"N2O" - A game that will tickle your senses

By CNN Interactive Associate Editor John Robinson

(CNN) -- Get in your comfy chair, dim the lights and prepare to be entertained. "N2O" for Sony Playstation is definitely one wild ride that will captivate your attention. Once you get past the blasting electronica soundtrack and the in-your-face color and graphics, you will find that it is just a regular arcade style shooter. That's when the real fun starts.

The action begins in a tubular-shaped cavity known as the Torus Tunnel where you will do battle with genetically-mutated bugs. The mission at hand is simply to kill them and capture their eggs. The game starts with a choice of three Tunnel Runners that can be customized with more than 30 different textures and a seemingly infinite choice of colors.

Inside the Torus Tunnel, the ship is attacked from all sides by the mutant bugs who thrive on the Nitrous Oxide (N2O) gas that pollutes the inside of the tunnel. That very same gas powers the Tunnel Runner which means every time a bug is shot, the ship goes faster. This can be good or bad depending on what's in front of you. Luckily, the Tunnel Runner has a brake, but don't use it for too long because it will catapult you forward if you hold it down for more than a few seconds. The Tunnel Runner also has the capability to jump over obstacles and enemy fire.

Destructive ring of fire

RELATED AUDIO

Listen to a sample of the soundtrack performed by The Crystal Method 840K/38 sec. AIFF or WAV sound

A single laser is the only available weapon until some of the special weapons are collected like the Green Dragon -- which shoots plasma balls -- and the Boomerang, a retrievable weapon. Bugs that are shot release coins that can be picked up and used to buy weapons like the firewall, which sends a ring of fire down the Torus tube killing everything in sight - very useful when you are on your last ship and about to be creamed by a big spider. It's also really cool to watch.

Just when you think that a level is completed, you will encounter something that will undoubtedly cause much suffering. The Boss. Bosses are super-mutant bugs that appear at the very end of a level. They are nearly impossible to kill and would like nothing more than to see your game end. A small consolation to defeating a Boss is the occasional bonus round. Like most bonus rounds, you shoot as many items as you can for extra points while avoiding the dangerous things that will end the round if you touch them.

As you get further into the game, the tunnels get smaller and the ship goes faster and you guessed it - it gets really hard. Even so, it is possible to continue making progress with a little perseverance.

A little buzz

Overall gameplay and graphics for N2O are astounding. The movement of the ship in the tunnel is fast and seamless, and it takes little or no time to figure out the controls. Spotlights in the tunnels produce a lens flare effect that is amazingly real and you can even choose from three different lenses to customize the view.

The music for "N2O" is appropriately provided by The Crystal Method and really matches the frantic pace of the game. The music can be a bit distracting, but that can be fixed by adjusting the volume to an ambient level.

"N2O" makes good use of Sony's new vibrating Dual Shock analog controller, although it doesn't indicate that anywhere on the packaging or in the game. The only problem encountered is that there isn't an option to turn it off like you can on some other games. The Dual Shock vibration is used very conservatively and will respond when a coin is picked up or when an enemy is grazed. It also provides added humiliation when the Tunnel Runner is destroyed.

"N20" probably won't hold your interest for months on end, but if you're in the mood for a little mindless game of shoot 'em up combined with a great mix graphics and sound, then "N2O" just might be the game for you.

"N20" is published by Fox Interactive under license from Gremlin Interactive which also joined forces to produce the recently-released "Fox Sports Soccer 99."