Waterworld - SNES, 11/9/95

The film licence is a curious thing - it makes one man weep; makes another man sing! Do you see?

To its credit, Waterworld - the game of the better-than-you'd-think-it-was movie - benefits from Ocean's attempts to do something different.

You've three styles of gameplay: Desert Strike-ish water-based shoot 'em up, out-and-out platform beat 'em up, and an Ecco-esque diving attention.

Waterworld is this: clear water of all enemy vessels, dive for treasure, clear water surounding artificial atoll, kill baddies in artificial atoll, trade treasure for stuff.

And that, as they say, is the weather.

Easily the most enjoyable sections are the shoot 'em up levels, though at times they become so crowded with enemy ships, you're almost sick.

The biggest hole in the net, though, comes from the lacklustre diving stage.

Waterworld won't have its gills waxed with awards or accolades. It's clearly too derivative for that.

It is, however, a solid enough action game that manages a faithful interpretation of the film.

The graphics aren't outstanding, but with the exception of the diving stages it all pumps along at a fair old whack. Not now, Mr Biffo.

Not a classic, but by no means a total wash-out. What a really funny joke!

Waterworld - SNES - by Ocean

Players: 1-2
Graphix: 73%
Sonix: 76%
Gameplay: 74%
Lifespan: 78%
Originality: 71%
Uppers: Varied and "faithful"
Downers: Smelly swimming bits
Overall 76% - Not a damp squib, you see