Hello everyone! The name's Robert Boyd. I did some forum and review work with Ken back in the day. When he told me that he was reviving the Gamebits site with a new look and new content, and I just had to get onboard. I'll be doing a little bit of everything: discussing the latest gaming news, sharing impressions of what I'm currently playing, talking about various aspects of the industry, game reviews, and even going back in the past for a bit of nostalgia. [Just like me! -Ken] Shall we begin?

For today's entry, I'd like to talk about a game called Aquaria. A week ago, I had no clue this game even existed; now I'm thinking it just might be the best surprise of this holiday season. Aquaria is an independent PC game that won the grand prize ($20,000) at this year's Independent Game Festival. It's about the mermaid-esque Najia and her quest to discover herself and explore her underwater world. Gameplay could perhaps best be described as a cross between Ecco the Dolphin and Metroid. The player guides Naijia through a massive and intricate 2D underwater world, finding new powers that allow her to explore areas that were previously unreachable.

Several things stand out about Aquaria. First is the shock that it looks and sounds as good as it does. The underwater environments that Najia explores can only be described as gorgeous. The music is equally impressive with dozens of songs that really make you feel like you're right down with her. If you have a decent video card, you can turn on some special water effects that make the whole thing look even better, but even with that option turned off, this is still one of the better presented 2D games I've seen in a long time. What makes the whole thing downright amazing is that the game looks better than many commercial game releases, despite the whole thing being created by only two people (three if you count the voice actress who does a hauntingly beautiful British voice for the heroine). One guy did the music and programming, while his partner did all the art. Truly outstanding and an inspiration for all would be indie game designers.

The other thing that really impressed me with what I've played of the game is the level of immersion that they've managed to achieve with this game. Several aspects work together to build this effect. There's the aforementioned high presentation values. There's a control system that works wonderfully that allows the player to play the entire game using only the mouse (keyboard & control pad options are also available for those who so desire). And there's the level design. Sure, there are plenty of areas that follow traditional game design rules with puzzles, enemies, bosses, treasures, and the like and these are well done, but then there are also areas where you're just meant to explore for fun and take in the experience that really make the world seem alive. Finally the story of Najia's quest for discovery is expertly told in a minimalistic fashion that leaves plenty of scope for imagination.

I highly recommend you check the game; the company's Web site has a demo that lasts about an hour or two that should give you a good idea of whether or not this game is for you. The full game costs $30, and though I was leery of paying that much for an indie game at first, if the rest of the game is as good as the demo then the game is well worth what they're asking for it. It's currently for PC only, although they are working on a Mac port. I'll be sure to give a full review after I purchase the game (I have some eBay auctions ending soon, plus there's always Christmas) to let you all know if the full version fulfills on the promises made by the demo.

Title	:	Silent Hill 3
Platforms	:	Sony PlayStation 2, Windows
Publisher	:	Konami
ESRB Rating	:	Mature
Game Rating	:	9.3
Review by	:	Ken Gagne

Flesh. Blood. Tears. Screams. Darkness. Horror. Pain. Death. 

Just another day in Silent Hill 3, Konami's third visit to the resort town in this latest PlayStation 2 game. 

As a survival horror series, Silent Hill had no trouble breaking the mold cast by the genre's progenitor, Resident Evil, by offering a pervasive atmosphere of perversity over cheap thrills. Though Silent Hill 3 makes no innovative breaks from its own formulaic gameplay, intriguing stories and horrifying presentation invigorate this biennial entry. 

The series has thus far explored two different forms of insanity: external (environmental) and internal (psychological). Now it considers the historical, with a protagonist who is not all she appears, nor what she thinks herself to be. Heather, our disheveled, teenage heroine, is not Konami's attempt to inject some sex appeal into the series, but is a developed character with a constitution that responds to the madness of Silent Hill uniquely from her predecessors as her reality is invaded by a world of someone's nightmarish delusions come to life. 

Silent Hill 2  had only tangential connections to its predecessor. Silent Hill 3 begins similarly, with a tour of random locales, but halfway through, coalesces into a story-driven game with direct ties to the series' origin. 

There are both action and puzzle elements in Silent Hill 3, each with adjustable difficulty settings. On the medium setting, there are so many monsters and so few bullets that cowardice is the better part of valor. Once a puzzle's parts are collected, it's fairly easy to see how they fit together; it's assembling the parts that's difficult. With a dynamic and automated camera, the game occasionally leaves players to wander until they see a door or item they hadn't previously, thus completing their inventory. 

The controller supports both digital and analog, in 2D and 3D formats. The digital is less dodgy, and the 3D scheme better accomodates camera angles that can dramatically shift at a moment's notice; that, and controlling from Heather's perspective gives one a better sense of being in the game. She can use her weapon to assume a defensive stance, while the results of failing to do so will cause the rumble feature to effectively pulse with her tiring heart, reminding players when it is about to expire. 

Both the aural and graphical components are integral to Silent Hill's atmosphere. The graphics have an inherent graininess that contributes to the unclean world in which Heather finds herself. The fog and darkness, once technological limitations, continue to obscure her vision, combining with fantastic lighting effects to make the unknown all the more omnipresent and frightening. Her nightmare includes harrowing sites — one such that, when I realized what it was and the possibilities it had in a survival-horror game, I felt a genuine sense of trepidation without anything having happened yet. Another's decor was so unsettling that I hoped it did not encompass the entire building; sadly, it was without relief. 

The soundtrack is replete with sound effects, keeping players on their toes for unseen threats or unbalancing them with groans, shuffles, and sobs. The voice acting is good; though the delivery may be stilted, the quality is there, though occasionally histrionic. 

A bonus soundtrack CD is included with the package, though its usefulness is dubious. This isn't Dance Dance Revolution, and I can't imagine most of the tunes being appropriate outside a Halloween party. 

Barring moments of frenetic combat, Silent Hill 3 is not a fast game — both in gameplay and during noticeable loading times, made more evident by patterns of writhing flesh and blood that animate the screen. On the normal difficulty setting, it will take average gamers under six hours to solve the puzzles, defeat the bosses, and clear the game. But the experiences they will have had on that journey will have made a worthwhile investment of your time and sanity.

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This article is copyright (c) 2003, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Gamebits, 02-Sep-03

Title	:	Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Platforms	:	Microsoft Xbox, Windows
Publisher	:	LucasArts
ESRB Rating	:	Teen
Game Rating	:	8.9
Review by	:	Ken Gagne

It is a time of civil war… but much longer ago than you'd expect. 

Four thousand years before Luke Skywalker would face Darth Vader, the Republic is under siege. Revan and Malak, heroes of the Mandalorian War, have seized control of the fleet to lead a Sith force against the Jedi Order. In this third-person role-playing game (RPG), players will explore the Force and decide the fate of the galaxy. 

Surprisingly, players do not immediately assume control of an all-powerful Jedi, but instead play a lowly scout, scoundrel, or soldier. Knights features a highly customizable character generation and progression system, rarely seen in console or story-driven RPGs. Attributes such as strength and dexterity, and skills that include demolitions, cybernetic implants, and persuasion, can be increased as suits the player. 

With such heavy overtures to a traditional, pencil-and-paper RPG, it shouldn't be surprising that the game talks about rolls and saving throws as though there were actual dice. If you're overwhelmed by such statistics, Knights will recommend progressions for your character, taking precise decisions out of your hands. 

Though the protagonist is human, players will meet and be accompanied by a variety of well-known alien races, including Wookiees, Twi'leks, and droids. Switching between each character is a snap, and is necessary to exploit each's strengths in various situations. A party member could repair a discarded droid to provide backup, while another hacks into a computer terminal to overload nearby power conduits. 

Each character can also play a different role in battle, where they attack with both ranged and melee weapons, including single and dual sabers, blasters, pistols, and grenades. Different accouterments offer a variety of bonuses and situational advantages, leading to much time spent in the inventory menu, changing one's equipment. Combat turns are transparent so as to appear to occur in real-time. Similar to Baldur's Gate, the action can be paused to issue commands and patterns to each combatant. It takes some getting used to to see a constant flurry of blaster fire, swordplay, and martial arts, and to not think of Knights as an action game. 

It is instead a role-playing game, as evidenced by the constant storytelling and the consequences of the player's participation. Different actions and responses can be chosen, some of which may produce the same outcome, but the illusion of agency keeps players involved; plus, one never knows when one will fall to the light or dark side. It is often easier and more lucrative to play a reckless, selfish mercenary, but earning Dark Points will transform the player into a force of evil, both physically and in capabilities. For example, the Force imbues only Sith, not Jedi, with Choke and Lightning powers, but such dark warriors are unlikely to illicit trust or friends, and will lead to the game's alternate ending. 

Should a fatal or unwise decision be made, it is easy enough to undo. The game can be saved anytime, the safety of the headquarters accessed from almost anywhere, and character "deaths" are only until the end of the battle. Despite these safeties, the game is no cakewalk, with many puzzles, side quests, and difficult encounters to overcome. 

Adding to that list of pitfalls, unfortunately, is variety of bugs which can freeze the game or disrupt the handling of equipment. Again, these can be worked around by saving regularly. It's something you should do anyway, as this game spans many worlds and many more hours, requiring a large investment of attention and energy. As the real-world days tick by, be sure to check Xbox Live, through which new items and accessories will be made available for download. 

Though the time is long before filmed Star Wars events, and during a war and with characters invented for this outing, the setting is still familiar. Technology has not changed, and players will return to the Skywalker homeworld of Tatooine and see for the first time the Wookiee world of Kashyyyk. Each world is bustling with activity and graphical detail, familiar yet alien. With so many characters with which to interact, and a limited number of models, many will begin looking identical, though small flourishes try to create originality. The camera is a flawless mix of automatic and manual control, ideal for an RPG. The biggest drawback is the occasional but severe slowdown in the middle of a busy battle. 

As with most Star Wars game, the aural component is important and impressive. John Williams' theme is evident, as are several original, subtle tunes that accompany exploration. All dialogue is spoken, regardless of the alien language, though foreign tongues say in ten words what subtitles say in two. Despite lacking an all-star cast of Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford, the quality is quite good. 

Knights of the Old Republic flexes the versatility of the Star Wars franchise with an offering that is neither the usual action game nor flight sim. Gamers who are accustomed to those genres and can't reconcile the far-off galaxy with careful character development and investigation may be put off by the relatively slow pace, but others will find the depth and breadth of this galaxy comprise a forceful adventure.

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This article is copyright (c) 2003, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Boston Beacon, 01-Sep-03

Title	:	Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
Platforms	:	Microsoft Xbox, Nintendo GameCube, Windows
Publisher	:	LucasArts
ESRB Rating	:	Teen
Game Rating	:	8.0
Review by	:	Jeremy Pallant

About a year ago I had the opportunity to review the game Star Wars: Obi-Wan. I wasn't particularly complimentary. A year later there is a curious sense of symmetry in reviewing another Star Wars game, but this time reaching rather different conclusions. Jedi Outcast is a very good game. The difference this time is that the developers were Raven Software, who have a wealth of experience when it comes to developing first-person shooting (FPS) games. 

The version of Jedi Outcast that ended up in my eager, not so little hands, was for the Xbox. I don't know whether it too used a version of the much-respected Quake III engine, but the results are sheer eye candy. It's a good-looking game. I can't honestly say it represents the best that the Xbox is capable of, but nonetheless it does look extremely good. Not that that should be regarded as some kind of guarantee; as anyone who has read my reviews will know, I tend to value game play over graphics every time. 

Fortunately, Star Wars: Jedi Outcast plays about as good as it looks. I confess that I've never been able to adjust to the keyboard and mouse scheme preferred by PC gamers, so to play an FPS with a controller is my preferred method. This game has been well adapted to the Xbox controller. There are two views available. The FPS view is the primary one, and uses the missile and energy weapons available. But when equipped with a lightsaber, a third person view is used instead, and to great effect. The lightsaber is possibly the most powerful weapon in the game. A formidable offensive weapon, it also serves as a daunting defense. 

In my Obi-Wan review, I was fairly scathing about the lightsaber's effectiveness. While it's still not the slice-all weapon depicted in the movie, it is much improved. For a game rated "Teen", it would be a bit much to expect to be able to cut a storm trooper in half, but look closely and you will see the occasional limb missing, particularly in your own death-scenes. On several occasions, after getting myself killed by a saber-wielding foe, the replay clearly showed that I was missing an arm. That's right. A feature pioneered by Max Payne, the death scene playback has made it into Jedi Outcast. 

It's not as cinematic as that found in Max Payne, and it lacks the slow-motion blood spray. Furthermore, in Max Payne, playback only occurred when it was entirely safe to do so. That is, when it was safe to distract the player. Jedi Outcast isn't as careful. Still, it's a nice touch, and one that hasn't actually disoriented me enough to result in a premature death. The playback is triggered either by your own death, or by making what, for want of a better expression, I shall call a special move with your own lightsaber that results in the slaying of an opponent. 

For this game, the character Kyle Katarn reprises the role he played in Star Wars: Dark Forces and Star Wars: Jedi Knight. Kyle, a mercenary and sometime Jedi, reminds me somewhat of Benton Quest, from the cartoon series Johnny Quest. As such, he looks a little out of place: he seems too fatherly a figure to be engaged in the kind of adventure depicted in these games. Along the way, you will also meet Luke Skywalker, and Lando Calrissian, the latter voiced by the actor who played him, Billy Dee Williams. Mark Hamill does not reprise his role as Luke, for reasons I cannot fathom; after all, it's not as if he's overrun by movie offers. 

Instead, Luke is given voice by one Bob Bergen. No stranger to this kind of work, this game makes at least six times Bob has played Luke Skywalker. He has also given voice to Tweety Pie and Porky Pig. Now I want to hear Luke say "I tawt I taw a puddy tat." 

The game moves along at a reasonable clip, and the plot is interesting enough to maintain the player's interest. You don't immediately have a lightsaber, but the collection of other weapons is more than sufficient to move you through the game. My one complaint about the weapons is the game's "golf bag " tendency. That is, the sheer weight of death dealing weaponry would, under normal circumstances, slow the bearer to a painful crawl. I know, it's only a game and some suspension of disbelief is necessary, but I'm always more comfortable with realistic burdens. A handgun or two, a longarm and lightsaber should be the maximum one could comfortably carry. 

Still, it has become traditional to provide a variety of weapons in first person shooters, and Jedi Outcast delivers. As I mentioned previously, the lightsaber is potentially the most powerful weapon you will acquire, and unlike the others, it is a very effective defense. It can deflect incoming, and even return that fire to its deliverer. To gain a saber, you must undergo a test, which includes learning Force powers. 

What would a game with the word "Jedi" in the title be without the Force? Various abilities become available to you as the game progresses, including Force Jump, Force Push, and my favorite, Force Grip. When activated, your target is raised into the air, and hangs there as his neck is slowly crunched, with suitable sound effects. It's not the kind of thing you want to do while under fire, but emulating Darth Vader is a lot of fun. and is a terribly satisfying feature. There are other Force powers available, but I'm not going to reveal too many spoilers. 

Enemy AI isn't bad. Most of the time you're going up against cannon fodder, but when it comes to single combat, things start to get more interesting. As you proceed through the game, you will come across enemies that use lightsabers and Force powers just as you do, and they can be challenging. You are advised to use your own saber against these people, because otherwise you will find your own weapons' fire being redirected upon you. However, with the right weapon and the advantage of surprise, it can be possible to overwhelm their defenses. 

Inevitably, the game is a traditional mission-based FPS, but interesting enough that doesn't detract from the experience. A little platform action is included, and some missions focus on stealth, providing an interesting change of pace. The game doesn't have stealth integrated as a feature like Tenchu or Metal Gear Solid: there just happen to be a few missions where avoiding the enemy is rewarded, and a gung-ho approach doesn't work. I actually found the stealth requirement to be somewhat irritating, especially because it often degenerated into a firefight anyway. I admit I would like to see a Star Wars game along the lines of the previously mentioned titles. 

While a Metal Gear Solid type of game should be a no-brainer, I find the idea of a Tenchu style title to be rather intriguing. While the ninja concept doesn't appear to be applicable to the Star Wars concept, the use of Force Jump, the lightsaber and other Force Powers parallels Tenchu's grappling hook, sword and Ninja magic. Throw in stealth, and telling the story from the Empire's perspective, and I think that the concept would be viable. Dark Side Force Ninja's anyone? 

The music is, of course, superlative, as we've come to expect from a Star Wars title. John Williams' compositions permeate the game, and enhance the atmosphere established by the first trilogy. Jedi Outcast truly adds to the story of the Rebel Alliance and its victory over the Empire, even as a side-story. 

There is one glaring omission that is the primary reason I gave Jedi Outcast a score of only 8.0: multiplayer mode. Don't get me wrong, it exists, but not online. As far as I can tell, not even GameSpy Arcade supports it for online play. I've not had the chance to try multiplayer against anyone but computer-controlled robots, which are actually a fairly challenging prospect, but to omit such a basic concept as online play is, frankly, incomprehensible. It was a significant factor in the PC version and to exclude it from the Xbox version is, given the similarities between a PC and the Xbox, odd in the extreme. 

Nonetheless, Star Wars: Jedi Outcast is a very good game, well worth the price of admission. It has excellent graphics and sound, a good plot, and a well-implemented control scheme. The classic Jedi weapon, the lightsaber, is implemented as well as the teen rating can allow it to be. In short, I highly recommend this game, unless you expect online play to be included. If it's online play on the Xbox you want, I advise you to seek out Unreal Tournament or MechAssault.

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This article is copyright (c) 2003, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Gamebits, 03-Apr-03

Title	:	Indiana Jones and the Emperor'S Tomb
Platforms	:	Microsoft Xbox, Sony PlayStation 2, Windows
Publisher	:	LucasArts
ESRB Rating	:	Teen
Game Rating	:	8.6
Review by	:	Ken Gagne

Lara Croft may have the curves, but only one man has the moves. 

The original tomb raider is back in Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb, from LucasArts for the Microsoft Xbox, PlayStation 2, and PC. (Xbox version reviewed here) 

In 1935, the Germans are seeking an ancient artifact: the Heart of the Dragon. Indiana Jones embarks on a globetrotting journey, from the towers of Prague to the depths of the tomb of China's first emperor, to recover this weapon with the power to control men's wills. 

Indiana's quest pits him against devious traps and relentless renegades which he overcomes using his whip, fists, and whatever tools he finds along the way. Indy has full command of his inventory, with two uses for each weapon. For example, not only can the whip be used to latch onto juts and swing across chasms, but also to pull distant enemies in for a swift punch, or to yank their armaments from their hands. Indy can then use these weapons against his opponents in multiple ways — even an unloaded gun is useful for pistol-whipping an enemy. 

The control scheme is not ideal when wanting to access a specific weapon during the heat of combat, often leaving players to practice the more expedient method of pummelling one's foes with one's fists. 

Although there is some mysticism to Indiana's adventures, his foes are usually common thugs, and the end-level "boss" is as likely to be an ages-old trap as a super-Nazi. Each is equally lethal, and vary only in how quickly they work to send Dr. Jones to the netherworld. 

The environment offers aid, with hidden items, collectible curios, and potential weapons such as broken chair legs. It's almost a shame to see the honored archaeologist destroying such precious antiquities, but the player's needs come before the protagonist's. 

The camera control is nearly flawless, with the right analog stick providing 3D control that lets players focus on opponents even in tight quarters. Flung enemies occasionally have their torsos disappear into solid walls, but this visual gaffe has no gameplay repercussion. When walls are lacking, players with acrophobia should be warned: Indy scales and swings above perilous, dizzying heights. 

The music is dynamic, able to change instantly depending on Indy's failure or success, without interrupting the gameplay. Variations on John Williams' perennial themes set the background, while sound effects and spoken dialogue (often in the local language) complete the surroundings. David Esch, who has formerly given video game voice to Harrison Ford's other iconic hero, Han Solo, does an admirable job here in his role as the whip-slinger. Though the way Indy huffs and wheezes after jogging, you wouldn't think this game to be a prequel. 

One stage takes on the characteristics of a shooter as Indy mans a gun mounted to the back of a vehicle. This level is incongruous in both gameplay and quality: the sense of speed is nearly nonexistent, the challenge is laughable, and the sound volume balance is terrible. It's best that this stage is brief. 

LucasArts has unearthed a solid title in this latest offering by packaging together reliable controls, good graphics, and a steady mix of puzzles, action, and exploration. Considering the interminable delays for the new Tomb Raider game, there's no riddle what the superior alternative is.

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This article is copyright (c) 2003, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Sentinel & Enterprise, 08-Mar-03

Title	:	Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
Platforms	:	Microsoft Xbox, PC
Publisher	:	Bethesda Softworks
ESRB Rating	:	Teen
Game Rating	:	7.5
Review by	:	Robert Boyd

Back when the CD format was introduced, people spoke enthusiastically about all the advantages that the new medium would provide to gaming: better graphics, higher quality music, spoken dialogue, fully animated movies, and gigantic virtual worlds. And although most of those advantages have been realized by now, one could argue that the size and length of video games has stayed nearly the same. Every year sees the release of many games that can be completed in just a few hours, which is a far cry from the virtual worlds that were promised long ago. 

Morrowind, an Xbox port of a popular action-RPG for the PC, breaks away from the crowd to deliver one of the most expansive worlds ever seen in a video game. Unlike most RPGs, Morrowind takes a non-linear approach to its world. Although the game does have a story of sorts (a stereotypical quest to find the truth about your forgotten past), players may opt to ignore the main quest entirely and focus on the game's vast world and optional quests. In fact, the game actually seems to encourage this approach. 

Morrowind plays similarly to the classic Ultima Underworld series and the more recent King's Field series. Played mostly from a first person perspective (with an optional third-person perspective), the player controls a single hero as he explores forests, mountains, and dungeons, fighting monsters and gaining treasure along the way. The game features a simple yet versatile character creation system, a complex magic system that allows the creation of custom spells, and a fun skill system with many different abilities to master (like lock picking, potion brewing, and shield mastery to name a few). Morrowind's environment is invoked with many well-done environmental effects, like rain and a day and night cycle. 

With so much going for it, it's a shame that Morrowind has some nasty flaws. Although the environmental graphics are adequate, the graphics used for monsters and humans are fairly mundane. The music, as well, isn't very memorable. The game is also somewhat buggy, with game-freezing bugs not unheard of. And while it technically isn't a flaw, the Xbox version lacks the powerful world editor that was one of the nicer features of the original PC game. 

These problems could be endured, but Morrowind has some more crucial problems with its gameplay. Combat is almost entirely a matter of statistics and luck. Run up to a monster while mashing on the attack button. If that doesn't work, reload a recent save, and do the exact same thing and see if the game's random number generator is kinder this time around. Sadly, the less violent aspects of the game don't fare much better. The game's conversation system allows the player to ask people questions on a wide variety of topics; unfortunately, asking different people the same questions will often result in the exact same response thus rendering such a system pointless. Finally, the highly promising exploration aspect of the game is greatly hampered by an infuriating slow running speed and long and frequent load times. 

Morrowind exemplifies a great idea coupled with a poor implementation. Exploring the world of Morrowind can easily take over a hundred hours to complete. Such length would normally be a good thing, but I fear most people will lose interest in the game long before then. Unless you are able to overlook the game's flaws, you should search elsewhere for your adventuring needs.

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This article is copyright (c) 2003, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Gamebits, 15-Feb-03

Title	:	Prisoner of War
Platforms	:	Microsoft Xbox, Windows
Publisher	:	Codemasters
ESRB Rating	:	Teen
Game Rating	:	7.5
Review by	:	Ken Gagne

Long-time readers of this column will know how highly I value successful execution of innovation. It wasn't until the recent Super Mario Sunshine that I realized how long it'd been since I'd played a non-violent game. 

Few stages in our world's history are as violent as World War II, and though the Medal of Honor series of games deserves accolades, it's still a first-person shooting game. So I was intrigued to hear of Codemasters' Prisoner of War wartime adventure for the Microsoft Xbox. The innovation? No weapons. 

A cross between Metal Gear Solid's stealth aspects and the old Nintendo game Rescue: The Embassy Mission, Prisoner of War drops players into a German camp in the midst of WWII. Stripped of all possessions and under close scrutiny, players must guide to freedom Captain Lewis Stone — who, in personality and looks, is a cross between Bruce Campbell and Pitfall Harry. 

To have proper expectations of this game, realize there is a difference between prisoner of war camps and the more dramatized concentration camps. Regardless, I'm challenged to believe an actual POW camp allowed its prisoners this much freedom, to retain their fine clothing, and that every guard had a smile on his face. 

They won't be smiling if they find Stone outside his province, though. Guards keep a close eye on their charges during the day, requiring that they attend meals and roll calls; Stone will get much of his exploration done at night, when boot polish will blend his face in with the surroundings. As with Shenmue II, a "timeskip" feature allows players to instantly move to any time of the day, though wasted hours count against one's final score. Regardless of the time, there's something incredibly nerve-wracking about sneaking around forbidden areas in a German camp. 

It'd be an even tenser situation if the guards shot to kill, but they always give Stone the benefit of the doubt — placing him in the cooler or, in the worst case, the infirmary. Players must bribe a guard to have their belongings returned, but otherwise there is little danger or drama to the actual act of being caught. 

Despite all the items with which Stone improvises, there is little player initiative. Each of the game's chapters is divided into tasks, such as reaching a specific building in the compound and acquiring an item. The steps necessary to make a safe trip are usually specific and must be executed to achieve success. Other prisoners will often outline the exact routine Stone must follow, from evading an enemy patrol to which key to find and use where. 

The graphics maintain some fine effects. Dreary days splatter raindrops onto the screen, not really obscuring one's vision but making the weather seem all the more present. The details of Stone's fellow inmates are difficult to discern, though. When there are a dozen people milling about the exercise yard and barracks, and players are seeking a specific one, there'll be much interrogation. This part of the game is similar to Escape from Monkey Island, and though Stone is flippant and cocky, it is without the humor. Despite the variety of people he'll meet in camps, they become little more than talking heads when encountered. 

With only so many routes players can take to escape, and with predefined outcomes, Prisoner of War is little more than a series of exercises. They can be fun and challenging, but you're still just going through the motions. It's a game that's unlikely to hold you captive.

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This article is copyright (c) 2002, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Sentinel & Enterprise, 23-Sep-02

Title	:	Turok Evolution
Platforms	:	Nintendo GameCube, Microsoft Xbox, Sony PlayStation 2, Windows
Publisher	:	Acclaim
ESRB Rating	:	Mature
Game Rating	:	8.1
Review by	:	Ken Gagne

Evolution: a gradual process in which something changes into a different form. 

Thus Turok Evolution, a game published by Acclaim for all current systems, is not necessarily better than its predecessors — just different. [GameCube version reviewed here] 

Turok is a first-person shooter set in the land time forgot. Our hero, Tal'Set, is a 19th-century Native American who has been pulled into a world teeming with dinosaurs and warring clans. Players guide the unwilling hero to master an assortment of armaments and defeat the merciless monsters. 

Turok's once-natural foes have grown into a more intelligent threat. The dinosaurs and denizens of other Turok games are now accompanied by bipedal lizards equipped with lethal weaponry. This evolution from biological to technological has detracted somewhat from the natural charm of the Turok series: our hero is now less a dinosaur hunter and more a guerrilla. 

The aggressors usually demonstrate some thought in their activity. Individual foes won't attack if they don't have a clear shot, and pairs of soldiers can coordinate their strafing runs. Turok progresses clearly from one level to the next, without any returning to past levels to search for more items. Getting past the enemies in even the first level will be a surprising challenge to Turok veterans. However, the enemies' use of tracer bullets clearly marks their locations, making it easy to snipe them and placing more emphasis on missile attacks than on melee. 

Take missiles in the literal sense, as you'll be firing plenty of them from the back of your airborne pteranodon. As with Star Fox 64, these flying levels are both on rails (directed movement in one direction) and free-range. If not for the on-screen targeting scope, neither the presence of an enemy nor its destruction would likely be noticed. These prehistoric planes have little of the control of their more modern counterparts, and though these levels are an unexpected diversion, one is left to wonder what they're doing in a Turok game? 

Though the pternodons may not handle well, the ground controls are a more complex issue, as there are a limited number of configurations. The setup most similar to the Nintendo 64, on which previous Turok games were played, makes jumping an arduous activity, suggesting players should train themselves to a different layout. 

Almost all the local flora reacts to Tal'Set's movements, with waving fronds and trees that can be chopped down. The environment becomes pixelated and two-dimensional upon close scrutiny, though. He may be free to wander off the beaten path and into the brush, but a two-dimensional wall of vines will halt his progress as sure as any grenade. 

As with all first-person games, Evolution is laden with multiplayer modes. The unlikely rules can include "Capture the Fire", holding a monkey for as long as possible, or aerial dogfights. Most scenarios are intended for teams or large groups, and without the option for computer-controlled opponents, a mere pair of gamers will quickly grow bored. 

Also boring are load times surprisingly interminable for so small a disc; moving between levels or even menus creates a wait of a second or several. 

Between load times, I hoped for this game to eventually evolve into the fantastic experience I was expecting, but was ultimately underwhelmed. Turok is a beautiful and challenging game that doesn't have enough unique qualities to make it stand out. Deathmatches were done better in Perfect Dark, and in some ways, even the first Turok better captured the sense of the Lost Land. Alas, those times are ancient history. 

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 Related reviews: 

 
• Turok: Dinosaur Hunter 
• Turok 2: Seeds of Evil 
• Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion 

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This article is copyright (c) 2002, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Sentinel & Enterprise, 16-Sep-02