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Plots are funny old things, eh? In most cases they're entirely stupid and are almost all utterly without purpose. It always baffled me, for instance, that Arkanoid had a plot. Is that bizarre, or what? It's Breakout with knobs on (highly polished, ornamental brass ones, granted) - it doesn't need a plot.

Starblade, on the other hand, is in desperate need of a plot. It's the sort of game where ignorance of the plot is potentially catastrophic. It's disappointing, then, that in this budget release, the instruction are so flimsy that there's scarcely room for a story.

As far as I could make out, I was an agent of some sort (so, no big surprises so far), I was on-board a space ship and I had to fly about the place collecting magnetic cards. If I traded stuff a bit (Elite style) I could survive for longer. Mmmmm.

It's a kind of point-and-click kind-of-adventure kind of a thing with trading, shooting and puzzle-solving thrown in for good measure. The graphics are well-drawn, if uninspiring, and control is intuitive. And it's a good thing it is, really, given the slim nature of the instructions.

Unfortunately, as with many of these 'travel about and collect things in a space ship' games, it doesn't exactly burst at the seams with atmosphere and urgency. You spend most of your time looking out of a large picture window on the space ship, and I can get the same effect standing in my dining room and looking out through the patio doors at night. And I don't have to sell any grain or shoot any rebels. Although I do have to remember to water the weeping fig tree, I suppose.

I'm sorry, where was I? Ah yes, Starblade. Well, it's moderately entertaining for a while, but if you want to stare out of windows into inky blackness, bung me a tenner and you can sit in my dining room for a bit. For another fiver, I'll even cook you some dinner. Believe me, I'm serious.

It's quite entertaining for a while, but after the while has passed you'll decide that it lacks excitement.