FALLOUT: BROTHERHOOD OF STEEL

Publisher: Avlon Interactive

Format: PS2.

Price: £39.99 Out now

FALLOUT, Interplay's adult-oriented post-apocalypse action game, is rightly regarded as something of a PC gaming classic. Sure, it may have ripped off Mad Max and 2000AD but gamers could forgive those influences because it compensated with a compelling storyline and a memorable cast of characters. Brotherhood of Steel is a sequel to the 1997 original and this time it's coming to the world's favourite console.

The background story is mildly diverting (you'll discover how humans managed to survive the nuclear holocaust and why the earth is now populated with mutants and monsters) but it's the all-action gameplay that drives Brotherhood of Steel.

It most resembles Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance on the PS2, although PC gamers will probably recognise elements of other hack and slash classics such as Diablo.

As a member of the Brotherhood of Steel, a bunch of noble men and women seeking to bring order to chaos, you have to cross this devastated world - and duke it out with just about everything that comes your way. The adventure allows you to choose one of three characters: a woman called Nadia, a man named Cyrus and, most interesting of all, a mutant christened Cain. You'll come across more as you make your way across the scorched earth.

The arsenal of weaponry is handy and you can have three in play at any one time so it's possible to switch from long range equipment to close quarters weapons as circumstances dictate. Health potions - called Stim Packs - are scattered liberally about the play for instant refreshment.

If it all gets a bit much your character can run away, jump across dangerous looking pits and pull off nifty evasive manoeuvres at the press of a button. When you target the baddies, the nearest is highlighted in red and a press of the "fire" button is usually all that's needed. Kill enough and you earn weapons or health upgrades.

If you play with a friend, you need to beware the "friendly fire" option that can be enabled in the menu; otherwise one of you will end up dead.

Fallout fans will recognise some of the bad guys but the variety of attacking options they employ is limited to close range/long range. There are also a few simple puzzles to solve but not enough to distract from the action.

If there's a criticism to be aimed at Brotherhood of Steel it's the age old shoot 'em up bugbear of repetition. This may not be a long game but it will still tax your patience because so much is familiar.

Gamers with an eye for detail may also spot some of the original game locales reused once more; heavy metal lovers will find the soundtrack (Slipnot and Skinlab) agreeable.

As you'll have guessed, Brotherhood of Steel is a violent game. It's also a profane one; the soundtrack is peppered with swearing, some of it amusing but generally a bit tedious. This is not a game for children (which is why it carries an age restriction).

Lovers of the first game will probably feel a bit short-changed by Brotherhood... after all, it doesn't take the gameplay anywhere, despite being published seven years later.

Console owners who never had the opportunity to enjoy Fallout will take the game to heart for what it is: a non-too-serious slice of action/adventure hokum.

Brotherhood of Steel is enjoyable enough, just be sure to switch off your brain before pressing "play".

MASTERTRONIC PC RANGE

Format: PC

Price: £9.99. Out now

WE DON'T all own cutting-edge PCs with Pentium IV processors, water-cooled graphics cards, terabytes of RAM and hard disks the size of a third world country.

The latest software makes demands on older machines that are just too great. At a sweep hundreds of thousands of gamers are disenfranchised unless they fork out for expensive upgrades.

However, there's a silver lining to every cloud. In this case the silver lining happens to be provided by Mastertronic, purveyor of low cost PC games to anyone who wants to have fun but doesn't necessarily have the latest kit.

For less than a tenner you can enjoy the delights of Driver, B17 Flying Fortress, Space Tripper, and The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind.

Even better, the experts at PC Gamer magazine have personally vetted every title. So you know you're in for a good time.

Let's start with the best first. It's been a while since I last played Driver, one of the all-time classic action games for adults. I'd forgotten how compelling the gameplay is and just how much fun it is. For £9.99, it's an absolute steal and just as good today as it was four years ago.

You certainly get your money's worth with Elder Scrolls 3 - a vast role-playing epic where your decisions help shape the future direction of the game. This will keep you at it for weeks.

B17 Flying Fortress still looks good on a moderate spec PC. It's a flight simulation with all the attendant attention to detail and is hailed as a bit of a classic by lovers of such games.

Space Tripper is probably the least well-known title. An old school shooter, this marks the first time it has been available on CD. Previously, if you wanted a blast, you needed to download it from the 'Net.

The original Mastertronic company brought many fondly remembered 8-bit gaming titles to market 20 years ago. It was recreated last year with the same primary concerns in mind: to publish good games at low prices.

Judging by this line-up, I'd rather have four Mastertronic titles for my 40 quid than yet another tedious FPS shooter.

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