Volume 6

Ever have one of those times where a game's plot leaves you so utterly speachless you don't know weither to scream in confusion or admire the complexity of it all? We'll at least in this game you wont be screaming (at least not in confusion). Now, I've played some fun games in my time....which dates back to before Dig Dug and the Atari 2600 (but not by much), but i have to say that this game took that element of fun to the next level. Long and somewhat complex this is a game best played in the middle of the night where your mind is already playing tricks on you. Why? Because the game tries it's damnedest to mess with your head. And Trust me, after spending a few hours with your character completely bonkers you start getting a little wacky yourself....unfortunately you also get a severe headache if you have the volume up much.

Control...sensivive and most of the time acurate. The placement of the action button is curious (it's "B"hich is the smallest button on the controler save the start button) as the game is essentially a marrage of Tomb Raider and Resident Evil. The Tomb Raider Elements are in the puzzles, where often times you must find an item to move forward, and more times than not you know exactly where to put it. However trust the RE elements to give the game that little kick in the balls to make it strive for excelence. The items that one must use are usually logically placed....for a game. While true you will sometimes find yourself asking "how did he get in here?" That is easily ignored due to the more immediate threat of the monster that's throwing lightning at you. But you are not without your defences. The Magick (nope, didn't spell it wrong. that how it's spelled in the game) system is surprisingly easy to understand and use. I have only one thing more to say about the gameplay.....beware the bosses!

The music (when there is music) is great. It sets the area perfectly and usually is present in just the right ammount, not too loud or soft. As far as the sound effects go the game is top notch. You can hear the zombies sticking to the floor, their head go "pop", (no thats not the sound it makes) and the monsters crys and roars are excelent. Guns sound like guns....but the bladed weapons make the same sound no matter what you hit with them (Save Zombies of course). And the Voice acting is among the best I've seen thus far in a game. The Characters are voiced perfectly and the lip syncing is exceptional. And for all you Metal Gear fans out there David Hayter (Solid Snake) is one of the voices. No Snake isn't in the game.

Ok to the games Credit it was origionally going to be an N64 game (no really, it was) however as far as the GameCube goes...well...they just weren't up to par. They aren't bad but I often had to wonder if I would see a difference if i played the same game on the PS2. Much of the game was already in the works on the 64 and aparently a lot of the graphic stayed. Cleared up of course, but in some points that wasn't a good thing. The Character models when viewed closely are blocky and some of the smaller graphics are still the same as they would be on the 64 (probably post expansion pack though). Though it's noticable throughout the game: that little fact doesn't really make itself to obvious until the very end.

Lets just say the first three levels are a tutorial and then it's a free for all. The dificulty of this game really depends on luck, skill, and a certain ammount of brain matter being in your skull.

Smooth out the characters a bit more. The game is just a bit beyond anything more that could be asked of it.

Make the puzzles simpler and give the game horrible voice acting. That would have to do it. And if you took out the Insanity Effects, the game just wouldn't be the same...

A Great game with excelent acting, production, and the backing of Silicon Knights, you cant really go wrong in getting this one. A must play for the system Eternal Darkness is—at the very least--worth a rental or two.

The graphics...it both added to the game and bugged me....I mean Look at what they did to remake of RE (Resident Evil).

Draco's Game Reviews © Ben C. Broome 2002+