Alien Swarm

This Is great, make no mistake. I haven't seen a mod that's so different from the formulaic norm for ages. To many a grizzled old gamer, the name alone conjures up the heady pre-Doom days when the scrolling shooter was king and you viewed your heavily armed hero from above or the side as you stomped around, blasting multitudes of enemies into steaming lumps. Boring? Oh no. It was exciting and adrenaline-fuelled mayhem. So, a mod that turns UT2004 into a retro-style gorefest is a breath of fresh air.

But Alien Swarm is more than just a nod to old games. While the Marines vs. Aliens theme is nothing new, AS adds many modern features to make it a truly complete and well-rounded mod. It's class-based: you can choose from a variety of weapon loadouts and skills. It's tactical: you need a mix of firepower and technical abilities in your squad to survive. It's action-packed: you lead your squad through an ever harder series of hostile environments. And, best of all, it can be played co-operatively. Forget leading a squad - get your mates on a LAN and get stuck in!

And the rest? The graphics, sounds and effects are excellent. The maps are classy and difficult. The atmosphere is tense and exciting. Even singleplayer mode is a laugh, although death is inevitable, swift and bloody. Top stuff.