Weirdworld is in a state of turmoil. The crazed wizard Blurgh has emerged from 2000 years of solitude, his warped mind set on overthrowing the State and ruling Weirdworld. But one person is man enough to stand up against Blurgh and beat the charlatan at his own game So, with magic gun in hand and flying "Monkey" cloud underfoot, off you go to do battle with Blurgh's warriors.

And what a motley crew they are, too! Throughout the game you encounter, amongst other things, formation-flying corn flakes bowls (complete with natty red stripe around the middle), winged Chinese waiters, cats' heads (the remnants of Blurgh's supper) and armoured turtles, each packing a powerful punch in the form of unlimited bursts of merciless gunfire.

Luckily for you, you're not alone in the fight, for throughout the battle you are able to enter hidden shops and borrow an item of well-powerful weaponry. Extra firepower is also available by clearing away certain waves of baddies, but guns are useless if you aren't fleet of foot and nifty with the old cloud. And at the end of each level you are tested to the full by an enormous end-of-stage monster which throws shots at you faster than you can say "Help, help I'm going to dieeee!".

Although the Cloud Master offers little in the way of innovative features, perseverance reveals a rather enjoyable little blast. It's important not to let your mind wander while playing as, due to the vast amount of bright colours on-screen, the eye can easily be lured away from impending doom in the shape of a stray bullet.

Playability is generally high, apart from one annoying facet which is that, when shot, you are sent back to the beginning of the level. I have never understood why this "feature" is included in games, as it puts the player off progressing further after he has spent ages battling to get where he is. Still, shoot 'em up fans should enjoy the action.

PAUL RAND

Sega £24.95

GRAPHICS

80%

SOUND

42%

VALUE

68%

PLAYABILITY

75%

A frustrating, but nevertheless enjoyable shoot 'em up which features the weirdest characters you'll ever pump full of loser.

OVERALL

72%

Rating

72

Reviewer

CVG magazine

Region

UK

Scans

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