Turok 3: Shadow Of Oblivion Review

One of the best first person shooters for the N64 has been the Turok series. They're exciting, blood thirsty fun. From the original dinosaur hunting premise to battling aliens and monsters in Turok 2, what the hell could Turok 3 possibly encompass? Dishonest chartered accountants?

Highs:

Save Anywhere!

Good Control

Dark, Mature Storyline

Alternate Paths

Lows:

Slow Down

Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion decides to steal from its' past and incorporate environments from both its predecessors. Prepare to battle amazing beasts in futuristic ruins, underwater bases and the wild jungle of the Lost Lands. The graphics are out of this world but there is the occasional glitch with the animation. The framerante is slow and sticky feeling. It's designed to simulate the dip you experience while walking and shifting the weight from one foot to the other. In real life, your brain compensates for the movement and you're not continually conscience of it. No such luck here. It's like being on a cruise ship with a quart of Tequila coursing through your veins.

There is lots going on in this game, from the interactive storyline to the upgradeable weapons. You can even add to the excitement with multi-players and choose from 48 maps and eight play modes including Capture the Flag.

If you're a Turok player from way back, the controls will feel comfortable and familiar. First-time players will enjoy the new features which include auto-save and the ability to manually save anywhere . Pop-up guides will assist you in your directives and help you navigate your way through the massive levels. These are great features which keep the game moving along and your anxiety levels down.

The enemies are a lot harder to find, taking advantage of the dark fringes. They attack when you least expect it and with little warning. It really makes me want to kill them. The look of the game is cleaner and clearer without the fog that permeated past games. The bosses are frustrating. You will have to use good old-fashioned serendipity to kill them - or cheat codes.

You have a choice of two playable characters, Danielle and Joseph. Each one has different abilities and takes different paths through the game. When you've completed the game, you can go through it as the other character and enjoy it all over again. It's like two games in one.

The movies are brilliant, the cut scenes are painless and the voice acting is so close to Hollywood that I can almost smell the alcohol and anti-psychotic medication on their breath. The music captures the mood perfectly for each level, from dark and suspicious to full blown discordant frenzy; you'll feel like you've been attacked by every instrument in the orchestra.

This is a pretty tasty treat although it's darker than the previous Turoks. But that's all right because at least it's not afraid to explore new terrifying territory. Hey Acclaim, keep them coming.