Chicken Run

Movie-licensed games are like pizzas. They are either crammed with all your favourite toppings from the film or are cheese and tomato affairs with nothing in common but the name.

Thankfully, this chicken-flavoured offering from the makers of Dizzy allows you to relive the film -which wasn't a patch on Wallace & Gromit- and throws in some sub-games for good measure.

The Aardman Animation film follows the eggsploits (sorry) of Ginger, a hen attempting to lead her fellow chickens in escaping from a prison camp-style farm before they are plucked and turned into chicken pie. The game mirrors the film as you'd eggspect (oops) in as much as Chicken Run the film was a cartoon tribute to The Great Escape. So it treads Metal Gear Solid ground as you manoeuvre Ginger (and friends) around the farm in a 3D overhead view-point, complete with radar and stealth move - although, as this is a family game, there are no guns or strangle holds. Ginger is assisted by Rocky the rooster, Mac (a smart-egg) and some shady rats that work for eggs. Against you are guard dogs and Mr and Mrs Tweedy, the farm owners who are constantly patrolling the farm.

Split into three acts, much of the game involves exploring the farm for various objects. These are assembled into contraptions such as catapults and fireworks launchers to aid escape. Once built, you button-bash your way through simple and fun sub games, watch a film clip and hit the next level.

As a whole the game plays well enough, but there isn't much here. You go through the motions to complete one task, and then the next. There isn't much incentive to return, although younger players may appreciate hidden pictures.

If all things Chicken Run are your cup of tea then this will sit nicely alongside the DVD, the colouring book and those gorgeous Chicken Run slippers. If not, there is always Chuckie Egg...

Solid Snake has flown the coop. As amazing as it sounds, the gameplay in Eidos Chicken Run is kinda like Metal Gear: As Ginger, you have to sneak around the farm (see the little radar scope in the upper-right screenshot?) under the cover of darkness to collect the necessary tools to escape, while avoiding the Tweedys and their dogs. At the end of each mission, you'll play a mini-game to try to escape the farm. You also get to play as the rats, Nick and Fletcher. Coming in November.