GENERALLY games bearing any relation to movies, aside from the mighty Goldeneye, are at best decidedly average.

It is therefore unsurprising that The Chronicles of Riddick has not received as much hype as say Halo 2.

For those expecting a mediocre shoot them up, think again because The Chronicles of Riddick is amazing.

Graphically this is the best game to grace any console and, in terms of gameplay, it is unique for it combines the bloody brutality of Soldier of Fortune and the stealth elements of Metal Gear Solid.

With the recent moral panic over violent games such as Manhunt, it would not be surprising if this were to be a scapegoat due to the ability to kill with makeshift knives known as shivs and club victims over the head with baseball bats.

Gamers take control of Riddick, a notorious prisoner in Butcher Bay. The objective is to escape from Butcher Bay.

Initially gamers must prove themselves to gain the trust of fellow prisoners, carrying out errands such as collecting items for others, winning fights organised by the guards and gaining a reputation as the toughest man in Butcher Bay.

After this, however, things get more interesting as gamers stealthily creep around Butcher Bay silently killing guards as they progress further.

Riddick, voiced by Vin Diesel, is not the type of prisoner to be messed with and will leave many helpless victims in a puddle of their own scarlet.

The only drawback is that it simply does not last long enough but, while it does, gamers are treated to first class graphics, gameplay, and storyline. Buy it now!

Michael Wilson

PRICE: £39.99

PLAYERS: 1

AGE RATING: 16+

GENRE: FPS

FORMAT: XBOX

GRAPHICS: 20/20

SOUND: 19/20

GAMEPLAY: 24/25

LIFESPAN: 17/25

ORIGINALITY: 9/10

OVERALL: 89%

TOP 10

1 Spider-man 2

2 Driv3r

3 Shrek 2

4 Athens 2004

5 Sonic Heroes

6 Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora

7 Formula 1 04

8 Harry Potter - Prisoner of Azkaban

9 Sonic Advance 3

10 The Simpsons: Hit & Run

UPCOMING

Chessmaster 10th Edition; D-Day; Midway Arcade Treasures; RAF Vulcan; Thunderbirds; Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Black Arrow.