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New York, New York, so good they bombed it twice! After the nukes came the war. After the War came violence, and lots of it! Downtown Manhattan has become Scumbag Central. Punks and mutants rule the roost, while underground a mad scientist is building a robotic empire.

The only sanctuary is outside the city in the colonies, but the route there is through the mad scientist's lair. Firstly you have to fight your way to the entrance of the subway system that will lead you into Professor McJerkin's labs. Then, using your impressive firepower, you've the task of blasting through to safety.

After The War is effectively two games with two completely different loads, giving you the joystick-wrenching fun of a fist fight in stage one and the joyous sound of unlimited machine gun fire in the second. This is all bound up in that usual blend of Spanish gameplay - i.e. it's tough! The mix is topped off with some truly amazing/enormous sprites and great effects, resulting in a vicious gauntlet that only the toughest will dare to try and run.

You appear on a 'Nuke York' dockside. In the distance, the ruined metropolis is still glowing unworldly colours, when bearing down on you come the Radio Gladiators. Stripped to waist, these boys mean business, but they've been playing topside far too long in this radioactive wasteland and are easy prey. One punch and they fall, allowing you to progress across the city. Unfortunately there are other hazards, the major one being the radiation. You see the longer you're subjected too it the weaker you get. As those opponents get tougher, you become more fragile...

That's bad news when there are people out there who actually thrive on blood that glows in the dark. They've been out and about so long that they've mutated into huge neanderthal thugs with a bloodlust and only one weak spot. Other nasties hide in buildings tossing dynamite out into the middle of the melee, while Manhattan Punks cruise around blasting with hand guns.

The only reasonable response is ultra-violence, and you can really do serious damage with hand and foot. The fighting sprite has twenty different moves and you'll have to call on every one at some stage. Most of the everyday nasties can be sent packing with a side kick or straight punch, but Rad-Bulls (the big mutants) need some research to find that vulnerable spot that defeats them. Tie this in with a tight time limit and the gradual weakening of your man and you know life ain't going to be easy.

The second section (accessed through a password) doesn't even let you catch your breath. Having made it down into the sewers and subways, now you must face the robotic monsters called Kangaroo Fighters - well they did say the scientist was mad! - 'smart' atomic mines, and androids. You've now got a belt-fed machine gun at your side and unlimited ammunition, so its time for some righteous blasting at the robots' expense.

Along the way you meet ever more dangerous and deadly robots, even Mega Kangaroo Destroyers! Techniques for dealing with these are soon learned, and the whole shooting match takes on a new dimension. There are some nasty moments when atomic mines start floating down from the ceiling, but this section is much more survivable than the first. It sounds better, too, as grunts and groans are replaced by really good sounding (and looking) explosions.

War doesn't score on subtle gameplay, but peddles pure, unbridled aggression in its place. Surprisingly, it works, action all the way keeping you riveted to your joystick. Only frustration at apparently insurmountable obstacles/foes prevents total addiction.

Wickedly good graphics, large sprites and fast action give War its edge: the hand-to-hand is intense, the firepower explosive. It seems that "after the war", there's more aggro then ever!

Interminable, plodding orgy of death. I quite liked it.

Gets even tougher in parts.

Finish phase two of Level One.

Graphics 92%
P. Huge, fast sprites.
P. Brilliant use of colour.

Sonics 45%
N. Average fist-fight effects.
P. Excellent explosions

Grab Factor 62%
N. Hard going to start.
P. Get the password and you've two places to start.

Staying Power 88%
P. Very hard levels keep you at it.
N. Maybe too hard in places

Overall 81%
Explosive, violent fun.