Spigot
06-14-2009, 07:52 PM
Some things just go great together, like peanut butter and chocolate. Or in the case of today's Turning The Spigot game, Disney and over-the-top brutal violence.
The Mark Of Kri
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3597/3625952493_2e05401393.jpg?v=0
Year: 2002
Platform: PS2
Rating: Evisceratingly Awesome
# of Players: 1
The Mark Of Kri falls into the third-person action genre, but manages to rise above the sea of mediocrity inherent in that genre by having innovative game mechanics and a brilliant sense of artistic vision driving the story.
You play as Rau, a warrior who, unlike most protagonists, has a look inspired by Polynesian tribal peoples, right down to the intricate tattoos that cover his body. This look is bolstered by the sort of cel-shaded look that permeates the entire game. Rau and the other characters in the world move with a fluid grace that belies their hulking frames. Couple the gorgeous (esp. for its time) in-game visuals with jaw-dropping animated cutscenes and some of the better voicework to ever grace a gameworld and you're in for a treat on the A/V side of things.
As you make your way through the lush world of The Mark Of Kri, you'll engage in stealth kills and wholesale carnage. Don't let the inclusion of stealth in a third-person action game scare you off though. You have an eagle who acts as your spirit guide which can be sent out to scout the level and act as a second set of eyes as you try to slice and dice your way through the opposing forces without raising an alarm. That said, if you are spotted and have to mix it up, you'll find that Rau can more than hold his own with the arsenal of nasty weapons at his disposal. There are several swords and other sharp implements that are used to take the enemies apart with quite graphic death animations.
This is where the art style really grabs your attention as the Disneyesque visuas are not where you expect to find a hearty dollop of ultraviolence. Rau beheads, eviscerates and just plain murderizes anything that gets in his path using a very innovative control scheme. You don't just mash buttons to beat on the baddies in Mark Of Kri. The left stick moves Rau around while the right stick is used to sweep an beam of light that 'paints' up to 3 enemies around Rau. Each enemy is assigned one of the Dualshock's face buttons and Rau will pull off a different kind of attack depending on the distance to the enemy, its position relative to Rau (ie. in front, to the sides or behind him) and the weapon that he is using. It sounds kind of tricky but it becomes second nature after you've spent a bit of time with them. You can also pick off archers and other enemies with your bow and arrow and by using the environment in certain areas.
2cJOZ6h4jcc
The Mark Of Kri did well enough when it was released in 2002 and even scored itself a sequel, The Rise Of The Kasai, in 2005. You can still find it here and there at game stores and online.
The Mark Of Kri
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3597/3625952493_2e05401393.jpg?v=0
Year: 2002
Platform: PS2
Rating: Evisceratingly Awesome
# of Players: 1
The Mark Of Kri falls into the third-person action genre, but manages to rise above the sea of mediocrity inherent in that genre by having innovative game mechanics and a brilliant sense of artistic vision driving the story.
You play as Rau, a warrior who, unlike most protagonists, has a look inspired by Polynesian tribal peoples, right down to the intricate tattoos that cover his body. This look is bolstered by the sort of cel-shaded look that permeates the entire game. Rau and the other characters in the world move with a fluid grace that belies their hulking frames. Couple the gorgeous (esp. for its time) in-game visuals with jaw-dropping animated cutscenes and some of the better voicework to ever grace a gameworld and you're in for a treat on the A/V side of things.
As you make your way through the lush world of The Mark Of Kri, you'll engage in stealth kills and wholesale carnage. Don't let the inclusion of stealth in a third-person action game scare you off though. You have an eagle who acts as your spirit guide which can be sent out to scout the level and act as a second set of eyes as you try to slice and dice your way through the opposing forces without raising an alarm. That said, if you are spotted and have to mix it up, you'll find that Rau can more than hold his own with the arsenal of nasty weapons at his disposal. There are several swords and other sharp implements that are used to take the enemies apart with quite graphic death animations.
This is where the art style really grabs your attention as the Disneyesque visuas are not where you expect to find a hearty dollop of ultraviolence. Rau beheads, eviscerates and just plain murderizes anything that gets in his path using a very innovative control scheme. You don't just mash buttons to beat on the baddies in Mark Of Kri. The left stick moves Rau around while the right stick is used to sweep an beam of light that 'paints' up to 3 enemies around Rau. Each enemy is assigned one of the Dualshock's face buttons and Rau will pull off a different kind of attack depending on the distance to the enemy, its position relative to Rau (ie. in front, to the sides or behind him) and the weapon that he is using. It sounds kind of tricky but it becomes second nature after you've spent a bit of time with them. You can also pick off archers and other enemies with your bow and arrow and by using the environment in certain areas.
2cJOZ6h4jcc
The Mark Of Kri did well enough when it was released in 2002 and even scored itself a sequel, The Rise Of The Kasai, in 2005. You can still find it here and there at game stores and online.