The film won't be out for another month, but Sony's "The Mask of Zorro" role-playing game is already up and running on the Web.

　　Players can explore the 3D-rendered landscape of Baja California, engage in Shockwave sword fights, and gather the clues they'll need for a final showdown with Montero, the villain from the film.

　　Other Zorro games are scheduled to go online on the Sony movie site soon, including the Zorro VRML game and the Zorro Sword Fight tournament (which is scheduled to go online on June 17).

　　Sony contends that its Mask of Zorro adventure game will unfold through ten episodes and boast a "rich multiplayer CD-ROM-quality experience" and that it's "one of the most elaborate games attached to a film."

　　Download time is always an issue with Web-delivered games, and The Mask of Zorro is no exception. (Download times will most likely be even greater for the VRML episode, once that goes live.) But if you're willing to wait for the applets and 3D scenes to download - and youdon't mind what is, in essence, a playable commercial for the upcoming film - the game does allow you to step into Antonio Banderas' cinematic shoes and can be an interesting diversion.