Netherworld

Nice status panel, impressive name-entering system and generally well thought out appearance. Well drawn levels and nasties with good use of colour and smooth, fast scrolling. Good clangs, crashes and bangs in the game itself, but the title music is rather disappointing. The ship's momentum seems a bit severe at first, but the gratuitous blasting action is rather satisfying. 12 progressively harder levels should keep ardent blastabout fans happy for a few weeks. A strange collect and shoot 'em up game which will appeal to those who give it a chance.

There you were – a swivelling Polo-mint of a spaceship spinning in an endless flickering orbit when wham! Michael Jackson released another single and suddenly you were in Purgatory, doomed to gyrate and flicker in stasis for the rest of eternity (cue short burst of Vincent Price cackling).

Plays very closely to previous versions but isn't as impressive graphically. This should not spoil what is otherwise an enjoyable original game.

Possibly Hewson's strongest 16-bit review in terms of blastability, Netherworld really shifts in the firepower department despite a rather standard scenario. A good outing for Hewson on the 16-bit format - now when are they going to get beyond 8-bit conversions.

Grafisch besticht Netherworld durch seine Farbvielfalt und Detailtreue. Auch die Steuerung ist präzise und verspricht Stunden ungetrübten Spielspaßes.