield, so you can protect yourself from her evil rays in level three (other puzzles come in the shape of having to hit a skeleton's head into the flames).

All the levels take on different mythological eras, be they Greek, Norse or Egyptian. They also include characters like the Medusa and the devil himself.

Starting your adventure in Hades, the Greek hell, you're greeted by skeletons and gargoyles, before reaching the Greek mainland. This leads on the Crypts of Medusa, and then on to the three-headed Hydra. Next up is the Norse viking ship, which brings you to the dark forest and eventually Valhalla's Castle. After this, it's Egypt. There you begin outside the great pyramid, and then enter it, exploring the trap-infested chambers before finding King Tut's Tomb and Treasure Chamber. Finally it's the main confrontation with Dameron (the giant head of heads) in a fast scrolling shoot-'em-up section.

Simply make your way through the many levels, killing, surviving and working out all of the different puzzles. What could be easier? A game of crazy golf, perhaps?

When you meet the delectable Medusa, she's not exactly pleased to see you. She continually fires lethal bolts at you: deflect these, or face your peril. The magic shield will protect you from these, but you still have to get close enough to slice her head off.

Once you've managed to defeat the Medusa, you can use her head as a weapon. Firing magic bolts all over the place proves to be an effective means of killing enemies - especially the three-headed Hydra.

In the Egyptian level, little guards try to stop your progress - a few swipes with your sword and their heads soon come flying off. Make it past three and you can enter the pyramid.

Once inside, you have to be very careful. Numerous traps are set, just waiting to spring on you. Some can be seen if you look carefully, so you've only got yourself to blame if you get an axe embedded in your head.

You start your intrepid adventure in the dingy caverns of hell. This place is crawling with skeletons and gargoyles. A few punches and they're soon sorted out - and some of them leave handy objects behind: either a sword, magic bolt or extra energy.

One of the aims in the first level is to break this chain. If you follow the skeletons' fall, the second part of the puzzle can be fulfilled. This leads on to...

...a muscle-bound fiend. A demon is unleashed from the depths of the flames. Use the magic bolts to shoot at him, and his magic fork will be yours. What this is used for, is for me to know, and for you to find out (so there!).

Once you've made it onto the second level, you're greeted by a beautiful woman. She gives you commands like 'come closer'. Follow these and you're rewarded with extra energy. Ignore these and she turns into a fierce bird, and bites your head off. Further on in the level, you need to get the Medusa's shield: this will protect you from being turned into stone in the confrontation.

In the dark and mysterious woods, there's a Dragon waiting to snap your head off. This can't actually be killed. Force its head into an upright position and you're able to run past. How you do this is up to you...

On the 8-bit machines, Myth was a massive hit, winning awards and acclaim alike. Obviously, System 3 has tried to emulate this on the 16-bit machines, but has it succeeded? Even though it's been a long time in development, it's been worth the wait. Myth looks like a standard platform game at first glance, but as you play through the levels you realise that there's a lot more to it.

For a start, the feeling of control over the main characters is exceptional (even when standing still, you can perform more than enough mores to kill everything in sight, making it a lot easier than the usual 'turn around to kill' game).

The animation is also very well done: when you run along a platform, for example, you really feel as though you're giving it your all. Thankfully the detail doesn't stop there either. The enemy sprites and backdrops have been given an equal amount of attention to detail, and they all help the overall 'feel' of the game.

Even the sound effects are meaty (one example is the 'thud' when you punch a skeleton). "This is all a bit like First Samurai, isn't it?" you're probably crying and, well, yes, you'd be right. Even though the main sprites are smaller and less detailed than Mev Dinc's semi-classic (and even though Myth doesn't have the harmonious sound effects), the same feeling of control is generated by both games and the speed blur is a dead rip-off.

However, Myth has got more than enough variety to make it worthwhile. He may have started life on the C64 as a boy, but Myth has made it onto the Amiga and become a man.