Buckets of blood!

And if violence, buckets of blood and schoolboy-type bad taste make a good game then this release, published by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, should do well.

Cardinal Syn is set is set in medieval times (I think) and boasts eight original characters who like a bit of X-rated rough and tumble, bludgeoning each other to a pulp in blood-soaked battle arenas.

And they are a loathsome bunch to be sure. There is Plague whose party piece is throwing up when he's on a loser and Hecklar, a jester-type misfit with an irritating cackle who looks a bit like Worzel Gummidge dressed up for a night out.

They each come armed with various weapons - battles axes, swords and maces - and magical powers. Each, too, has a special move, and although I have not yet discovered them all, I accidentally came across the somewhat unique special ability of Mongoro. He 'special move" took me by surprise - as it did his opponent - and I can't think of a nice way to describe it. Suffice to say, an ill wind....

There is also a move in which you can slice off an opponent's limb, producing rivers of blood and a victory, on account that your opponent is a gonner.

Each fighter has a home location which look pretty good, with great lighting and a menacing atmosphere. And there are interactive elements to add to the battle interest, like moving coal wagons under which you can throw your opponent. There are also hazards such as fire pits and spike-lined walls.

Fight your way through to the end and you face girl power, two female bosses, one of whom turns into a dragon just as you think you've got her beat.

Although there is nothing radically different from other fighting games and it is all fairly easy, Cardinal Syn is graphically rich and promises enough blood to satisfy the hungriest vampire. JE

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.