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Platform Filters:   All Platforms  Xbox   GameCube   PlayStation 2   PC   Game Boy Advance   Site Sections:   Updates  News   Games   Publishers   Developers   Reviews   Previews   Release Dates   Editorials   Glossary   Contact Us		Review:       3rd April 2003: The Mark of Kri  I overlooked this game last year at ECTS thinking nothing much of it. I know now I am a fool... Posted by John Wasabi - PlayStation 2 - UK and Europe I'll be honest, I first saw The Mark of Kri last September at ECTS and impressions of it weren't lasting. It looked like any other 3rd person action game out there and the control mechanics of your character was not easily accessible. Without a second thought I brushed it out off my checklist of games to play in 2003. My point is? People make mistakes and I am here to repent my foolish ways. The Mark of Kri is deceivingly awesome in design, gameplay and quality. On it's mild surface it may seems like any other game, but play some more and you'll find something very special lurking underneath if you give it a chance. It may take 10 to 20 minutes before it all clicks in but once it does, you'll begin to appreciate the whole mechanics of this wonderfully crafted game. You play Rau, a warrior trained in the many arts of combat now turned mercenary battling evildoers. Rau is not alone in his quest; Kuzo the family's sacred bird plays an integral part to the game and not just a mere sidekick. You could say it helps play a strategic element for the player as he is able to view the surroundings from what Kuzo sees so you can be warned of any danger that may lurk ahead. He also helps access switches that are inaccessible to you just to name a few of his other talents. The main focus of the game is not your sidekick though; it is without a doubt the fighting system that allows the player to lock onto a group of enemies by pointing at them using the right analogue stick. You can then attack any surrounding enemy from any angle using various button combinations thus allowing Rau to attacks enemies without having to face them. Clever eh? The combo system is designed to create group-fighting experiences, while simultaneously eliminating the problem of camera orientation and it works very well. It allows players to face any direction while fighting enemies behind, on the side, or in front of Rau. Beginning to sound like a mindless hack and slash game? Well it would if that's all you're supposed to do but credit to Sony; they have thought it out thoroughly giving us loads of extras. The game requires elements of stealth rewarding players with gruesome (but cool) stealth kill animations like Tenchu. This thrown into the mix adds a whole load of extra gameplay and they didn't stop there either. You'll be given a bow later allowing you to dispatch of enemies from afar, piercing the enemy's head will result in instant death so there's a kind of tension trying to hit moving enemies cause the slightest miss will result in them being alerted. Like a good stealth game, The Mark of Kri can be played in a number of ways, stealthily, chaotically, or a bit of both. The more you pay attention to the strategic and stealth aspects, the more the game has to offer. In every level, there are a number of paths to choose from that are cunningly placed. In each, players can collect a handful of items, including a special scroll that rewards them with goodies such as artwork, outfits and bonus levels. Graphically the Mark of Kri is awesome, with beautifully blended colours, crisp animation and stylized detailed effects such as armour falling off and limbs flying all over the place as you hack at your helpless opponents, you cant help but feel wowed at the excessive violence of this game while portraying graphical likeness to a Disney cartoon. The landscapes are beautiful, the jungles and forest all make you feel like you are in a living environment. Music chosen for the game is well suited for the atmosphere you are in. You'll hear a mixture of tribal drumbeats, accompanied by various flutes and horns. You almost feel like you are in 'Last of the Mohican' and this suits the game well. The narrator's voice is superb with a deep resonating sternness with only the identity revealed in the end. I really enjoyed The Mark of Kri and I still do even after completing it. However, it is not without it's faults. Your character Rau feels clunky, he runs like a turtle and once spotted by an enemy there is no escape. Switching weapons during a battle is slow and cumbersome; perhaps a shortcut scheme would have helped it out much more. The camera orientation mentioned earlier isn't perfect but works well only failing when the camera gets stuck on objects in tight areas. These minor glitches are soon outweighed though and you have to be real picky to let them affect your enjoyment of the game. Chances are The Mark of Kri will be overlooked by most of the general public. Shame really, I fell in that trap too. The Mark of Kri is highly original, great to play and obscenely violent, if you want to play a game with all those points I just mentioned then dont look any further and give this game a chance. John Wasabi             Latest Images:		Review Scores:    Graphics:   Sound:   Gameplay:   Length:   Overall: Click here for our Review Score Guidelines.  Review Summary:  Chances are The Mark of Kri will be overlooked by most of the general public. Shame really, I fell in that trap too. The Mark of Kri is highly original, great to play and obscenely violent, if you want to play a game with all those points I just mentioned then dont look any further and give this game a chance.  Related Games:  The Mark of Kri for PlayStation 2  11  Screenshots  1  Review Click here for All Game Information.
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