Anyone familiar with Sunday league footy or Leeds United will know how violent and foulmouthed sport can get. The future's no different, if Deathrow's vision of things to come is anything to go on.

We'd always assumed that the future would be like that in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, with everyone jamming away on electric guitars, but it seems not. Instead, everyone plays a brew of ultimate Frisbee, basketball and punch-ups, where the winning team is the one with the most discs thrown through the goal and, inevitably, the most punch-ups. We're doomed.

The arenas look good, with reflecting, transparent floors and metallic moodiness in abundance. Varying camera angles mean different ways of viewing the action. Sports view offers a traditional, camera-in-the-stands vantage point, while Hardcore view puts the camera right behind your player. The latter makes for neat visuals but a game that's harder to play. It's nice to have the choice, though. Deathrow also makes use of System Link, which is good to see. Eight-player matches are hectic and quite good fun for a while. But sadly, the game just doesn't get under your skin; the concept is the best thing about it.

The main problem is that the camera follows your player, rather than the disc, and lags behind the action. It's especially annoying as there's so much space in the arenas. A sports game should make you feel like the star player, but Deathrow can make you feel out of it, like the wheezy kid that gets picked last.

Also not particularly entertaining is the constant swearing of the participants. Anyone who ventures near our games room of a lunchtime will learn that certain members of the team aren't averse to the odd cuss word (why, straight-talking Gavin even called Ben a 'plonker' the other day). But filling a game with swearing is a lame attempt to make it 'edgy' and 'cool'.

Deathrow lacks the spark that makes you want to play, play, play. With so many good games coming out this autumn, titles need to be a bit special to get gamers' attention, and this just isn't. So we're still left waiting for a worthy successor to the now-ancient Speedball 2. Shame.

1. Frisbees are good
2. Long range goals
3. System link is always a plus in our book

1. You never truly feel part of the action
2. The swearing is cheap, tacky and ****

Power
There are some nice textures and arenas, but there's nothing that'll make your jaw drop in disbelief.

Style
The menus are cluttered and unappealing, and the potty mouthing is rather tawdry.

Immersion
Ifyou've invested in it, you'll be keen to work out how the game works and learn the tactics...

Lifespan
...but the clumsy controls mean it's difficult to get too involved, ensuring a swift relegation.

Summary
A deeply average game that tries to disguise its several shortcomings with naughty words. It fails.