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Multi-directional smooth scrolling games feature heavily in the shoot-'em-up freak's list of favourite genres. Swooping across a colourful landscape blasting all-comers and collecting energy pods and other useful items is what an exciting blam session is all about.

But remove the colourful landscape and the sexy sprites and what do you have? A super scrolling demo and very little else. Similarly with Warp. After initial amazement at the game's scrolling abilities, interest in Grandslam's latest baby falls to zero.

The action takes place against a one colour backdrop with several - almost indistinguishable - raised features, the purposes of which are difficult to ascertain.

Occasional, small, coloured, pill-like craft swoop around your ship in an attempt to annihilate you. And did I say ship? Three coloured pixels would be a more accurate description. You could be forgiven for thinking a housefly had temporarily settled on your monitor.

Sound consists of the usual zap and crash spot effects which do nothing to enhance the gameplay.

Warp plays like someone discovered a really neat way of getting the ST to perform smooth scrolling, and in their haste to show it off to effects-hungry ST gameplayers, forgot to bolt on the game. Sure, the scrolling is incredibly, breathtakingly smooth, but without the necessary gameplay this offering will soon be gathering dust at the bottom of your toy-box.