Kane & Lynch: Dead Men

Tuesday 29 August
As gaming double-acts go, the eponymous duo in Hitman developer Io Interactive's latest project is pretty unique in as much as they absolutely hate each other's guts. There's no bosom-buddy rapport, heroic camaraderie or jovial banter here, just a steady stream of 18-rated bitching and arguing.

Both banged up and counting the days on death row, the pair are busted out and forced to work together by a dangerous criminal organisation wanting to recoup a substantial sum of money that it believes Kane owes them. Three weeks is all Kane and Lynch are granted before they become, you've guessed it, dead men.

Single players fill the shoes of the smart - but slightly unhinged - mercenary, Kane, and are accompanied by schizophrenic sociopath Lynch who is charged with keeping close tabs on his 'partner'. Despite being utterly incompatible, the two appear side-by-side for the majority of the action, although Kane will, on occasion, give his watchdog the slip.

Kane will also recruit a team to provide extra firepower in certain scenarios. Currently, Kane can have four men under his command and each of these can have up to three other heavies attached to them who will dutifully follow their lead. Io promises that this will allow for tactical gameplay, with Kane able to hole up in a suitably lofty vantage point and orchestrate his team's movements and actions.

Matt Cundy
I don't have the energy to really hate anything properly. Most things I think are OK or inoffensively average. I do love quite a lot of stuff as well, though.