The Diswasher: Vampire Smile

18 cert, Ska Studios, Xbox Live ****

The Dishwasher's back! In this sequel to Dead Samurai,The Dishwasher is a sword- wielding freedom fighter (terrorist?) determined to undo the damage done by a deadly virus. His journey takes him through security forces to confront some powerful political figures. You can also play as his sister, the wrongly imprisoned Yuki, on this bloody campaign.

The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile(or DVS)is a whip-fast 2D game where you can use samurais, machetes, guns or even a great big mallet. Your adversaries include zombie- style assailants and a few grotesque surprises.

This is the most distinctive looking game I’ve seen in some time. It’s almost monochrome, as the few primary colours bleed into the screen, like mist or light through stained glass. Moments of beauty are usually interrupted by frenetic combat, and the white backgrounds are soon tainted by geysers of blood. The images flicker, like an old reel of a lost horror movie. And the 3D option is very effective as severed limbs and arterial blood seem to spill from the screen.

Such games stand or fall on their playability, and this is where DVSreally shines. It's predictably hectic, but the weapons and killer moves are drip-fed to you, so by the time you're overwhelmed by enemies you'll be well- equipped to put up a good fight.

The combat is lively, smooth and sophisticated. I loved how you can grab and slam your opponents, how your avatar can leap around the screen, and how (if you really get the hang of it) you can make your enemies shoot and hit one another. It’s is all accompanied by a fine soundtrack of guitar power cords. There’s also a satisfying two-player co-op option, in which you double- team as Dishwasher and Yuki on the same campaign.

DVScould be a little more generous with the save points, but, that quibble aside, this is a feisty and addictive little fighter. Love the title too!