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"Oh no! Not another ropey old beat-'em-up based on the thrilling exploits of the Guardian Angels." you cry. And you'd be right. But then again, you'd also be wrong. Yes. it is without doubt a beat-'em-up (okay so far) and it is old (well, a tiny bit), but ropey? No, it's (whisper it) actually rather good. Here's the full story.

Despite the typical Codies packaging ("Tackle muggers, homicidal maniacs and PSYCHOPATHS" it promises) this is, in actual fact, a Dinamic game, released recently in Spain as Freddy Hardest In South Manhattan. (So yes, in effect it's another re-release, even though it's never been seen in this country before.)

You may remember the original Freddy, brought out by Imagine in this country around Christmas 87 - it was a two-part space beat-'em-up which a youthful Jonathan Davies originally gave a generous eight out of ten to. That was a few years ago though, and things have moved on a bit. Freddy hasn't though - this new game (programmed in Uruguay apparently!) is of about the same general standard as the first one. which would make it slightly crap as a full-pricer today. As an original budgie though it's a different matter.

But what about the game? Well, it's a very fast monochrome horizontal scroller, with our hero Freddy/The Guardian Angel as a rather nicely-animated little chap in a trenchcoat who can punch, low-kick or highkick. Baddies are of the street thugs/rats/sailors (!) variety and come armed with iron bars, knives, chainsaws. fork-lift trucks (!!) and so on. All fairly normal so far, and indeed it remains fairly normal throughout, except for the fact that everything is so well programmed - you don't often get to walk behind and through the scenery in budgie games like this, for instance.

What else? Well, it is (as you might expect) rather hard - you get only so far before about eight or ten baddies jump you at once, and then you're done for, matey (or at least I am). That's it really - nothing spectacular perhaps, but very competent and certainly a cut above most budget fare.