Introduction
Turok has always been a huge license for Nintendo,
but even though the games have appeared on almost every
bit of hardware they've released, this is its first
appearance on the GBA. As with the Gamecube version,
there was probably a huge temptation to produce a handheld
First Person Shooter (FPS), but wisely the developers
have stuck with what the Gameboy does best and presented
us with a platformer-come-shooter version of this classic
hunting title. Anyone who's sampled the delights of
Turok on the GBC will feel right at home here. As for
everyone else, read on to find out if the game the entire
gaming community's been talking about all year has lived
up to the hype.
GamePlay
You tackle two different types of gameplay playing
Turok. The first, and most common is the platformer
section, where you travel from left to right blasting
everything in your path. The real challenge here is
that you also get troops appearing from behind just
when there's a tricky dinosaur to deal with. There are
also many things to avoid as stuff like mines, smart
bombs and barbed wire will sap your health instantly.
Help is at hand with various weapon upgrades, but as
some of these are limited in the amount of time or ammo
they offer, you still have to be a pretty sharp shooter
in order to reach the end of the level.
The other sections can best be described as a kind
of Cabal shooter from the early days of arcade games.
Here the screen automatically scrolls and you control
a crosshair onscreen in order to fire at everything
that attacks. This is actually slightly easier than
the platform sections as there are a lot of extra weapons
lying around to aid you in your quest. Things do get
considerably tougher though, so if you reach an end
of level boss you'll usually have to work out exactly
where its weak point is before defeating it.
There are some downsides to Turok, which severely
hamper what could have been a classic title. The first
is one that we've come to expect, where the multiplayer
option requires two copies of the game to indulge in
extended gameplay. The second is the unforgivable password
system, which not only has far too many digits but also
requires two separate codes--one for the level and the
other for weapons, health status, etc. This is far too
complicated; selecting a "continue?" prompt
would have been easier and a lot more satisfying in
the long run. This really is a game that would have
benefited so much from a battery backup and it's a huge
oversight by Acclaim that it doesn't have one.
Controls
Considering the number of weapons that can be collected
and utilized, Turok features some very intelligent interface
and control systems. This is mostly provided by an 'inventory
wheel', which is entered via the shoulder buttons so
rather than having to scroll through masses of options
in order to select your weapon (which can take some
time in other titles), the 'wheel' only highlights your
current available weapons, saving time and frustration.
Everything else is just as you'd expect and classic
platform controls have been implemented, which are both
simple to use and responsive in play.
Graphics
From the comic book style intro to the actual in-game
graphics, there's enough eye candy in Turok Evolution
to satisfy even the most cynical of gamers. The animation
is excellent and everything moves in an extremely fluid
manner, even the sizable dinosaurs. Where this title
really shines though is in the special effects department.
The developers have tapped into the GBA’s considerable
graphical power to produce some wonderful transparency
effects and multi-parallax scrolling backgrounds. If
all this isn't enough, you have the weapons and explosions,
all of which are truly outstanding, even occasionally
reflecting on surrounding objects when fired--brilliant.
Sound & Music
The audio department seems to be a gaming aspect
ignored by some developers and as a result, often feels
like an afterthought. Great sound though can make an
average game better and a good game great. Turok Evolution
approaches the sound in a George Lucas fashion so every
section of the audio--from the soundtrack to the various
sound effects--complements the gameplay wonderfully.
This is another game where it's essential to root out
a good set of headphones to get maximum effect, so if
you haven't got any then now's probably a good time
to invest in this essential GBA accessory.
Final Comments
Turok is a tough game even on the 'normal' setting,
although this is no bad thing as most platformers suffer
from being too simple and therefore, too short. Minor
quibbles aside, the good news is that it was definitely
worth the wait. The game is full of great audio, visuals,
and some impressive level design. The two player option
adds greater longevity and rather than being an afterthought
it's obvious that this aspect was intended to be included
from the start. If you're fed up with platformers that
only last a day and are thirsty for a solid gaming challenge
then Turok could be just what you're looking for. Casual
hunters need not apply.
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