Robot Wars: Arenas of Destruction

It's probably unfair to condemn all Robot Wars contestants as potential serial killers, but there's something undeniably unnerving about their wet-lipped enthusiasm. The default thousand-yard stare doesn't help, hinting at a solitary existence of unfulfilled desires, with only a fridge full of pancreas jam for company. Despite this nagging doubt, the programme remains the most watched on BBC2, something of a national disgrace considering it is often preceded by Tbe Simpsons.

Four million virgins can't be wrong though, and this game arrives with a ready-made audience. Why get your hands dirty tampering with your mechanical behemoth in the shed when you can do it all from the safety of your PC? It's certainly easier to build a robot by clicking on a few boxes than actually getting out the Black & Decker.

They haven't skimped on the complexity, and a wide array of weapons, armour types, engines and so forth are available, enabling you to build up your rudimentary automaton into something more impressive. The authenticity continues into the arena, with the ubiquitous Jonathan Pearce providing his unique brand of commentary, maintaining a foothold in the games industry that stretches back as far as the original Sensible Soccer.

The controls can be a tad unresponsive, and there isn't a great deal of skill involved, other than luring opponents into either the pit or the jurisdiction of the house robots. Some variety is added by the inclusion of a number of fantasy arenas other than the television studio, but ultimately the game is only a marginal improvement on actually watching the programme.