El Che

You have to wonder just how much the leagues of students who proudly prance about in their Che Guevara T-shirts know about the Argentine revolutionary.

It's unlikely the man himself would have approved of his image being used to line the coffers of your average high street empire, but modern day Che is less a symbol of communism and more a quick and easy shorthand for youthful rebellion.

That's something GlobalFun appears keen to change.

El Che is unashamedly a piece of pro-Guevara propaganda, highlighting his spearheading of the Cuban revolution and portraying his fight as an old fashioned contest of good versus evil.

Nevertheless, whatever your views on the man himself – or his unwitting 21st century followers – El Che has plenty of merit as a game.

Indeed, the passion that undoubtedly inspired its development is evident in spades, but this hasn't clouded the game's uncomplicated take on the action-adventure genre.

El Che makes no attempt to overhaul the 2D shooter as a result, handing you levels viewed in almost RPG fashion from above and charging you with guiding Guevara through stage after stage of simple pot-shot action.

As such, play comes with a targeting system that dispenses with the need to aim and means most of your time is simply spent navigating around the well-structured and deceptively expansive stages, only braking to hammer the '5' key whenever you happen across the enemy.

At your disposal are a growing array of weapons, though in truth most of your foes can be floored with the machine gun – handily kept alive and well by a generous sprinkling of ammunition throughout each level.

Also on hand are health packs aplenty, extra lives and additional trinkets for those willing to explore.

However, if firing on multiple (and fairly welcoming) foes in quick succession and taking down simple 2D boss battles is your thing, El Che is the perfect partner.

Play admittedly becomes a little repetitive in individual levels, but the game as a whole offers a surprising amount of variety.

An early map, for instance, focuses on you healing fallen comrades rather than taking down their aggressors.

It's this attempt to paint Che Guevara in a softer light that undoubtedly pushes play throughout.

Sections of combat are intentionally contrasted with moments of pause. Conversations with civilians frequently fuel your fire by painting a picture of a nation torn apart by its leadership, while the game's almost pantomime style enemies spew out their hatred for Guevara's cause at regular intervals.

Nonetheless, an awareness of Che himself – and, indeed, his politics – is not necessary. Whatever the setting, El Che works because of its simple take on guns and glory.

Far from ripping apart the status quo in true Guevara style, GlobalFun's ode to South America's second biggest export is more than happy to toe the traditional line.