THERE was a time when most computer games basically involved doing the same thing over and over again. In some cases this was fun; in others it wasn't.

Thankfully, things have moved on and game manufacturers can create entire worlds in which to lose yourself for hours on end.

Nobody seems to have told the good people at Mindscape this. Otherwise, those in charge of that esteemed company would surely have insisted that Kaan be taken back to the drawing board and given some spark, some personality anything to make it feel as if it wasn't the brainchild of someone who got a very cheap and limited programming package for Christmas.

This, essentially, is a game where you run around and chop things up with your sword/axe/hammer, and that's about it. It may appeal to young gamers, as it doesn't tax the brain at all, but anyone else should look elsewhere for their 3D adventure/platform fun.

Kaan is on a mission to recover the stolen Orb of Hope from the nasty sorcerer who has stolen it. To do so he must run and chop his way through 17 levels.

The graphics are reasonable, although the camera angles are sometimes troublesome, but the main problem is a complete lack of originality and the sheer repetitiveness of the gameplay. This is like a slightly tarted up version of Golden Axe, minus the fun, and 15 years too late.

The only good thing I can say for this game is that it's relatively low priced (rrp £24pp and cheaper online if you shop around).

But you won't be playing it in six months time unless you haven't got any other games, or friends.

Graphics 3/5
Sound 3/5
Gameplay 2/5
Gamespan 1/5
Overall 2/5

Russell Cotman