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Although the beat-'em-up genre has existed for over three decades, it's great to see new titles coming out which at least try to add something fresh, and Fist-Ro Fighter certainly does that.

As Salmuela San, a cop in Santa Coloma, Barcelona, you have a reputation for catching criminals, but no-one seems to know your secret until one day a jealous colleague called Gazpanchete steals an ancient martial arts book from Salmuela's locker. This tome teaches the secret of Ro, the ability to channel the body's energy into the fists. Salmuela must not take to the streets, battle an army of criminals and then defeat Gazpanchete to take back the book.

Unusually for a beat-'em-up, Fist-Ro Fighter is a platform game as opposed to a side-scroller (similar to US Gold's Bruce Lee). It also differs from others in its fighting mechanics. Every time Salmuela's fist connects with an enemy, he builds up his Ro meter. Five successive hits make him become one with the Ro and he can dole out more damage as well as gain health. But getting hit breaks his concentration, which resets the Ro meter. It sounds more complicated than it is, but it really makes for a unique combat experience.

Instead of a health meter, an image of Salmuela's head to the left of the screen changes to indicate how good or poor his health is. It's an interesting feature and the only other games that used a similar method of showing health were id Software's Doom and Wolfenstein 3D.

Though this is a fine game, it has a few issues. It leaps straight into the game and, while some may consider the lack of a menu a benefit, I prefer a build up to get you excited for what's to come.

The combat style is unique, but its flow is broken up because after throwing a couple of punches you have to scuttle off before the enemy has a chance to recover and counter-attack, and then you have to stop and throw a couple more punches. This doesn't make you feel like a martial arts master at all in the way Double Dragon does. However, as you have only one life, the gameplay is very challenging.

In a new screen the food Salmuela needs to survive is often only accessible if you exit the previous one in the right place. You can't go back, so unless you already know the right way to go, there are times when food sits there, inaccessible, as you stand at death's door.

The graphics are bright and colourful, and character sprites are exceptional considering their small size. The five types of enemy look different and have individual personalities, yet the AI feels a little off - they just seem to run around dropping off ledges like five-year-olds high on cans of Red Bull.

There isn't any music, which would add so much to the ambience, and sound effects are mainly footsteps and punches. Overall, these flaws are small considering that this is a homebrew title and for the most part the developers have done a great job in making a game that feels original in a genre that is anything but.

First impressions are strong as without warning an angry fighter heads in your direction. The game's appearance is really good and your detailed (quite buff) character seems like he can handle plenty of trouble. And sure enough your first fight happens very quickly - and it is here some game flaws immediately appear.

As the fight begins, the graphic of fighter and foe overlap and become a mish-mash of pixels making it hard to see which way you are facing when you punch. In addition, as you do lash out, your fighter has to go through the punching animation end-to-end, which stops you changing direction swiftly when needed. So Fist-Ro Fighter is an OK game, but frustrations soon start to creep in.

Control keys: Fixed
Keyboard play: Responsive
Use of colour: Bright and visually appealing
Graphics: Basic details on environment but character sprites are exemplary
Sound: Basic FX and the lack of music is a drawback
Skill levels: One
Screens: 25
General rating: An intricate entertaining beat-'em-up and very challenging.