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Ahoy, me hearties! One-Eye's the name and slashin's the game. Come aboard the Jolly Roger and see for yourself (ar-harr, shiver me timbers, etc)!

As you've probably guessed, Skull And Crossbones is all about pirates, in particular a gruesome twosome known as One Eye and Red Dog. These sinister salts are on a voyage of discovery, battling their way through eight levels of sword-fighting, spitting into buckets and walking the plank.

On their way, they encounter all manner of demons and dastards, including pirate ships, castles, enchanted caves and mythical islands, with pirates and ninjas (?) to kill, wenches to save, and treasure to collect along the way. Treasure is particuarly important: extra dosh means an increase in your fighting prowess, which means your foes will be swabbing the deck all the sooner.

This is a slight deviation from the usual beat-'em-up fare, and it gives the genre a couple of unusual twists. The graphics are unfussy, but convey the action well enough and, together with a brace of catchy tunes, they help create the perfect pirate atmosphere - it's not long before you're muttering "scurvy land-lubbers" and "yellow-backed dogs" under your breath.

The two-player option is a bonus: it not only makes life easier (particularly if you're playing with an expert), but it's also a lot more fun, since you've got the added element of fighting over who gets the extra energy and money.

It's not the greatest or most polished beat-'em-up in existence, but it's a good enough game to keep you entertained for a while, particularly when the blood begins to fly...