Ocean/Mike Lamb/Dawn Drake
£9.99 cass, £14.99 disk

Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight? Now's your chance: Batman - The Movie is here. This is Ocean's third foray into Batworld and without doubt the best with Gotham City hoodlums terrorised by our caped hero, the creation of The Joker and a climax in Gotham City cathedral, just like the film.

The game opens with the police raid on a chemical plant burgled by local hoodlum Jack Napier. Batman chases Napier, negotiating sixty screens filled with hoods, police officers, acid drops and gas from leaky pipes, armed with a seemingly inexhaustible supply of Batarangs to fend off attackers. A gun which fires a rope and grapple has him swinging to a swashbuckling confrontation with Napier and level end, with the villain plunging into a vat of acid. Thus The Joker is spawned...

On level two Batman rescues beautiful photographer Vicki Vale from the clutches of a vengeful Joker, and they make their escape in the Batmobile zipping down the streets with Gotham police in hot pursuit. The immense speed of the car makes ordinary turns impossible, and only by shooting out a cable which snags a handy lamp post can Batmobile be swung in the desired direction.

Safety found in the Batcave, it's time for a bit of brainwork: Batman has one minute to solve the riddle of how an apparently random poisoning campaign waged by The Joker can be thwarted.

And on: in his Batwing our hero must save an unsuspecting crowd from The Joker's Smilex poison about to be unleashed from overhead carnival balloons. The wingtips must cut the balloons' mooring ropes. Success crashlands poor old Batman into the climactic last 100 screen level in the cathedral.

The Joker has taken refuge on the roof. Using his Batrope, the Caped Crusader must climb to the top of the tower, fighting off cops and The Joker's men, to reach the villain and put paid to him.

I'm a great Batman fan, and not disappointed! Jack Nicholson's movie performance as the psychotic Joker is ably matched by the pixellated stand-in and the Batman sprite is no slouch either. Go with a smile and get this extravaganza (probably better than the film!).

MARK [94%]

Oh, I've got a live one here! Ha, ha, ha! What a game. Batman has all the excellent graphics and sound of Robocop, with maze layouts to add that extra playability, and that's just the first level (I can't get any further!). The sprites of Batman and The Joker are recognisable with better pictures of the characters on the energy level indicator at the bottom of the screen. Sound is good too, with plenty of effects and a tune that plays throughout, although it's hardly Prince's Batdance! My only quibble is that it's a bit hard. I've spent hours playing the game and haven't even got past the first bit (though I have seen the later levels), it gets more and more playable as you progress with the Batmobile, Batwing and cathedral levels all to look forward to. Batman - The Movie is another excellent movie tie-in from Ocean... Stop the press!
NICK [92%]

Ocean
£9.99 cass/£14.99 disk
Reviewer: Matt Bielby

You've worn the T-shirt (well, I have), you've seen the movie (about 16 times), you've stuck on the stickers, pinned on the badges, even read the YS Megapreview. And you're probably sick to the Bat-gills of this whole so-called Bat-phenomenon by now. But hold it! just one more Bat-thing to cope with, I promise you! The best is yet to come...

Or so Ocean keeps telling us, anyhow. Batman (The Game Of The Movie) didn't quite manage to make it out in time for the height of Bat-fever, but it's done a lot better than some film licences I could mention. And not only is it current, it's also a blooming good game! Let's take a look at it shall we?

For a start - as seems to be Ocean's wont these days - it's a multiload (on 48K anyway), with each section based closely on a sequence from the film. Two of them (the first and the last) are platform and ladders shoot-'em-ups, and very snazzy platform and ladders shoot-'em-ups they are too. The middle two (or two and a half if you count the quick Joker's puzzle sequence that appears between the second and third loads) are a different kettle of fish, though. They're much simpler, more limited games, though just as flawlessly executed.

Anyway, the first level. This is the bit where you're pursuing the Joker around a chemical factory. There are two different types of gun-firing hoods after you - men with hats and men, erm, without hats - as well as other natural hazards like energy-sapping, dripping gunk and jets of steam. The main problem though is making your way to the top of the building. Arrows appear to point out your route (another recent Ocean trait) but - oh no! - there seem to be loads of big gaps you have to cross. Luckily Bats not only comes equipped with his normal take-out-the-bad-guys Batarang, but a Bat-rope too. Aim up or diagonally up and he throws out a line which either winches him up a level or allows him to swing Tarzan-like across a gap. In fact, it's more Bionic Commando than 'Tarzan' but better animated. In fact, this whole section is extremely well done. Largish and very clear monochrome sprites, good smooth animation and scrolling, and well though-out gameplay - it's all here. It's large too, and Tipshop should see the new Bat-maps start flooding in any day now.

Load Two is a different box of tricks altogether. You're driving the Batmobile back to the Batcave against a time limit, but other cars keep getting in your way. It's a horizontal scroller which involves dodging in and out of the other cars and watching out for 'turn left' arrows. When one appears you should deftly shoot out a Bat-rope to spin you round the corner and head up-screen (or in my case, miss a corner, turn around, head back against the traffic, miss the corner again and so on). You can't fault this level - it's fast, and the blue cars are very clear against the black road - except to say "Is that it?" Basically it's a very well executed bit of simple budget gameplay, and I exepcted more.

The same goes for the next level too. It's the parade sequence, with the Joker's lorries - complete with poison gas balloons trailing above them - cruising down Gotham High Street. Here you come now in the Batwing, flying along at a set distance above the ground (though you can move the plane left, right forward and back). Your job is to cut the lines holding the gas balloons and send them floating harmlessly away. Every so often a few helicopters appear which you have to dodge, and then it's more lorries again. I dunno. It's very faithful to the film, and very well done, but again the gameplay is just so simple. Too simple really. The Joker's quiz sequence, which comes between these two and gives you a minute to work out what three household items contain the Joker's poisons by a process of deduction, is a nice little touch - but that's all it is. A slightly disappointing centre section then, but things come alive again on the last load.

This is a reprisal of the first scene, though set in the Gotham cathedral. This time some of the men throw bombs at you rather than shoot (very tricky to deal with) rats snap at your heels, and some platforms crumble as you walk on them. The map seems even bigger this time and there are even more sequences demanding skilful use of the Batrope. All in all it's as snazzy a platform game as we've seen in ages. Get to the top in time, defeat the last two goons who lurk there, and you can catch the Joker climbing the ladder to his waiting 'copter. Toss a Batarang at him and you get a great end sequence as he falls down the outside of the building passing gargoyles as he goes, for what must be about six or seven screens.

I liked Batman (The Game Of The Movie) a lot. It's as faithful, supremely well executed and generally wazzy a film conversion as you could ever hope to see. But... there's a 'but'. The platform levels are great, but the simplicity of the driving sections is a bit of a let-down. Add a shooting element (after all, both Bat-vehicles were armed in the film), or more variety to these bits, and it would have been a better game. In fact, it would have stood a good chance of a Megagame.

Actually (has a quick rethink), let's be fair. It's blooming good. It's probably Megagame-good. It's just that The Untouchables (a brilliant game, perhaps the best released on the Speccy this year) is even better. I dunno. Buy them both. You won't be disappointed. And I'm sure you'd make Ocean very happy.

REPLAY

More fun than a bouncy castle, better looking than a double cheeseburger. It's JON PILLAR and RICH PELLEY!

Hit Squad
£3.99
Reviewer: Jon Pillar

Faster than a speeding Royal! More powerful than Arnie's eyebrows! Able to leap tall buildings in a single-seater jump jet! ...Well, that's enough about me, what of the man in the all-over welly boot? in this game of the film, T-shirt and key-ring you're the sinister vigilante himself. You're out on a five-level mission to clean up Gotham City - and you're not carrying a broom. The gameplay is a neat combination of two styles - the four-way scrolling platform shoot-'em-up, and the horizontally-scrolling driving game. Seeing as it's from the programmers of Robocop, the fact the platform levels are very, um, Robocoppy is unsurprising. It's jolly good fun and quite addictive, but there's a problem. You've got an energy system and there are no top-up icons - so just as you feel you're getting somewhere, you run out of energy and get sent back miles. Aarghhh! The driving sections are fairly playable but (but! But!) you've got no weapons, and it's rather unrealistic to have the mighty Batvehicles bashed about by VW Beetles.

To sum up then, you get a lot of game for your coins, but the flaws bring down the overall rating.

Coming, erm, now actually, to a cinema near you...

THE COMPLETE YS GUIDE TO FILM AND TELLY GAMES

Knowing full well what a square-eyed bunch you are, we thought it was about time you were given the facts on film and television licenced games. Once again, JONATHAN DAVIES was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

(Cough. Deep, manly voice.)

'In the beginning there were loads and loads of Speccy games. Loads of them. They sold all right, but not exactly in enormous numbers. The trouble was, you see, that none of them seemed particularly exciting. They had nothing that caught the public eye. They were just computer games. Had no 'cred'.

Then a small cog within a long-since-extinct software house had an idea.

"Why don't we give our next game the same name as an incredibly popular film? Then everyone would buy it just because they'd seen the film and they'd foolishly think the game would be just as good. How about i, eh?"

"Er, we could do, I suppose."

"Great."

"But what if the film company finds out? They might sue us or something."

"Oh yeah."

"Tcha."

"I know - we could ask them first."

"That's a point. Go on then."

"What? Me?"

"Yeah. Give them a ring and ask if they'd mind."

"Oo-er. Cripes. Okay then." (Dials very long trans-Atlantic phone number.)

"Hullo. We'd like to name our new game after your film and we were wondering if it was okay by you. Right... yes... oh, I see." (Cups hand over receiver.) "They want us to give them lots of money."

"Erm, well in that case we'd better." (Removes hand.) "Yes, that'll be fine. We'll send you some right away. Bye."

"Super."

"But. er..."

"What?"

"How are we going to come up with a game that's anything like the film?"

"I don't know really."

"How about if we have a bloke walking around shooting people?"

"That sounds fine. I'll program it right away."

And so the film and telly licence was born. It... cough. Choke.

Oops. There goes the deep, manly voice.

Anyway, film and telly games, eh? Everyone's doing them these days, as they're one of the few remaining ways of making serious money with computer games. Run a grubby finger down the charts and you'll find nearly all the top-sellers are film and telly licences. (Or arcade conversions, of course.)

But why do we keep buying them? After all, just because a game's named after a really brill film doesn't mean it's going to be any good, does it? Surely we aren't buying them simply because of the flashy name on the box?

Erm, well in the old days, software houses assumed this to be the case, and chucked out a stream of absolutely appalling games with 'big name' titles. Things like Miami Vice, The Dukes Of Hazard and Highlander were all pretty dreadful, but it was hoped that they'd sell on the strength of their names. But we weren't fooled. Oh no. The games didn't sell well, and the companies were forced to think again.

Eventually they came up with... the 'bloke walking around shooting things' idea. And they've used it more or less ever since. Lucky then that they tend to be jolly good all the same, and sometimes come up with the odd original idea to spice things up (like The Untouchables did, or perhaps Back To The Future Part II).

RATINGS

As always seems to be the case, the trusty YS ratings system doesn't really seem adequate when it comes to film and telly games. So here's what we've put together instead...

LIGHTS
What does it look like? Nice? Or not very nice at all? (You mean are the graphics any good? Ed) Er, yes. That's it in a nutshell. (Then why didn't you just say the first place? Ed) Erm...

CAMERA
How does the general atmosphere compare to the film or telly programme the game's meant to go with? Have programmers just taken a bog-standard game and stuck a flashy name on it? Or have they made an effort to incorporate a bit of the 'feel' of the original?

ACTION
Does the plot follow along the same sort of lines as the film or telly programme? Is there plenty action-packedness? And is the game the same all way through, or does it follow the original's twists and turns?

CUT
Um, how does the game compare to all the licences around at the moment? Is it better? Or worse? In other words, is it a 'cut' above the rest? (is that really the best you can manage? Ed)

BATMAN THE MOVIE
Ocean

Along with Robocop, which is probably the biggest-selling game of any kind ever, this was one of Ocean's biggest sellers last year. Its success was obviously a result of the film's popularity rather than anything great about the game itself, although its very well put together and enjoyable all the same.

Needless to say, Batman is the chap you control, and he walks around killing people. Well, on the first and last levels he does anyway. These are easily the best, with Bat-rope and Batarang featuring prominently. The rest of the game consists of a driving bit, which is a bit boring, a flying bit, which is also slightly tedious, and a puzzle-solving bit. The graphics all the way through are great, if a bit monochrome, and the game is generally one of the most comprehensive film conversions around. It's just a bit obvious that all the programming effort went into the walking-about parts, and they're the bits that are just like any other film game. Ho hum.

Label: Ocean
Author: In-house
Price: £8.95
Memory: 48K/128K
Joystick: various

Dada dada dada dada... BATMAN! The Joker is once more at large in Gotham City as reports flood in of kitchen chemicals that have been doctored with Smilex Gas.

"Begorrah Commissioner, the Joker's laughing at us what can we do?" drawls the bigtown bobby. "That fiendish felon the Joker, may have the city in stitches but there's one person who should be able to take the smile off his face"

"You don't mean..." Oh yes he does. So as the Commissioner reaches for the Batphone, the latest batch of the film record of the video of the T shirt of the game begins...

As you all know from last issue's mega tape, Batman the computer game is now available for the Spectrum and the graphics are good, the music is melodic and the gameplay is great. The action takes place over five scenarios and faithfully follows the film - whaddaya mean you ain't seen it? You got no street cred at all? Okay, for the bebefit os the zero trends... The game unfolds in the Axis Chemical Plant, where as chance would have it, Jack Napier fell into a vat of chemicals which did a biological jobbie, not on his Pierr Caradin boxers but on his noggin. Exit one Mr Average, enter the Joker. He uses the planet to produce Smilex which is currently the scourge of the Metropolis. Batman must find the Joker in the labyrinth of the factory, hampered by his inevitable cronies who try to shoot, bomb and gernally be extremely unhelpful to our caped crusader.

So, armed with only his trusty self loading Batarang, and his own line in express lifts, Batman must run, jump climb and swing his way to the Joker. Control is by keyboard or joystick and the fire button being the crux of the gameplay.

A direction plus fire sends the batrope blasting off to hook onto a handy ledge or even to KER POW! a cronie. Problem being, Batman can't move whilst using the rope so it's always a good idea to clean up the baddies before using it. It's also very handy for dastardly do-no-gooders on diagonals as the Batarang will only fire left or right. Once the Batrope is secured, the masked avenger can swing to and fro and by releasing the fire button at the right time, can leap across gaps in platforms.

Batman loses energy each time he is shot, bombed or dropped on by baddies. Energy status is shown by how far the picture of Batman's visage has turned into that of the Joker's. By sending the Joker for an early bath in the chemical vat, Batman then returns to the Batcave as fast as possible to analyse and neutralise the Smilex. He must drive through the Gotham City rush hour, avoid energy depleting collisions with other vehicles, walls and... yes, that arch villain the Joker is brining up the rear in his Transit to make sure Batman moves it!

An arrow shows the direction of the Batcave, turns being made by hooking the Batarang onto a convenient lamppost and pulling the Batmobile into line. Why doesn't he use a Bat steering wheel? Phew! Meanwhile. back at the Batcave... having introduced the SMilex to the Batcomputer you must crack the Joker's code. Select each icon and the computer will tell you how many you've got right. Holy smoking Bat droppings, you've done it! Onto the next level.

Into the Batwing to save the people of Gotham City from Smilex filled balloons at the local parade. You must use the Batwing to cut the balloon's string and launch them skywards to do their dirty deed to the ozone layer instead.

Having saved the day and just about to tuck into a Batburger, our hero runs to the batpole one last time to rescue Vikky Vale from the clutches of our vile villain. It all takes place at the Cathedral (Boinggg), and using the Batbits in the Batmanner, he must make his way to the roof to confront the Joker one last time. Watch out for the rats which cannot be killed - avoid them by climbing up the Batrope whenever they scurry across the floor. If you've seen the film, wore the T-shirt, bought the commemorative mugs and listened to the album then you'll probably buy the game so's yer collection is complete.

If not then have a look at the demo on last month's megatape and if after all that you buy it then it's just got to be great hasn't it. If it's not and like me you find that behind all the great gameplay there are just five games of the film, wiz graphics neato touches.

Label: Ocean
Memory: 48K/128K
Price: £3.99 Tape, £7.99 Disk
Reviewer: Steve Keen

It seems like only yesterday that I was standing in the fifteen mile queue at my local flea pit waiting to see Michael Keaton's controversial portrayal of Batman and Kim Basenger's, well, er portrayal! And now the hype has gone and a little black box flops depressingly through the Crew letter box and clunks nonchalantly to the bedraggled door mat.

So what's left over when all the glitter's gone? Well the game is certainly above average in the presentation stakes. A nice play area with unobtrusive score boards and a life meter that slowly turns from Batman's face into the Joker's as your energy falls off. Large detailed sprites almost cartoon like in appearance and an assortment of different scenarios.

The first section is a platform shoot 'em up allowing you to use the Batarang to swing from shelf to shelf. It's all against the clock and all the stages are riddled with the Joker's henchmen ready to take your life away. Other stages include a high speed chase in the Batmobile, a puzzle section and cathedral platform action.

There's a lot of mileage still left in this game and it has already sold in huge quantities when it first came out.

Anyone who's new to the game will find it hdrd going at first, but don't be put off. Where as it's not as thrilling as the box would have you believe Batman still holds his licensed head up high long after the hype has gone. And you can take it from me, it's not the last we've heard of the Caped Crusader!

Ocean relicensed to clean up - again.

This must be the first time I can honestly say "Great game shame about the film".

No, I didn't like the movie. Not that it matters much as everyone has seen it by now anyway and (regardless of what I thought of it) there is no doubt that it provides excellent material for converting into computer entertainment.

This is the last of the mid-89 film blockbusters to be converted to the home computer screen. We've had James Bond, Indiana Jones, and now the Caped Crusader from Gotham City enters the fray in what is by far the best of 'em all in terms of computer entertainment.

Right from the opening screens you can see and hear the quality of the conversion and get to grips with the Batgear you have always longed to have a go on. There is the famous Bat-rope with its Bat-anchor that latches onto window ledges and enables our hero to swing into action. As well as the Batshurikens that the super hero can lob at the villains to "Kapow" them out of the action.

The game commences in the warehouse of Axis Chemicals where all sorts of toxic substances are leaking from pipes and dangerous gasses being exuded into the air. The Joker's men are everywhere and Batman needs to be nimble to avoid them. His Batsuit has been made impregnable to bullets - up to a certain number. He is, however, helpless against the bombs being lobbed at him by the green suited villain. These will knock him off his rope or kill him should they make contact enough times.

This opening platform level makes for an absorbing game in its own right. Swinging around on the ropes is excellent fun - and nothing has ever been done like it before in a platform game - unless you count Cuthbert in The Jungle, in which case you're probably too busy collecting a pension to play this game. Of course there have been other ropes before but nothing as sophisticated as this. You have to be a sure shot when you throw your rope in order to swing into the right position, kicking a few villains into the middle of next week as you fly through the air.

Another neat graphical touch is the way the Bat-cap flies up when you jump to a platform below. The game has quality written all over it.

There are five levels in total. As well as the Axis Factory you will see action in the Bat Cave, Batmobile, Batwing, and face a final showdown with the Joker in Gotham Cathedral.

All of the sections of the game are entertaining and rewarding but the real thrill of the game is when you sit behind the wheel of the Batmobile. Ocean have correctly given this most attention of all - and what an excellent job they have made of it.

It plays like a sort of Bat-style Chase HQ coin-op which - considering Ocean have the rights to that coin-op - bodes well for more thrills to come from the Mancunian games house. The aim of the game here is to sort out the Joker's van which is speeding through the streets of Gotham City.

Taking the controls of the Batwing launches another 3D game which has been superbly executed. Reminiscent of Afterburner as you swoop low over the carnival taking out the balloons (filled with nerve gas) that the Joker is using to hold Gotham City to ransom.

The final confrontation with the Joker takes place in Gotham Cathedral. This is another platform affair which is very similar to the Axis Factory. The map is different though - and equally vast - so be prepared to jot down a few simple sketch maps to help you find your way around as you track down the opposition.

Ocean have captured all of the atmosphere of the film but have sensibly concentrated on a few of the action sequences. This makes for five entertaining and challenging arcade games at the end of which (if you're successful) you'll triumph over the Joker without having to go through a complex arcade-adventure style challenge as you do.for example, in the recent Indy Action game. Maybe other licensee's will learn a lesson here.

Ocean are to be congratulated for putting so much effort into an excellent arcade game - especially when, given the Bat-hype, even Bat-shaped Space invaders would have won them the number one slot on all formats. Proves that cynical commercialism does not always triumph over high personal and professional standards.

Reviewer: Eugene Lacey

RELEASE BOX
Atari ST, £19.99dk, Imminent
Amiga, £24.99dk, Out Now
Spec, £9.99cs, £14.99dk, Imminent
C64/128, £9.99cs, £14.99dk, Imminent

Ocean
Spectrum, C64
Spectrum £9.99, C64 £9.99

Batman is surely one of THE biggest movies of all time. It's everywhere. And now you can even play the role of the caped crusader himself and battle the evil Joker in the dark and grimy streets of a computerised Gotham city!

Batman the Movie is Oceans third Bat-game, the previous two being licensed from the DC comics. It follows the plot of the film very closely, with five levels adapted directly from scenes in the movie, The first level is a multi-directionally scrolling platform game set in the massive Axis chemical factory. The objective is to reach the end of the level and confront Jack Napier, the leader of the villains, and dispose of him.

Between you and him are a myriad of hazard-packed screens. Steam lets shoot out from broken pipes, acid drips from the ceiling and marauding baddies open fire with pistols - all wear down Batman's energy, and he only has three bat-lives.

Batman is armed with a batarang and batrope which he can fire at the roof and hoist himself up to the next screen, or use to swing across gaps in the factory floor. He can even fire it at enemies and knock them out, rather than having to engage in a fist-fight at close range.

Level two puts you behind the wheel of the batmobile as you race down a heavily congested horizontally scrolling road and attempt to escape from the Joker's van. Every so often you have to take a sharp left turnn by either slowing down and skidding around the bend, or by extending the bat-hook to catch a lamp post and swing you round the corner at top speed (timing is crucial for this move - miss and you smash into the wall). Fail to turn when indicated and you crash into a police road-block.

The third level is a mini puzzle game. The Joker has poisoned three household items, and you have one minute to work out which of the ten are deadly through a process of elimination, rather like the old board game, Mastermind.

Sort out the poison, and it's time to fly the Batwing. Gotham City carnival is in progress, but little do the onlookers know that the Joker has filled the balloons attached to the floats with nerve gas. Batman knows though, and has to fly the Batwing down the scrolling main street and cut the balloon strings so that the balloons fly harmlessly away. Miss balloons, or run into them and energy is lost.

The final confrontation takes place in the Cathedral, which is a similar platform-type game to level one. Again the map is vast, and tracking down the Joker takes time, as well as a little cartography. I'm not going to tell you what you have to do at the end, 'cos that'll ruin the film if you haven't already seen it.

To be honest, Ocean could have produced a mediocre Bat-game and it still would have sold well on the strength of the film alone. But they haven't. Batman is a superb game, and captures the atmosphere and excitement of the movie perfectly with five challenging levels.

The graphics and sound on both the Spectrum and C64 versions are excellent, and the gameplay is highly addictive, with enough variety to satisfy the most demanding Batfans.

Batman is definitely the best film tie-in yet if you enjoyed the film, make sure you don't miss the game.

Spectrum 48/128 Cassette: £9.99, Diskette: £14.99
Amstrad CPC Cassette: £9.99, Diskette: £14.99
Commodore 64/128 Cassette: £9.99, Diskette: £14.99
Amiga £24.99

DINNER, DINNER, DINNER, DINNER...

Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?, Batman - The Movie is here. Two other Batman games have appeared from the Ocean stable over the last few years, the 3-D isometric puzzle game by Jon Ritman and Bernie Drummond and Batman - The Caped Crusader. But this third game is without doubt the best: Gotham City hoodlums are terrorised by a huge, sinister bat-like creature that apparently 'flies' and is impervious to bullets.

The general feeling within the police force - and indeed the national press - is that it's a figment of their imaginations, but during the raid on the Axis chemical plant by a Lieutenant Eckhardt a caped vigilante was indeed spotted in the gun battle that ensued between the officers of the law and the hoods commanded by Jack Napier (right-hand man to Carl Grissom - Gotham City's crime boss).

The plant is the game's first level, and Batman is clearly after Napier, but he has to overcome 60 screens filled with hoods, police officers, acid drops and gas from leaky pipes. A quick jab on the fire button launches one of the caped crusader's seemingly inexhaustible supplies of batarangs at attackers. Bullets are the projectiles hurled at Batman, his body armour stops a certain amount, but energy levels are soon exhausted, or if you fall too far from a platform.

Yes, you do have to act like a turbocharged gymnast, but you do have a gun which fires a rope upwards and allows you to clamber around like a black-clad swashbuckler. The level when Napier is faced and he disappears into a vat of chemicals. This you may think is the end of Napier, but surprisingly he survives and becomes one of the caped crusader's most dangerous foes - The Joker.

Its not long afterwards that Batman rescues the beautiful photographer Vicki Vale from The Joker's villainous clutches while she's following up a lead on the Batman story at the Fleugelheim Museum. They escape in a vehicle dubbed the 'Batmobile' (in the film this impressive car was once a Corvette before it was ripped to shreds), and zip off down the streets of Gotham with the police in hot pursuit. Because of the immense speed of the car turns are impossible, but by shooting out a cable which snags a handy lamp post, Batman and Miss Vale make their escape.

Although if a corner is missed, the car must be turned and headed into the oncoming traffic (which knocks up the damage meter), because if you continue hurtling down the road you eventually hit a roadblock. Meanwhile, with the Batmobile safely parked in the Batcave, Batman attempts to solve the riddle of the apparently random poisoning campaign waged by The Joker. According to Miss Vale's investigation three products have been contaminated, each one harmless on its own, but when the three are used together the victim kicks the bucket.

In a Mastermind-style game Batman has one minute to analyse the contents of a selection of products and determine which three are the dangerous samples. With his poisoning plan thwarted, The Joker resorts to organising a carnival in which he distributes dollar bills to an unsuspecting crowd as overhead hover balloons filled with Smilex poison. Batman's Batwing aircraft saves the evening as he uses its wingtips to cut the balloons mooring ropes. Peeved, to say the least, The Joker uses a BIG gun to knock the Batwing out of the sky.

Which leads to the final scene where The Joker takes refuge on the roof of the city cathedral. This massive 100-screen section is similar to the chemical plant section in as much as Batman uses the Batrope to climb to the top of the Cathedral, fighting off coppers and The Joker's men as he goes. Only when Batman reaches the roof can the Joker be disposed off and everyone live happily ever after.

The game is every bit as good as the film, better in fact, because some of the cinematic scenes dragged on a touch, while the game is action all the way. Bruce Wayne in his Batman costume is as sinister as ever, and on the other side of the coin The Joker is his usual evil self. I should nip out and buy this latest installment of life in Gotham City now.