IF you thought Counter Strike was the last word in online gaming, Battlefield 1942 is going to blow you away.

Digital Illusion's first-person shooter ambitiously offers 16 huge maps themed on different campaign theatres from the Second World War.

From the Normandy landings to the tank battles of Africa and on to the Pacific battle of Midway, they've squeezed most of the war on to a couple of CD-Roms.

While there is a single-player mode, the game's killer application is as an online multi-player title, capable of supporting up to 64 players on the same map.

Still unimpressed? Practically every vehicle and gun emplacement on the map is available for your use.

Take the Omaha Beach map. If you play as an Allied soldier your game begins on a naval frigate. You can jump on to a landing craft or hang out on the ship to man its big guns to soften up the German defences.

Choose the infantry route and you have to fight your way up the beach and through the defences Medal Of Honour-style.

Play as a German and you have to hold your positions, manning machine gun nests and anti-ship artillery guns.

Get killed and you can choose to respawn at any of the key positions held by your side.

Battlefield 1942's scale is best illustrated by some of its desert maps.

Vast expanses are best covered in a convoy of armoured vehicles, or if there's a spare Spitfire parked up you can jump into that and provide some air cover.

We haven't got a bad thing to say about Battlefield 1942. The graphics are excellent, the maps are well designed and the gameplay is enthralling.

It's advantageous to have a broadband connection and a mid- to high-spec PC, but if you have a good set-up, Battlefield 1942 will keep you at war all through the night.

Format: PC CD-Rom

Rating: 94%

Price: £29.99... buy NOW