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First things first. If, like me, you have trouble making sense of a bank statement, you would be well advised to read the instructions very carefully before loading. For, although we are in familiar 'Star Wars' territory (far-flung galaxies, ageing star fighter pilots, etc.) this is most definitely not one for the 'zap the aliens before they zap you' brigade.

The aim here is to make money, not war. The way to do this is by trading with various star systems, buying and selling six commodities: uranium, iron ore, machinery, medical supplies, computers and gems. To begin, you are asked to choose the number of ships you want in your fleet and the number of planets you want to visit - up to a maximum of fifteen. At each stop, you buy what goods you want at a price lower than you think you can sell them for at the next planet, and sell what goods you have on board accordingly.

Easy money? Well, the problem is that, as this is game for between two and twelve players, your opponents are trying to do exactly the same thing, only a few light years before you. Also, the Universe being what it is, there are sundry local difficulties to contend with, magnetic storms, pirates. and the like. And as if this wasn't enough, the inhabitants of each planet actually haggle with you over the price of goods, so one false bid and you're left with an unwanted load of iron ore to shift.

Clearly this is quite a complicated game and it won't appeal to everyone. But I found it engrossing and worth recommending to those who like to stretch their minds rather than their trigger fingers.