RAPID RELOAD

It's not Halloween, but Axel and Ruka still have to fight off the Pumpkin Heads in this early PlayStation run-and-gun. It's a clear tribute to a Mega Drive classic - does it live up to its inspiration, and can it justify the hefty price tag it now commands?

- Words by Nick Thorpe

THE GAME

Rapid Reload - or Gunners Heaven, as it's known in Japan - is a traditional run-and-gun game in which you take control of either Axel Sonics or Ruka Hetfield, treasure hunters on a quest to find a stone called the Valkiry. Naturally, an evil bunch called the Pumpkin Heads also want it so they can achieve world domination, so you've got to shoot your way through their forces in order to stop their nefarious plans and claim the prize for yourself. There's no multiplayer mode though, so you'll have to go it alone.