Buffy the Vampire Slayer is the game of the TV show of the movie but Xbox gamers shouldn't let this deter them.

Licensed video games are often poorly conceived cash cows for games companies and, given this licence is for a second-rate teen drama enjoyed by thirtysomething wannabees, my hopes weren't running too high.

But Electronic Arts have come up with the goods, avoiding the obvious Tomb Raider comparisons to produce a first-person shoot-'em-up worthy of gamers' time and money.

Fans of the TV series will feel at home from the outset as her "watcher" Giles fills everyone else in on Buffy mythology. In common with all the characters, except Buffy herself, he is voiced by the actor from the TV series.

A tutorial puts players in the picture - use the wooden stakes conveniently littered around the levels to kill vampires. But the stakes don't last forever, especially if you insist on trying to impale walls rather than blood suckers.

Fortunately, ever-so-resourceful Buffy can use her trademark and crowd-pleasing moves to throw them on to a spiked object or into fire or holy water.

Running, jumping, punching and kicking are the name of the game, together with a bit of collecting.

It looks and sounds good, making efficient use of the power under the Xbox's bonnet.

The graphics are solid enough, the characters well-modelled and the backgrounds manage to evoke the worst aspects of Sunnydale night life.

The soundtrack uses voiceovers to good effect, although they can get a bit repetitive as the game progresses.

But this is a game in which the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. There's lots of fun to be had here and Buffy is very hard to put down.

This is one of the best games for the Xbox so far and worth taking a stake in.

Price: £44.99.

Contact: www.ea.com
Feel good factor: 8 out of 10.