Ronseal's tagline was "does exactly what it says on the tin" and the same applies to Polar Bear In Space. Yes, it's about a lava-surfing aardvark. Ahem. Our titular white hero is stranded out in the cosmos but happens upon a strange alien space station. Discovering it has a transporter, he must locate and acquire the 99 crystals required to activate it and get home.

Bear is quite a nippy fellow, with a limited jetpack supply, upgradable weapons, a personal shield, and a supply of smart bombs. Taking off and shooting certain aliens rewards you with more fuel, smart bombs, shield energy and better weapons. Follow

the indicator to find the nearest accessible terminal, descramble the access code and gain entry to an underground bunker below. Here you must navigate the platforms, avoiding many deadly obstacles and pick up the crystals within.

Once all 99 crystals are recovered, find the last cavern, activate the transporter and get home. No doubt hopefully in time for tea and penguins... biscuits that is.

Mixing genres can be a risky recipe, but this handles its ingredients well. Tasty sprite work - the cute main character and interesting enemy designs - and meaty sounds impress. The title tune is a feast for the ears too.

However, my first few attempts were frustratingly short as I saw that great-looking explosion a lot; the "red swarms" took away some of the fun. Working out the terminal puzzle controls and getting into the tough (and chewy) platform sections meant I appreciated what was on offer, but this is definitely one for veterans to sink their teeth into.

With a few tweaks this could have been a Sizzling serving of a shoot-'em-up.

Wizball, Retrograde, Dropzone, there's an eclectic mix of classic shoot-'em-up parts surrounding our polar hero that invoke warm fuzzy feelings in your heart. A heart which is then ripped out Mortal Kombat style as it screams you're not worthy.

I make no secret of the fact I think many new games are easier than back in the day, but the underground bunkers are less forgiving than Emperor Palpatine. And now young bear, you will die. Even the first one took several attempts to complete without dying.

Which is a shame because otherwise Polar Bear In Space is a fun title which can keep you playing for ages... but I suspect many may give up long before then.

It's always interesting to see how old games inspire new programmers, and Polar Bear In Space has its influences pinned firmly to its furry sleeve. There are hints of Wizball, Retrograde, Dropzone and even Cauldron here. It also borrows their difficult levels; PSiS starts hard, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. I find activating the terminals to be the hardest part of the game and initially the failure seemed excessively punitive.

I learned how to manage that, but then found the underground platforming sections to be fun but flawed... respawning enemies, leaps of faith or no-win situations.

I do enjoy the game, but with a few tweaks, I'd love it.

Presentation 86%
Handy help screen and clear status panel, high score table and control options.

Graphics 84%
Well-animated sprites and over smooth-scrolling backgrounds, with plenty of colour.

Sound 85%
Galway-esque music and suitably loud and appropriate effects in each area.

Hookability 77%
Tricky to get into but solid blasting fun.

Lastability 81%
The platform section is tough, but there is a long-term challenge here.

Overall 82%
Room for improvement, but as sweet as a Glacier Mint and an absorbing game.