Chaos not only Bleeds. It also reigns supreme.

I'm a great fan of the series of Buffy, so any computer game based on the now finished series will make me smile. However, I am a harsh gamer and things need to impress me to warrant a purchase. Here at ECTS I gave Buffy a thirty minute spin, running through all the different characters and getting a general feel for the game from the beginning.

If you have played the original on the XBox, you will have been thankful that the creators kept the storyline and characters to their series parallel. It seems they have done the same here, basing Chaos Bleeds around a new storyline (a lot like a whole series) but still keeping to the familar conventions of the Buffy universe. Spike keeps saying 'bloody', Xander makes wisecracks, and Buffy just looks like a pixelated but still gorgeous version of the real thing. Not that this small detail will make the game any more entertaining... really.

The visuals have improved and the engine seems to run a lot smoother than the predecessor. Along with this major improvement the most noticeable difference is the feel and interaction between yourself and the game. A two player battle mode is now within the game, and the four different playable characters really do add to a different feel. It's all a great load of fun.

I only completed the first level, which drops you straight into the game without the training the first one had, but one thing's for sure: this doesn't seem to want to let the Buffy fans down. Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds may just be what will keep us Buffy fans sober after the conclusion of the aired series. This is going to be a very good cult game.

- By Joby Stephens