UFO: Afterlight

Humans vs aliens, if anything from videogames is to be believed, then it's the inevitable struggle of the future. In this third instalment of the UFO series, mankind's already lost the battle for planet Earth and has been shipped off by the conquering aliens to a lonely crater on Mars instead.

Newcomers will be totally bewildered by Afterlight's mix of turn-based strategy and micromanagement. If you've never tested the waters of the series before, it can be a bit like trying to gouge your eye out with a slippery spoon - painful, bloody tough and you're positive there's a much better way to get the job done. From the main menu, there's an overwhelming mass of options available, from training characters to building up your base. Once you've finished clicking around in these, the world map allows you to send out your drones to colonise the planet and search out a conflict to send your team in to do battle.

On the combat screen, the graphics are a bit sparse and the turn-based combat won't be to everyone's tastes. Making matters worse is the diabolical camera which seems to have a mind of its own and is the most frustrating one I've ever had to deal with.

Despite all this, underneath lies a strangely compelling game which, given a little time, will have you hooked. Fans of the series are bound to love it and if you have enough patience, you too might uncover the gooey warmth at the heart of this initially cold title.