Turok (PS3)

A very good -- but not extraordinary -- sci-fi shooter.
2/8/2008 12:00 AM | 0 Comments | Page 2 of 2

Turok also offers a few context-sensitive moments, where you must press the correct button repeatedly, according to the onscreen icon. This might be to open heavy doors, to prevent a dinosaur from eating you by opening its mouth wide enough to escape, or to perform a quiet kill with your combat knife up close. Players should also master a dodge-and-roll maneuver, which will come in handy for those who want to stay alive.

Speaking of which, along with being ripped down off a ladder by two raptors, other highlights include intense boss fights against both man and beast (nope, we won't give away too much, here).

Visually speaking, the developers at Propaganda Games did a great job creating a lush, green world in which to play. I'd estimate two-thirds of the game takes place outdoors, offering multiple paths and hiding places from which to choose. At times you'll see a small arrow indicating where you're supposed to go next, but you don't feel like you're on a tight leash. The dinosaurs move smoothly and enjoy high-resolution scaly textures (which you can really only appreciate when you're up close ... after they're dead, of course). Water and blood also look quite good.

Along with the eight-hour-or-so single-player campaign, which is decent but not exceptional, Turok also features a number of multiplayer maps and modes for up to 16 players. This includes traditional Deathmatch and Capture the Flag games, a mission-based war game (with tasks such as "defend your base" or "find a bomb"), and the cream of the crop, a co-op mode where players can form a squad and battle another team of up to four gamers.

For those who want to host a private match, you've got about a dozen rules to tweak including whether or not you want friendly fire (and if you want to punish teammate killers with a "betrayal penalty"), respawn times, flag carrying options and more.

As confirmed by Propaganda Games, the PlayStation 3 version of Turok is virtually identical to the Xbox 360 version, but online PS3 gamers can't chat on a headset while playing with others. Also, at the time of writing this, it's more difficult to find players on the PlayStation Network compared to the many eager gamers on Xbox Live, therefore there are less options for types of games, and generally speaking less players per game.

The multiplayer maps and modes are ok, with co-op being the highlight, but there are many better examples of CTF and Deathmatch thanks to last year's stellar shooter lineup.

Because of its blasé weapons and relatively short solo campaign, Turok is a good but not great game. Gamers can definitely finish the single-player adventure over a weekend, and should get a few weeks of multiplayer fun, but it's one of those titles that straddle between a rental and a must-buy. In other words, Turok doesn't stand up to the likes of other recent shooters, but it does offer cool kills, attractive environments and some nail-biting moments.

This review was based on a retail copy of the game provided by the publisher.