CONSOLE REVIEW; Resident Evil II (Virgin) PlayStation

Video games have become very big business and, if anyone felt inclined to doubt this, Resident Evil II would quickly settle the matter, with worldwide sales reaching almost 3 million just six weeks after launch. Now, this might be a depressing indication that games are going the way of Hollywood blockbusters, were it not for the fact that Resident Evil II is not just good, but absolutely fantastic.

The player takes control of either Leon, a rookie cop, or Claire, a young woman searching for her brother, as they pitch up on the zombie-infested streets of Raccoon City. You have to guide them to safety through locations such as the police department and the sewers, while solving puzzles and bumping off monsters along the way.

This may sound rather close to the format of the original Resident Evil, but everything has been cranked up to produce a truly immersive experience. The lush graphics enhance the genuinely scary atmosphere and the plot (which involves genetic experimentation and shady corporations) drags you along. The mutating monsters are also suitably gross.

There is a downside, though, for the puzzles are ridiculously simple to solve and the whole game does not take long to complete. However, there are still things to do, since once you complete the game using one character, you can load up the "B" version of the other character, which provides a different route through the game and puts a huge corporate thug on your trail.

Resident Evil II may be over far too quickly, but it's arguably the best game available for the PlayStation.

On release, pounds 44.99