Hooligans

With a tagline like `The only thing to fear is running out of beer', Hooligans: Storm Over Europe was always going to raise a few eyebrows. The concept of making a real-time strategy game in which you, as the player, gets charged with engendering thug support through the `gift' of alcohol is a strange one to say the least. Hooligans makes no apologies for its subject matter whatsoever. Littered with shocking scenes throughout, Hooligans will startle the pants off most players, and delight others. The gameplay differs greatly from all other games to have graced the RTS genre, inasmuch as it's the first game in which you have to deal with individual personalities in a group dynamic. Rioting and gang fighting is a complicated business. The object of Hooligans is to become the most notorious group of football thugs in the world. This is achieved by simply being the baddest, nastiest and most violent firm in the leagues. When you have chosen your team colours, you move on to select a game from the well balanced selection of single and multiplayer game types. There is a heavy slant on strategy, with the single-player games coming in the form of missions, such as intercepting the enemy supporters or blocking the opposing team coach from entering the grounds. You control your forces by appealing to the primal/carnal aspects of their collective nature. Drinking, drug-taking and prostitution will do fine, but this is a costly business, so looting, naturally, is the best way to pay for this. When the action commences, a veritable feast of thug activities are at your disposal. As well as administering a standard kicking, you can throw bricks, steal cars, toss explosives, use firearms and plant bombs to achieve your goal. You have to look after your hardcore following. Broken down into section leaders, these folks are able to increase support by chanting towards non-involved characters. The happier the leaders are, the more effective they become. You keep them happy by buying the drugs, drink and women, and equipping them with weaponry. When the unit is operating as a collective, various emoticons will indicate how they are feeling. As well as health and consciousness, you can also see how drugged, drunk, scared and angry they are. Further strategies then come into play. You can disguise your men in suits until the vital moment, or go around accompanied by a load of girls, giving the appearance of being casual supporters. As the action blazes, innocent people who have nothing to do with the game at all will be going about their daily business, which usually involves visiting shops and spending money. Though it is possible to attack these happy-go-lucky folks, it's not advised, as they are the people who keep the economy ticking over. When a shop is looted by your gang, it is repaired and the consumers return, refilling the registers for a new attack. Hooligans: Storm Across Europe will not be to most peoples' tastes. It is a hardcore RTS, one of the best around as far as play-mechanic is concerned, but the subject matter will no doubt put some off. For others, it's a dream come true.