Try to open the seconds after you drop from the sky and you won't see anything as your hands flail in the sky. Similarly, the map in the game is a hologram projected from your hand. There are a few stylistic touches: the way you fall from the plane at speed, without a parachute, and land superhero-style with your fist to the ground. Where the developers have added some personality, the potential of the game shines through. Islands of Nyne retreads the same space as the rest of this increasingly crowded genre, and the lack of personality, the fact that I could immediately drop into the game and start notching up kills due to the identikit mechanics, means it just doesn't stand out in a sea of beige battle royale pretenders. The genre is well established now, after Fortnite and PUBG took turns conquering the world while unlikely contenders The Darwin Project and Realm Royale have carved out a decent niche in the market. 100 people drop into an arena, try to loot a collection of guns, armour and ammunition, and then murder the other 99 people in a bid to be the last man standing. Islands of Nyne: Battle Royale is, as you might expect, a battle royale game.

Everything in the Battle Royale title feels derivative of other games, but there's something - that certain je ne sais quoi - that hints at a compelling future if developers Define Human Studios can imbue the game with a little more personality. It is, without a doubt, the most by-the-numbers game ever made. Islands of Nyne: Battle Royale has a surreal quality.

Island of nyne