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Shockway Rider is a futuristic game using high-speed walkways. FTL has made this futuristic racing game very realistic, as you will see.

Life is tough on the streets in the year 2012. The Third and Fourth World Wars have come and gone, bequeathing a life of torture and havoc for the unfortunate survivors. No work - there's nothing to work for. Survival is the daily chore. Kids? Huh! Well, that's a different story.

All we have for amusing ourselves is the Shockway. A good idea for suburbia, but the slums don't need another tool of violence. We spend our days trying to go "full circle". This is the term for riding the Shockway through all eight districts it serves.

The first is the North Side, identified by a sign above it giving the quote of the century: "People Power". The North Side district encompasses sixteen zones. The only available ammo is bricks, found in piles along the walkway. If you manage to hit ten bystanders, you get a bonus life.

The second is The Scrubs, known as "Hug a Mugger" street. Surprisingly enough it's one of the only districts where the postman dares venture! Hit seven of his mailbags for an extra life. You have spheres for ammo, as useful as bricks but easier to carry. The Scrubs is 13 zones long.

Middle districts - East Park, Black Wall, Broad Way, "Krazy Land" to "Riders Rule" - get increasingly difficult. The penultimate level is "Skull Alley", or the West End. Chuck your bricks at the gangs, muggers and passers-by to gain extra points. Passing five of the last few of the remaining mailbags will gain an extra.

At last, the last leg: The Boulevard, "Duck or Die." Wow, dude, is this a tough patch! The onlookers throw stuff at you. Man, is it hard to dodge?! Anyway, kill three of 'em and you get an extra life - very necessary here! Ammo is spheres again, and thankfully the district is a mere, tortuous eleven zones long.

The Shockway is a hell hole. As if trying to fight the muggers - with your bare hands, if there's no ammo about - isn't bad enough, there are an amazing number of insane, maniacal old men about who just love to drop bombs in your direction. And there's more.

The Shockway is constructed like a motorway, with three lanes of varying speed. The track next to the far wall is the slowest, and, conversely, the track at the front of the screen is the fastest. Some sections of the Shockway contain speed traps, installed by the "Neighbourhood Watch" to try and stop our fun, in the form of hurdles. They are really awkward in that you can't jump or crouch under them; you've just got to get out of the way!

Well, that's the storyline out of the way, now to some real conversation. If you get hit by any member of the gangs, or another user of the Shockway, your head gets chopped off and the muggers salute you by holding their arms up by their ears. Weird, eh? Ah well, each to his own. This also happens if you don't jump out of the way of a hurdle.

All in all, a very good game. Graphics are good, with very good depiction of detail. This tends to be the first thing I look at when thinking about the graphics. I feel that poor detail can ruin a potentially good game.

Sound is good, with a jazzy sort of music. There is an option to have either music or music and effects while you play the game. Although music during gameplay tends to drown the effects, the game seems too quiet without the music.

I'm thankful for the practice option, which can be used on any of the eight levels. But I wonder if these were a good idea, because after completing each level during practice a few times, I quite easily rode "full circle."

In conclusion, a very good game with little to whine about, but a lot to boast about. Definitely well worth getting. One of the cherished few!

I thought this was an excellent and original game that creates a good atmosphere. It's so easy to get into but actually perfecting the jumping-around and fighting isn't easy. You may find it lacks variety after a while but it will still present an enjoyable challenge. Love the head falling off. All the originality should make Shockway Rider another winner for Faster Than Light.

You can mug clearly in green too.

Get past level four without practice mode.

Graphics 82%
P. Very good, fast scrolling of each of the different-speed walkways.
P. Lots of large, well-depicted geezers wot ride the shockway.

Sonics 71%
P. Very nice title music and good sound effects.

Grab Factor 86%
P. Practice mode helps to get going. Very addictive, trying to ride that bit further.
N. Your bloke's reactions are sometimes slow.

Staying Power 80%
P. Scope for battling against speed and score.
N. A touch too easy to complete.

Overall 83%
Original gameplay and use of walkways.