More Articles on The Mark of Kri
The Mark of KriThe Mark of Kri - Video FootageThe Mark of KriE3 2002: The Mark of KriThe Mark of Kri ScreenshotsLatest News
WAR Gathers MomentumTGS 08: More No More HeroesFable 2 Co-op Available On LaunchEA: FIFA 09 'Fastest Selling Ever'Resistance: Retribution To Use PSP PlusUser Reviews
There are currently 0 User Reviews for The Mark of KriWrite your own review for this game today and you will receive 100 Gamer Points.
Click here to register
E3 2002: The Mark of Kri News
Chris Leyton
00/12/0000
We take a first playtest of SCEA inspired action/adventure title that should shake up the genre.
The action/adventure genre needed to evolve; The Mark of Kri looks to be the game to do just that, a radical fighting system, cool visuals and interesting gameplay features are just some of the points that make The Mark of Kri stand out from the rest of the crowd. We got the chance to play through a level in the game and a special arena mode to fully test out the combat system.
Assuming the role of Rau a mighty warrior with the assistance of his trusty bird Kuzo, players set off to save the world from the Dark One. The first thing that strikes you is the unique combat system, using the right thumbstick to wave a target around to highlight enemies, a button icon then appears above their heads, pressing the corresponding button will then attack the enemy. This technique allows you to fight multiple enemies seamlessly, and produces battles that look absolutely amazing, at one point youâll be slashing the limbs off an opponent, a quick button press will then trust your sword in the chest of the guy behind you, it all look so impressive and moves away from the tedious button-bashing found in every other action/adventure title. The system also eliminates the camera troubles found in other titles, as rather then having to constantly switch the camera, the button will home in on the enemy allowing you to easily and gracefully kill the huge amounts of enemies that thwart your efforts. As you progress through the game youâll learn new moves and be able to pull off varying comboâs and instant kill attacks. Despite its Mulan styled visuals this is anything but a kids title, you can chop heads off, slash limbs, whack an enormous axe in the chest of a fallen enemy, this is certainly not one to be showing your grandmother.
Kuzo plays an important role in the game; throughout the levels youâll notice highlighted spots that allow you to send Kuzo out to scan the area. The camera pans out as Kuzo flies to the point, switching to a first person perspective to find out how many enemies are there and what weapons theyâre carrying, an essential feature if you want to get anywhere in the game. Scouting the area first allows you to quietly enter and dispatch the enemy quickly and quietly; a stealth approach isnât essential however it certainly helps.
Visually the game is very striking, the overall look is very reminiscent of Disneyâs Mulan, featuring an Asian feel with the traditional mouse house styled animation. Itâs certainly not the most impressive PS2 title weâve seen, however it comes together very well. Textures on the whole lack detail, but because of the cartoon approach this doesnât really affect the style. On the plus side they are very crisp and feature a fair amount of variety.
The brief playtest has left me wanting more, The Mark of Kri is due for release in the summer so weâll be paying a closer look soon. I urge all action/adventure fans and those whoâve lost the faith in the genre like myself to pay close attention to this one, certainly one to keep an eye out for.
