Impossible public test

Following a successful 20,000-person multiplayer test, peculiar 1930s-based gene-blending animal RTS Impossible Creatures has finally appeared as a public demo (or 'trial version' in publisher Microsoft's speak). Available from the colourful official website, the demo consists of a tutorial and three single-player missions (with two skirmish-style 'player vs. CPU' maps thrown in for good measure).

The 285MB demo version of the game [that's a lot of showing off - Ed], developed by Relic Entertainment, contains 14 of the 50 animals which will appear in the full version, and the unique and oddly named "Sigma Combiner", which lets you cross one breed with another. Hopefully with better results than the ill-fated Dr. Moreau.

Impossible Creatures is due out in the UK on January 31st next year.