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The lead character in Bujingai is a man whose stylish likeness is motion-captured from a Japanese singer called Gackt. Yes, that's his real name. And yes, he's a man. Scrutinize our screens or the boxart on the left all you want - according to the game he's male, there's just very little evidence to prove it. The pink hair, earrings and make up - not to mention the exquisite costume - don't do him any favours. He actually looks like a woman.

But the ladyboy undertones (which add an unintentional level of lesbianism to the love story that runs through the plot) don't hurt the game one bit - the pink extravagance in fact adds energy to the action.

The game's combat revolves around pulling off flamboyant sword slashes, which evokes what would happen if you kidnapped a ballerina and trained her as a naked SWAT ninja. Scenes are punctuated with freeze-frames that serve up OTT stand-offs with the CHING! of crashing swords. And when not fighting and left idle, our hero strikes a pose and models for the audience, letting the wind ruffle his hair and costume while he pushes out his best woman-pout.

So, time for a lifestyle change? No. It may look, as men of a certain persuasion would say, fabulous - but the fighting's combo system feels relentlessly samey, and the whole game seems pointless, thanks to identikit enemies and hit and miss level design.

Graphics 70%
Sexuality-questioningly stylish.

Sound 60%
Pseudo Oriental Pan Pipe Moods, Vol 2.

Gameplay 60%
Dramatic but hollow swordplay.

Lifespan 60%
You'll trade it in eventually.

Overall 60%
Bujingai is so obsessed with looking good - which it pulls off - that it forgets to be anything other than just above average.