Blood+

Fans of anime and manga will be no strangers to the world of Blood: The Last Vampire, which recently saw its box office debut in the live action adaptation of the hit animated movie. And there's nothing like a Hollywood reinvention to get the game tie-ins flowing like thick, tasty blood.

We are therefore presented with something of an off-the-shelf action platformer starring the schoolgirl samurai half-breed vampire slayer Saya. However, despite the fact that this is undeniably a run-of-the-mill movie adaptation, the developer has clearly taken more inspiration from the original animation than the box office bludgeoning - and that's no bad thing.

Naturally you step into the knee length socks and miniskirt of sword-wielding Saya as her memories of being a 400-year-old warrior resurface and she takes her katana to the vicious hide of the evil chiropterans (being blood hungry werewolves).

As an action platform, Blood+ is slick and well made, with plenty of fighting, running, jumping and exploring as you're constantly assailed by supernatural enemies ready to taste your blade. While much of the fighting does boil down to button mashing, you can also perform some easily accessible combos by following the quick-time events.

The levels all follow a very similar format to each other, but the excellent artwork ensures that you never feel as if you're running around identical platforms - even though you are.

Finding your route around the reasonably expansive environments is quite an enjoyable task, with lots of climbing and the occasional light puzzle to solve (although nothing that's likely to satisfy a seasoned RPG or adventure gamer).

Blood+ also does great justice to its manga heritage, with some splendid graphics and top-notch animation. Admittedly, it's not a particularly cerebral affair, but if you're in the mood for some great looking hack and slash action, this game definitely won't disappoint.