As a studio Ravenous Games seems to hold to the 'less is more' philosophy when it comes to their games. At times this can work against a title, but in the case of the white-knuckle brawler Beatdown! the stripped-back style keeps the action flowing and before you know it you've finished the bite-sized game with a sigh of relief.

Taking its cues from games of old such as River City Ransom, Double Dragon, and yes the ever-loved Streets of Rage, your task is one of dishing out pain wrapped in a fist to all those who would oppose you.

The story goes a little something like this: You've been fired, and no one is going to stop you from getting revenge. What follows is 20 stages dotted with a collection of mini-bosses, weapons, and more than enough environmental hazards to make life difficult. If that doesn't sound bad enough, you'll find yourself taking far more damage as the game progresses, so fights become a brutal dance of life and death.

You'll beat up laser-shooting nerds, axe-wielding firemen, and possibly be rolled over by a forklift - it's a madcap ride that ends before becoming too tedious. If there's a weak point to Beatdown! it's the lack of any real variety in the action; occasionally an enemy will surprise you, but you'll find yourself pining for a challenging boss fight as a payoff for all the boring minions.

If you like your action titles cut and dry, give Beatdown a try.