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Not just another clone of Doom... Doom was the benchmark for FPS games for a very long time, but that was shattered in 1997 by two games. The first to come out was Turok: Dinosaur Hunter, which happens to be one of my twenty favorite games of all time. Yeah, it was about as mindless as Doom, but it was a hundred times harder than Doom could ever have been, even on the hardest difficulty setting. Developed by Iguana, this game went on to be a brilliant success for the N64 in so many ways. Turok was the new class of FPS and it was the originator.
The story goes something like this: The Campaigner, the ruler of the Lost Land, is out to seize the Chronosceptor weapon so he can rule all of time like a dictator. Turok must stop him and his minions at all costs. That's about all the story this game would need. Turok 2 and Turok 3 erred somewhat in making a deeper story, but they did fine when they needed to. The game also starts on a gradual arc with bows and arrows, but then progresses to hi-tech 25th Century technology. That isn't precise, but that's what I'm guessing.
The graphics are very well-designed, with a moderate amount of pop-up, but that's acceptable because this game was developed six years ago. There is very little slowdown and there is really no tearing in the graphics and the environments are really good for the most part. I have no major complaints here.
Controls are different because you are using the C buttons but you will get used to them in a hurry. Alas, jumping is not perfect, but it is good enough. If you time it right, you should be okay. Hit detection is razor-sharp in this game, which is very rare for games even today.
The game design is well-conceived and the map can help you through the trouble spots. There are plenty of hidden spots on the maps for weapons, the chronosceptor weapon pieces, and so on. The boss battle levels are well-designed with plenty of breathing room to allow you to elude the enemy with more ease.
The music plays loud enough as background music, but the sound effects and editing is enough to make up for that. The music is actually fairly catchy for a few levels, like the Ancient City level is pretty nice.
The gameplay and the fun factor are through the roof because the game is so challenging and engaging as you look for the keys to unlock the other worlds, which is how you progress, and you look for the pieces to the chronosceptor weapon so you can stop the Campaigner. This is a real gem that is often in Goldeneye's shadow, but the game is getting better appreciation.
This is Acclaim and Iguana's magnum opus. It is a shame that the game has not gotten the amount of attention it deserves because it is a rich, deep game. There could have been a multiplayer mode, but what would the point have been? This does better as a one player shoot-em-up. A masterpiece for the ages. -- Chris Vavra, PGNx Media
---- Aug 7, 2003
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