VAN HELSING. Publisher: Vivendi Universal Games. Format: PS2. Price: £39.99. Out now. DO YOU love those old Universal horrors? I do. When I was a kid I couldn't get enough of Lon Chaney Jnr, Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi.

Movies like Frankenstein Meets The Wolf-Man and Son of Dracula were great "behind the sofa" material when I was 11 years old.

Seen today they are ludicrously tame, of course, when films like Dawn of the Dead take the charnel house route to giving viewers goose flesh.

Maybe that's why Van Helsing, director Stephen Sommer's homage to those classic shockers, is now considered perfectly acceptable fodder for younger viewers, even if the impressive visual effects mean Frankie and old Drac have never looked better.

Van Helsing the game also feels like a homage, although to a work that's not quite so old as those Universal fear flicks. Beneath the monstrous veneer, gamers will recognise the body of Devil May Cry, Capcom's much loved action thriller.

The character Van Helsing in the game is a far cry from Edward Van Sloan, the actor who played the vampire killer in Lugosi's Dracula 74 years ago. The 21st century Van can punch, kick and dismember with the best of 'em, and James Bond would feel jealous at his vampire-slaying arsenal, which runs to guns that spew mini wooden stakes, spinning blades, a Gatling gun and a full repertoire of killer moves.

Players familiar with the Devil May Cry control layout will be able to jump straight into the action. Pressing the X button makes Van the man jump, hitting the square makes him shoot, and the triangle unleashes his spinning blades to devastating effect. Pressing R1 targets your enemy.

En route to the final confrontation, Van Helsing will pick up extra weapons, boosting his powers as the bad guys get harder to beat.

When Van kills an enemy, it's a good idea to collect the coloured glyphs that appear. Gather enough and you can exchange them for better powers.

The first bunch of monsters are simplicity itself to kill, so there's no excuse for not upgrading Van at the earliest opportunity. Younger gamers who enjoyed the movie won't find themselves throwing the PS2 pad aside in frustration, especially in the Easy mode.

Maybe that's why Van Helsing is slower than Devil May Cry and therefore less of a genuine challenge.

Each time Van goes into battle, a kill timer appears. Fill it quickly enough, and you can press the R2 button for a spectacular finishing move.

Hugh Jackman has lent the game his vocal talents as well as his likeness. His acting (all the voiceovers are taken from the film soundtrack) keeps the story racing along at a decent lick. Van Helsing the game follows the movie fairly closely so there are adventures to be had across Europe.

The visual look is slick and smooth, even when several characters are on screen at the same time. Ultimately, I found Van Helsing the movie something of a hollow experience. For all the special effects and non-stop action, I felt it lacked heart compared to the original horrors on which it is based.

The game is a more successful clone of a classic original and a fun addition to the horror lover's library.

l We have teamed up with local specialist CHIPS to give away six copies of Van Helsing the game. To be in with a chance of winning one, just tell us: Who played Van Helsing opposite Christopher Lee in the Hammer version of the classic vampire tale?

Send your answer on a postcard with your name, age, address and format of choice to Van Helsing Comp, Northern Echo, Priestgate, Darlington DL1 1NF by July 1.

NB: entrants must be 16+ to comply with the game's age restriction.

Van Helsing is one of hundreds of games available from CHIPS stores in Middlesbrough, Stockton, Redcar, Hartlepool, Darlington, Northallerton, Guisborough, Consett, Bishop Auckland and Chester-le-Street, which buy, sell and trade new and second-hand consoles, games, accessories and DVDs.

THE SUFFERING. Publisher: Midway. Format: PS2. Price: £39.99. Out now. IF Van Helsing is based on a kid's adventure film, then Midway's The Suffering must surely be the video gaming equivalent to Stuart Gordon's seminal splatter classic Re-Animator.

From the disturbing opening sequence to one of the three different endings, you're left in no doubt that this horror game is for adults only.

Your character is a murderer who is sentenced to death for killing his wife and two children at the start of the game. The story begins as he is led through Eastern State Prison corridors to death row.

Before his date with destiny, though, an earthquake rocks the penitentiary and all hell literally breaks loose, with monsters stalking the dark corridors looking for prisoners and prison officers to kill.

The game, which can be played in either first or third-person perspectives, has a branching storyline that changes depending on the decisions you make. Do you kill a prison guard or spare his life? The result could make the next level easier or harder depending on your split-second choice.

Interestingly, the game plays out very differently depending on your view of the main character. Do you play as though he is a prisoner innocent of those original crimes? Then the ending will reflect his innate goodness. Or is he a psycho killer set free, only interested in saving his own skin? The ending will reflect that darker side.The changes that have turned the prison into a place full of monsters have also affected your character, who finds that he can transform himself into a ravening beast to take on the boss creatures. There are also a few random puzzles of the "push this", "pull that" variety but nothing too distracting from the mayhem at the core of The Suffering.

Published: 11/06/2004