Soldner-x2: Final Prototype

7 cert, EastAsiaSoft, PSN

Goodness, what an awkward title. Soldner-X2: Final Prototypecontinues the honourable tradition of Asian games with second-hand English.

After slogging through the horribly written opening, you're straight into the action: a 2D shooter in the tradition of such classics as R-Type. You control a spaceship that combats other vessels while avoiding asteroids, projectiles, mines and even floating mountains.

The greatest strength of SX2 is the hypnotically simple gameplay: plenty of power-ups but only one fire button makes for a fluid, kinetic experience. It’s also endearingly strange – the music is an ingratiating 1990s-electronica score, and your desire to see giant robots with laser-firing eyes will be comfortably met. It’s a shame that the game is so short, making it a fun diversion, if not quite good value.