“Nitrous Oxide”

Sony Playstation

Sit back, relax and ascend to a state of euphoria with Nitrous Oxide and Crystal Meth — that is — a new shoot ’em up from Playstation and its kick-ass electronica soundtrack from The Crystal Method.

The game is addictive to say the least.

Shocking, bright colors and psychedelic, mind-confusing graphics overpower and force the player into a hypnotic state. And the personality of the game works perfectly with the high energy tunes of The Crystal Method. “Nitrous Oxide” features the best use of music in a game to date.

The story is nothing special. The galaxy is at war, and it is the duty of the player to defeat the evil and spreading bug-like race of Super Warriors.

Traveling through an interplanetary freeway circuit called the Torus, the player must overcome the evil forces and rid the galaxy of enemy insects.

At the start, the player chooses a spaceship for the long descent into the underground. Winding and turning 360 degrees through tunnels while shooting mutant insects of all kinds, it would seem like the game would get repetitive.

And it does, to an extent. But with the enticing images and entrancing sounds to keep the player moving, it gets more interesting and challenging with every tunnel.

Get busy, child.

4 1/2 stars out of five

— Conor Bezane