The Musketeers

For most gamers beyond their teenage years, it is near impossible to separate the story of the Three Musketeers from a cartoon dog with a pool ball nose who goes by the name of Dogtanion.

Alas, the latest digital appearance by the legendary swordsmen doesn't concentrate on the cult children's TV show, but nonetheless it makes for a fairly endearing game. While the platform action on offer here has a distinctly dated feel, and is short on any real class, The Musketeers defies its apparent lack of quality by keeping you inexplicably hooked.

A horrific and soulless opening level that sees the game's protagonist astride a horse fleeing enemy forces seems like bad joke once the platform game has started properly, as the standard quickly rises. Rather than attempting to ape the speed and rhythm of the likes of the classic Sonic, or even the more leisurely Mario, The Musketeers is instead a far more methodical platform game.

In this fairly generously sized release, you must work your way through dark streets tackling rapier-wielding foes and collecting scattered bonuses. The emphasis here is on inching forward along high ledges and leaping to distant platforms, before picking your way through a maze of rooftops and balconies.

To compare the quality of The Musketeers to its inspirations (which, for the veterans among you, range from Flashback to the classic 2D Prince of Persia) would be to exaggerate, but the game certainly conjures up a feeling for a long gone era of action-platform releases.

Unfortunately, even on phones with a decent thumbstick amongst their fascia buttons, The Musketeers doesn't allow for the flexibility and accuracy of control needed to progress without making you feel a little clumsy and incapable. The results can be hugely frustrating at times, and sadly only the awful sections where you return to your mount offer any reprieve.

However, a simple but nimble sword fighting system that kicks in every time you clash steel with an enemy saves this humble release from banality. In a nod to the current fashion in console and handheld gaming for so-called 'quick-time events', The Musketeers employs a nifty reaction-based system that is a surprising pleasure to use.

So, as you and an opponent glare at one another through crossed blades, small arrows flash up on screen to alert you to your adversary's next move. Press the corresponding button in time and you trigger a deft defensive move, before striking back at your rival. It really is as simple as it sounds, but feels superb when carried out with panache.

Some underwhelming visuals are saved by a certain nostalgic flair, and there is a definite feel for early Lucasarts adventures in the graphical style. In the menus the audio is of an atypically high quality for such a basic game, but sadly a deathly silence makes for a dismal backdrop to the in-game action.

Ultimately, if you're looking for a brilliant new platform game, go elsewhere. The Musketeers is far from awful, and surprisingly engrossing at times, but there are obviously far better options for ledge-leaping aficionados.