Xenofex 2 is an updated range of Photoshop-compatible plug-ins from Alien Skin, the developer of Eye Candy 4000, one of the most popular filter collections and a personal favourite of ours. This was mainly down to its interface, which is thankfully shared by the new Xenofex collection.

Central to the full-screen environment is the huge preview -- just as it should be -- while the parameters to control each effect run down the left. Particularly useful are the wide range of presets in the Settings menu -- over 100 in total -- and the Random Seed button, which is available in all filters that automatically randomise parameters.

So what power is on offer? There are 14 effects in all and it's possible to spot some shared themes. To begin with, there are some striking effects for simulating natural phenomena. The Lightning effect adds realistic lightning bolts, with control over branching and spread, as well as start and end points. Electrify takes a similar idea and applies it to a selection. Then, in a very different vein, Little Fluffy Clouds lets you create a reasonably wide range of cloud forms -- a good way of adding interest to otherwise flat skies.

Another range of effects is built around treating your images as if they're printed on paper or other surfaces. The Crumple filter simulates the effect of scrunching up your photo and flattening it out again -- particularly interesting when applied to text. The same can be said for the Cracks effect, which adds fissures and fault lines to your selection. More damage is applied with the Rip Open filter, which simulates a piece of paper being torn, and Shatter, which imitates a pane of glass exploding into shards.

Four other filters can also be loosely termed surface effects. Stain turns any selection into a soiled mark, with presets for coffee, red wine and dried blood. Meanwhile, Burnt Edges simulates the look of burnt paper, and Flag creates the effect of wind-blown fabric using shadows, highlights and distortion. Then there's Puzzle, which turns your image into a jigsaw, complete with the ability to remove selected pieces.

Finally, there are three filters that can only be described as 'mixed bag'. Constellation reconstructs your image as star-like points of light (reminiscent of The Old Grey Whistle Test logo for the older among us!). The Television filter adds video-based distortion to make your photo look like it's being displayed on a screen. And, finally, the Classic Mosaic filter breaks your picture into coloured tiles that follow the outlines and shapes in your image.

However, while some of the effects such as Classic Mosaic and Electrify are capable of producing impressive results, you're still left feeling underwhelmed. The filters tend to be too simple to be realistic. What's more, some of the Xenofex 2 effects, such as Cracks and Puzzle, are also offered by the AutoFX DreamSuite collections, which serve up many more controlling parameters and more interactive input. By comparison, the Xenofex results often end up looking cheap-and-cheerful rather than photo-realistic.

And it's not just the individual effects that feel a bit thin; the same can be said for the collection as a whole. With only 14 occasionally useful effects compared with Eye Candy 4000's more regularly useful 23, it's clear which collection should be first on your list.