Overload

Confusingly, the creator of Overload calls it a “Steampunk themed game”, despite it possessing almost none of the sci-fi genre’s trappings - such as anachronistic technology, big goggles, and steam.

It’s symptomatic of a game filled with glaring flaws, technical problems, and screen-tapping gameplay that strains your fingers more than your noggin.

The cartoony, light-hearted story is the only real glue to keep the basic action together, and even that seems recycled from the plot cliches of early morning '80s cartoons.

Dr Schwarzmann attacks his eternal rival's laboratory with a legion of vicious robots. The only one who can stop them is professor Goodman's granddaughter, Elle. Along with her friend James she sets off on a journey around the world to save it from a mad doctor's creations.

Although the action sets off around the globe later on (varying the backgrounds a bit across the five worlds in the process), the early levels set in Professor Goodman’s laboratory will probably be enough to sap your enthusiasm.

Arch nemesis Dr Schwarzmann is trying to destroy Goodman’s work by unleashing all manner of electric-powered monsters, starting with fans and toasters, but soon moving onto more serious foes - like robots with regenerating shields.

There’s a cute, decidedly unthreatening wackiness to all the designs, which makes Overload superficially appealing, but weak, uninspired action drags down the experience.

With enemies trying to wreck the laboratories, or tear down improvised barricades, it’s up to Goodman’s grandaughter Elle to fend off the hordes.

She’s armed with the professor’s latest device, an electric gauntlet that can zap bad guys enough times to ‘overload’ them.

Viewing the action from above, your job is to fire the gauntlet by simply tapping on anything that moves. And, mostly, that’s it.

Enemies spawn from portals appearing on the map, and providing you're able to co-ordinate pressing a finger onto the screen at roughly the right time you’ll be fine. Later enemies, particularly the slow moving robots, can only be attacked when their shields are on, but prioritising targets is the extent of the mental challenge here.

Aside from occasional crashes, the main reason you’ll give up on Overload is the taxing effect it has on your digits. An on-screen tip recommends that you don't use your thumb, and indeed letting your index and forefingers share the burden will save you a bit of pain.

Even so, once the screen becomes choked up with enemies, you’ll find yourself jabbing the screen so much that it quickly becomes uncomfortable. With the game demanding you kill more robots every level, it seems pointless to continue punishing your fingers on an experience that’s neither particularly satisfying or involving.

The mildly enjoyable story, occasionally wry humour (best evidenced in the loading screen tips, which lament how “no one reads these”), and ever increasing enemy types might carry you along for a bit, but Overload’s limited appeal fizzles out faster than supermarket battery.