Your job is to command a squadron of four genohunters, in securing a planet.

Evolva, from Computer Artworks, Virgin Interactive Entertainment and Interplay, is a mission-based three-dimensional foray onto a distant world. The enemy is defined, versatile and deadly. And of course, the planet has a few surprises of its own.

At first blush, this game seems like a host of others - a planet is menaced by an expanding foulness, and you must destroy that evil. What sets the game apart is the evolving nature of the warriors. Every time one of the genohunters kills, or even nears dead meat, it is capable of picking up DNA from that victim. Pick up enough, and your genohunter mutates, incorporating elements of the dead creature into its own structure. Not only will the appearance change, but the weaponry of the genohunter changes. And this is not random mutation. You select which attributes you want your hunters to inherit. The mutator screen gives you control of appearance changes and weaponry advances. It almost makes you feel like a mad scientist incorporating elements you wish into your own special Frankenstein.

Genohunters are broken down into four main categories: agile, speed, heavy and intel. Three are self-explanatory. The heavy genohunter features raw power, can take more damage than the others, and is exceptional in hand-to-hand combat situations.

But lest you think that you can just evolve your genohunters to a point of invincibility, think again. The enemy also evolves. The prime target is a parasite, a creature that sends out guardians which exterminate all life on the infected planet.

As the game wears on, the parasite’s guardians get stronger and harder to kill. You must also contend with indigenous plant-life and biological elements which can cause damage to your force.

Evolva’s player interface is quite good. Each genohunter’s perspective is displayed in a miniscreen along the bottom of the monitor. Not all of them are looking in the same direction, and you will - sometimes - get a glimpse of alternative courses or approaching enemies by constantly scanning the screens. These screens also flash colors to let you know if there is a problem. Red means your hunter has sustained damage, orange indicates it can’t get to a desired location, and green shows that it has accepted its orders. If one of the hunters is leading the group, its screen will be replaced by a radar screen which shows the direction of the objective and the location of the other members of the squad.

Game controls deviate only slightly from other games of a similar nature. The mouse and keyboard work in tandem to allow a 360-degree view of the planet and to guide the genohunter. There is a tutorial that is apart from the game and must be accessed from the start menu. But this is not an interactive program. It is an instructional guide that gives you a quick overview of the controls, using a video sequence snagged from the game. It is quicker than reading the manual, but the 32-page booklet is well designed, and a quick and easy read.

The program’s graphics are nicely rendered, and feature a look similar to Unreal, though not as detailed. There is a softness to the appearance of most of the game, which contrasts with sharp two-dimensional detailing on plants. In the three-dimensional world, the plants almost look like overcolored cardboard cutouts. The audio quality is quite good, and once you are able to distinguish between the sounds emitted by the genohunters and the indigenous sounds of the planet, you will be able to navigate using the sound level.

Evolva is a well-designed action-adventure game that demands intellect and reflexive skill. By incorporating the mutating aspect, Interplay (and the designers) have broken through the barrier of ‘same game-different name,’ and added an element of intrigue. With just a few flaws, this program is quite well done.

This program supports multiplayer gaming, and is rated for Mature players.

Install: Medium. This program requires DirectX Runtime components to play, but they come with the product. While that can slow the install time, there is still nothing that will tax your system during the install process.

Gameplay: 8. Evolva moves smoothly through each scenario. The controls are easy to understand, and react quickly.

Graphics: 7. A little soft in three-dimensional view with two-dimensional inserts give a bit of a stilted look.

Sound: 8. Strong though not incredibly varied effects, with depth of sound giving the program a three-dimensional feel.

Difficulty: 8.5. This program has many elements that present a broad band of outcomes. Depending on how you evolve your genohunters, you are either able to face the next challenges or fail.

Concept: 8.5. Take a familiar scenario, add some intriguing elements and you have Evolva. The game builds off the tired by injecting the mutating factors, thereby giving the genre a freshness.

Overall: 8.5. This program has a few flaws, but they are not fatal. And though the basic storyline is well-worn, it doesn’t mean it isn’t fun. Evolva capitalizes on that entertainment element, and mutates the genre with its character metamorphosis.