Naughty Bear

GAME REVIEW:12 cert, 505 Games, PS3 (also Xbox) **

Naughty Bearis Manhuntwith teddies. It begins with Naughty not being invited to a party by the other bears. Big mistake! Armed first with a baseball bat, and later with bear traps, guns and machetes, Naughty Bear sets out on a vengeful rampage, stalking and killing indiscriminately. You're given "naughty points" for vandalism, antisocial behaviour and elaborate kills.

Though the graphics could be better defined, the character animation and deranged music score are both strong, and the bear kills are blackly funny. It’s a damn shame the gameplay isn’t smoother. The AI is not great, which means that controlling the camera and the movements of your character can be a chore. Also, the combat system lacks nuance.

Naughty Bear is a great idea, though the (ahem) execution could have been more polished. I imagine a sequel might iron out its flaws.