Reminiscent of the Austin Powers movies, the game is a tongue-in-cheek spoof on campy '60s spy flicks, namely James Bond films with their over-the-top villains.

At the start of the game, you must choose to play as one of three malevolent megalomaniacs: Maximillian, who resembles a shorter and stockier Dr. Evil; Alexis, a sexy research scientist; or Shen Yu, a mysterious Chinese uber-criminal.

The first order of business is to build a secret underground base on an island. This lair will eventually house everything from holding cells with interrogation chairs and torture devices (for captured agents) to meeting rooms used to plot the next evil deed. You must use the computer's mouse to build each of these rooms and then line them with gear.

Some of the amusing objects to choose from include a brainwashing machine that literally washes brains, control panels with oversized reel-to-reel tapes and ping pong tables to keep your workers happy.

After the base is established, it's time to click on the world domination screen, a colorful map that you use to decide where to send your henchmen. Once deployed, your minions can steal valuable art, kidnap pop stars for ransom and recruit new henchmen (which might require breaking them out of prison).

These objectives must be performed without attracting too much "heat" or else governments will dispatch secret agents, investigators and soldiers to invade your base.

The "good guys" (plus a few thieves who want your loot) arrive on your island by boat, helicopter, parachute or scuba gear and will try to infiltrate your lair. You can dispatch your minions to take care of them by "tagging" enemies with instructions such as capture, weaken or kill.

Better yet, you have access to dozens of silly traps for unsuspecting intruders, including drop-down gas chambers and electrical currents that zap enemies into next week.

Evil Genius is a refreshingly different and clever game that has a hearty dose of personality, even though it has a few shortcomings.

This challenging game should please strategy fans looking for something offbeat and fun.