Steer clear of this 'wacky' racer

ANYTHING that bills itself as "wild and wacky" usually isn't, and Cel Damage is no exception.

It's a vehicle-based deathmatch game for one to four players set in a cartoon land.

There are three game styles that mix tracks and arenas, but the core gameplay remains the same -- pick up weapons and blow up your competitors.

Cel Damage employs the animation-style graphics made popular by games like Jet Set Radio and Simpsons Road Rage -- simple yet stylish, with black outlines and not a textured polygon in site. Each of the 10 characters has a unique vehicle, set of weapons and repertoire of insults and put-downs.

It all sounds okay on paper, but Cel Damage looks weak and uninteresting within minutes of your first game. The best gameplay options can't be unlocked until you have finished first in Cel Damage's first event, Smack Attack.

Here, the idea is to hit your opponents more times than they can hit you. The first to 500 hits wins -- which can take about 10 minutes -- and you'll frequently be beaten from out of nowhere.

It's so frustrating that you'll be thinking about what to part-exchange it for by your third attempt. Persevere and you are presented with more of the same.

Cel Damage is a below par driving game with a poor sense of humour. Steer clear.

Rating: 54%