Hellboy: The Science of Evil is the latest such endeavor. Loosely based on Hellboy II: The Golden Army (so loosely that the only thing the two have in common is the boy from hell), Science of Evil follows Hellboy's exploits as he attempts to foil arch-Nazi Hermann Von Klempt's plan to rule-dominate-belittle (your choice) the world.

The game is an action RPG, and very light on the role-playing side of things. There are no leveling up and attributes, but it feels like Activision's X-Men games of yesteryear. Players control Hellboy as he wades through level after level, battling small hordes of bad guys. The battling is done mainly with Hellboy's huge stone fist. You can choose light or heavy attacks or punch up combos as you learn them. But fisticuffs aren't the only way to damage the game's denizens. Hellboy can pick up his enemies and throw them, even at each other. There's just nothing like beating a skeleton monster to death with his buddy. Finally, there's Hellboy's huge gun, Samaritan. It carries only 10 bullets, but each does one hell of a lot of damage (lame pun intended).

It's simple. Isn't it supposed to be?

Hellboy includes a solid multiplayer component. Gamers can connect using Ad Hoc mode to another PSP and play the campaign cooperatively. Multiplayer also unlocks two additional characters, Abe Sapien, an agile alien, and Liz Sherman, who wields magic like Hellboy wields his huge gun.

Hellboy: The Science of Evil isn't going to win any originality awards. On the other hand, that isn't a mandatory entertainment criterion. It's all been done before. In fact, Hellboy, in addition to 73 hundred other games, owes much to the original isometric action game Diablo. Yet, despite its lack of innovation, The Science of Evil is, for the most part, an enjoyable ride.

Bashing your way through gangs of monsters is a cathartic experience, and more socially acceptable than performing similar feats on carbon-based entities. The problem with the catharsis is the repetition. The levels and monsters Hellboy faces are different. For example, you'll begin in a grave, work your way through a distinctly Asian level and even fight huge, white gorillas.

Unfortunately, after an hour or so, it all gets just a little too been-there-done-that. On the plus side, the multiplayer adds excitement, as do the light puzzles found throughout the game. And, to be honest, it won't take most gamers more than a few sittings to finish The Science of Evil.

Bottom line? For Hellboy aficionados and brawler fans, this one is worth a play. Others might just want to pass it by.