Die by The Sword: Limb From Limb

Die By The Sword is the second most annoying game ever made. The first is Abe's Oddysee, but for different reasons. DBTS is a fairly decent action game in the mould of Deathtrap Dungeon, whereby you hack and slash your way through a series of levels in search of your kidnapped girlfriend. It goes without saying that the idea is to exact bloody revenge on all those who you come across.

In parts the game is hilariously funny - lop the leg off an ore, then pick it up and beat the next one to death with it. Unfortunately, the control method is so hideously cumbersome as to make the game almost unplayable unless you devote days to practicing its fine art. To recap: the mouse is used to wield your sword - in theory a fine idea, in practice a nightmare. There's a simpler arcade mode, but in all honesty it isn't simple enough.

Anyway, Limb From Limb is an expansion pack for DBTS that adds a new quest and gives you a choice of new characters to control. New weapons, arenas and multiplayer modes are also included. Limb From Limb doesn't so much add to the gameplay as double it. Graphically, the original game was never that great in the first place. The sound, however, remains highly enjoyable, adding more over-the-top Python-esque voice-overs. Sadly, the exact same control method remains in place, which means that if you hated the game the first time around, you'll still hate it.