Giants: Citizen Kabuto

3D action/strategy has never taken off quite like it should have. Which is strange, considering it melds two of the finest and most popular genres on the PC into one complete package. Citizen Kabuto is to this day, still one of the finest examples of the genre that your money can buy, and at a mere $4.99, you're not going to need much of it to be able to afford a copy. And afford a copy you must.

The general premise of the somewhat surreal story is this. A bunch of waterdwelling naked chicks, called Reapers, with paranoid delusions of alien invasions create a 50ft psychopathic killer called Kabuto to defend them from what they believe is an impending extra-terrestrial attack. After hitting puberty and stumbling across a copy of the Sunday Sport, he realises eating sheep isn't the only pleasure in life, but after failing to find a page three model his own size, takes out his sexual frustrations on his creators instead by wiping them out. Well it's something like that anyway.

You can play as one of three characters (magical but physically weak Reapers, well-armed space marines or the gargantuan Kabuto) through a set of compelling missions, fighting your way through a mythical world and watching the excellent story unfold as you progress. The combat is thrilling and even though the strategy side pales somewhat in comparison, it's accessible enough not to scare non-RTS players away.

The huge diversity of the characters as well as some superb multiplayer options make for plenty of replayability. Don't listen to me though, go and find out for yourself. Five quid. Come on, stop being a cheapskate and have some fun for a change.

Giants (also known as Citizen Kabuto; the name keeps changing) takes place on a small planet inhabited by the aforementioned big guy, Kabuto. He's opposed by the planets mystical Sea Reapers and some ailing space marines called the Meccaryns. You choose one of the three sides to play as to fight for control of the land, using whatever natural resources are available to you. For an action game, Giants sure looks quirky--not to mention gorgeous--but what else would you expect from the team that created MDK?

This year's PC crop at E3 was particularly fertile with dozens of A-list games on display from every major manufacturer. But tucked away in a dark, private room, Interplay's oddball action/strategy hybrid Giants: Citizen Kabuto stole the show.

There's been no shortage of hype on Giants, a product of the core MDK creative team. Three factions are fighting for control of an island: the magical (water nymphs called Sea Reapers), the military squad of Meccaryns, and Kabuto--a big beastie about 10 times as big as anybody else. Each side has its strengths, whether it be the Meccaryns' technology and weaponry, the Sea Reapers' clairvoyance and tornadoes, or Kabuto's habit of swallowing opponents whole. Everyone can use or abuse the island's natural resources and inhabitants to further their goals, too. The eye candy is apparent but it looks like Giants' strongest asset will be its addictive gameplay.