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The familiar names of John Twiddy, Mev Dinc and Hugh Riley came together as Vivid Image, with Hammerfist as their debut release.

Sure, Hammerfist is a glorified beat-'em-up sporting some extremely detailed graphics but do you know of any other game with a holographic transexual as the star of the show? This bizarre combination comes to light when the Centro-Holographix Corporation creates holograms of two warriors - Metalasis and Hammerfist - and accidentally merges them together. The holograms get uppity about his and decide to demolish the Corporation and its leader, The Master.

The player can swap at an instant between either character to utilise their very different talents. In some respects, each screen (32 in all) is a puzzle which needs to be overcome to progress. Metalasis can use her somersault ability to leap onto higher platforms while Hammerfist can use his powerfist to take out heavy numbers of enemy droids, scientists, guns, etc - all beautifully detailed and invidually animated. The excellent hero/heroine graphics go through a considerable number of moves but they're tricky to implement even with the well-thought-out control method (three clicks of the fire button is a little excessive to execute some moves).

The graphics do indeed steal the show. Each screen is alive with activity, especially when Hammerfist emerges from the Underwater City and starts wandering out the sea bed taking on the marine life. Overkill on the violence and truly superb overkill on the graphic variety!

This, plus the satisfaction of conquering a screen, keeps you hooked although it can be a very repetitive business butting, bashing and breaking everything in sight. And that's without the constant enemy attacks (and I mean constant) driving you to the point of total frustration (Robin finally blew his top after trying to pass the underwater crab creature for the 50th time - and that was with the cheat! The joystick hasn't been the same since).

Very demanding but gorgeous to look at.