Things haven't been rosy between Germany and good old Blighty over the past 100 years. If it's not Michael Owen bagging hat tricks or suspect Middle-Eastern foreign policies causing friction, it's the small matter of two World Wars and one World Cup that have sent relationships spiralling towards boiling point.

The 1963 movie The Great Escape, based on real-life Allied POW escape exploits of WWII, plays heavily on those jagged emotions. Sensitive souls of Germanic origin will probably have gnashed their teeth at the thoroughbred Allied heroics, whilst those closer to home are more likely to have punched the air with patriotic pride. Pivotal's belated gaming spin-off follows suit, cashing in on such sensitivities and producing a damn fine, playable action adventure into the bargain.

With no Vin Diesel or Cameron Diaz to attract an audience (its main star, Steve McQueen, has been dead for the last 23 years), the developer has resorted to innovation and genuine thrills to pull in the punters. And nowhere is that better illustrated than through its intelligent plot structure.

The essential parts of the movie have been orchestrated into a larger, more sweeping, multi-narrative epic like a WWII Pulp Fiction. Four of the film's key stars are introduced via a series of individual missions. These range from locating and destroying crucial documents in a farmyard to tunnelling out of captivity and speeding away in a Nazi convoy. While such ventures are additions to the film's plot, the interesting twist is that each path criss-crosses until all protagonists are assembled at the movie's infamous Stalag Luft II POW camp.

Progression is rigidly linear but, when it comes to variety, this game strikes a rumbling power chord of AC/DC proportions. There are puzzles, there's fighting, there's dashing and darting; there's scheming, there's panicking, there's (very basic) titter-tattering with fellow camp life. But above all else, there's stealth. Although sprinting to destinations can work well on occasion, creeping around is far more intrinsic to the art of evasion. You can worm around on your stomach or prowl cautiously, weaving in and out of shadows as you collect tools, discuss escape plans or, depending on your setting, surprise enemies by emptying a stolen pistol into their heads.

Stealth, implemented well, invites tension, and this performs the job crisply. Understated piano scores gnaw away at your composure as Aussie wisecracker Sedgwick crawls Predator-like past glowing camp lights, melting into the night-time darkness safe from observant Nazi eyes. And elsewhere, the purposeful Scots airman MacDonald edges through remote mountain-tops, his presence provoking an unsympathetic hail of gunfire from behind a snow-caked truck. If your heart isn't badgered by events in this game, chances are it stopped ticking weeks ago.

But too many PSone-isms spoil the broth, and some of the fighting is hampered by an appalling targeting system that makes it bizarrely difficult to hit enemies at close range. Nail a Jerry 50 yards away with a rifle - no probs - blast a Gestapo henchman from a couple of feet - hmm, London, we have a problem.

There are other complaints too. Now, excuse us for being anal, but should we really accept doors opening and shutting in both directions? Or characters responding in an unintentionally comedic (and quite dated) manner? Walk innocently up to a German (a train ticket collector, for example) and some inexplicably adopt a startled self-defence posture, like an amateur hunter facing a herd of rampaging buffalo. Was it something we said? Or maybe an offensive overusing of Red Cross-issue aftershave...?

Next comes the Al, which, while generally good, is certainly erratic. Smash a bottle to create a diversion and guards don't always respond. One watchman even decided there was nothing remotely suspicious about a gaping cooler door with a picked lock, pushing it shut again and ignoring the fact that there was an intruder crouched illegally inside. No wonder his job application at Colditz was refused...

So really, this is a game with some absolutely brilliant moments, and some shockingly bad ones. At times, The Great Escape will demand a hearty slap on the back, a stiff upper-lipped "jolly good show, old boy" and an extra ration of chocolate for its ingenious reworking of a vintage film licence. Then the flawed combat will smack you hard, some high frustration levels will briefly tear at your soul and the disappointing character appearances will invoke bayonet-prodding tours of your local city centre.

But just as there is a sunny day above every gathering of clouds, the good in this game vastly outweighs the bad. If you enjoyed the movie, you'll find enormous pleasure here. It's got verve, guile and charisma, and it's blessed with that infamous Steve McQueen motorbike chase. Risk aggravating our European relations once more and give those Jerries what for, eh? You know it makes sense.

1. Tense and fairly exciting
2. Great narrative structure
3. Well-paced missions
4. Varied gameplay

1. Looks unfinished
2. Flawed combat

Power
Atmospheric environments and levels, but the characters look freakish and interaction is poor.

Style
Suspenseful and surprisingly fast-paced, though action sequences are quite basic and clumsy.

Immersion
Despite potential frustration, the gameplay variety will convince you to have 'one more go'.

Lifespan
Only fans of the film will return to it after completion, although you'll definitely want to see it through.

Summary
Nice use of a movie licence in theory, but niggling flaws and a lack of polish prevent it being truly memorable.