Swarm

12 cert, Hothead Games, PlayStation Network (also Xbox Live) **

I know that Swarmhas gotten some good reviews and, indeed, that it's won a juicy development award. I wish I liked it more. Here you control a group of blue alien blobs whose purpose is to accumulate points for their "Mama". Controlling them en masse, you have a group of 50 who collect sparkling objects for points. Depending on how quickly you gather these, your score can be multiplied, and while many of your blue men are expendable, you mustn't lose them all. Indeed, some must be sacrificed for the greater good. There are also little puzzles to be solved along the way. At best, Swarmis an agreeable but slightly bland action/puzzle game. At worst, its frustrating, overly complicated and pernickety – the challenge of accumulating points and passing through numerous obstacles is more exasperating than enchanting.