Johnny 'Ghost Rider' Blaze has had it tough. Ignoring timeless advice, the rugged stuntman made a deal with the devil and now he's at the beck and call of the malevolent Mephisto. Although, come to think of it, Marvel Comics haven't had an easy time either, especially when it comes to video games. Even their biggest names have often translated into fiddly and forgettable action games. But now it's Johnny's turn and will scrolling brawler Ghost Rider make the impact that Marvel long for?

Well, hopes are high from the offset. The first thing that you will notice about Ghost Rider is just how good it looks. At times the game is genuinely atmospheric, chilling almost - quite an achievement for a game with such a moronic plot. The opening moments are a good example of this; there's a fantastic feeling of suspense as you trudge through dark and dingy caverns. This continues throughout the game, with imaginative textures giving the environments a chilling and eerie feel; the clunking, rusty gears in the industrial backdrops of hell, the tattered US flags as you creep through a sterile former military base and the ghoulish green swirls of light as you navigate through underground caves. In fact, you're just weighing up how good this game looks when a throng of gargoyle-like beasts turn up and spoil it. Eight of them suddenly metamorphose from the air, showering you with fireballs and flying claws. All of a sudden the focus changes - no longer are you playing a cold atmospheric thriller, but instead thrust into a furious fest of button-bashing demon-slaying silliness.

This is just one example of a seemingly constant conflict between the visuals and gameplay; it's like the two are jealous of each other and as soon as one of them is beginning to impress you, the other does its level best to spoil it. The main offender is the camera positioning; you'll often find yourself blindly running towards the screen, parading straight into a gang of foes. At other times an awkward view means that you have to walk all the way around the perimeter of a room just to see the shape of it. Why the player has no control over the camera is one of the game's cruelest questions, especially since the right analogue is stick is impotent, used only for a roll evasion move that is rarely needed given the simple gameplay.

It's the basic combat that lets the game down most though, and unfortunately Ghost Rider is brimming with combat. There are seas of enemies; they respawn, they regenerate, they reappear - they're literally everywhere. Not that it's a problem for our hero, as his quick kicks and rapid combos make easy work of them. Very rarely will they ever overcome you; it's just that there are so many of them, which means a lot of button mashing. It's a huge anticlimax because, underneath it all, Ghost Rider possesses a comprehensive and advanced combat system - it's just never put to good use. As with God of War, each enemy you slay gives you more points, which allows you to customise your combos and upgrade your attacks of choice. Unfortunately, these fantastically choreographed combos are merely window dressing and unless you play on the toughest difficulty level you'll never feel the need to use them. As you fight through drones of similarly simple foes, it's hard not to find yourself using just one combo - it's a tough habit to break.

Unfortunately the developers have made the basic attacks far too effective; by simply tapping the square button, Blaze can orchestrate a spinning-arms helicopter-style attack. This knocks out any enemies around you and there's no need to lock on to or focus on an opponent - indeed there's no need to even be aware that they're there. Just hammer square and you can be sure to sure to stun anyone around you, and the enemies don't get much tougher as you progress, they just come in bigger numbers, so this simple attack is enough to plow through most of the game. It's a real shame, because with a great combat system on board, Climax should have designed a game that tests the mind rather than just exhausting the thumbs.

It's an ongoing struggle - even with the boss characters. There are two types of bosses in beat 'em up games - those that you need tactics and timing to beat and those where you have to fight through hordes of basic baddies just to land a blow on the boss himself. Ghost Rider is full of the latter - nearly all of the bosses bring squads of minions along for the fight. The bosses aren't particularly tough or interesting, they're just surrounded by bodyguards, another sad triumph of quantity over quality.

Luckily though, this quick-fire combat isn't the only gaming mode. Levels alternate between scrolling beat 'em up ventures and frantic motorcycle dashes. It's a strange combination - the kind of duality seen back in the days of Earthworm Jim - but as fun as the motorcycle levels are, they too are horribly easy. A quick tug of the analogue stick is enough to avoid any obstacles and Ghost Rider's bike bounces unharmed off the walls. Even if you are knocked from your bike, the game lets you continue from three seconds before the accident. The motorcycle levels seem to be more about incorporating the full comic book plot rather than solidly enhancing the gameplay, but at least they provide a welcome break from button bashing.

The sound is rather hit and miss. When Blaze is alone on the screen there are some nice ethereal echoes and thudding footsteps, but once again, as soon as the swarms of adversaries arrive, it all goes wrong. Your speakers are swamped with the predictable comic book patter, the splash-like sounds of fists landing, the sound of feet swishing through the air - a full symphony of silliness. Plus, the balance is terrible - the cut scenes are a fraction of the volume of the in-game effects. This isn't too much of a loss though, as there's very little to be seen in the cut scenes - most just show enemies spawning from thin air.

Ghost Rider is easy enough to pick up and it's reasonably enjoyable, but there's very little here to challenge the serious gamer and you'll find yourself completing it incredibly quickly. It's implausible that anyone would want to do it all over again though, as the gameplay is infuriatingly repetitive on the first attempt - throughout the game you're dogged by a constant of déjà vu anyway, so there's no need to do it twice. Yes, there are some nice touches in Ghost Rider, but unfortunately, when you find one, you can be sure that a snag or setback isn't too far away. Film tie-ins rarely impress, but Ghost Rider isn't that ambitious - it's only aiming to entertain and, to be perfectly honest, it doesn't even really achieve that.

Reviewed by Robert Jackman for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).