Product description
-------------------
The mantle has been passed. You've become Protector of
the Earth. You are now Turok Dinosaur Hunter.
From the Manufacturer
---------------------
Turok Dinosaur Hunter comes to Nintendo 64 bringing with
it a revolution in first-person gaming and a new level of video
gaming intensity. Turok: Dinosaur hunter shows no mercy.
P.when('A').execute(function(A) {
A.on('a:expander:toggle_description:toggle:collapse',
function(data) {
window.scroll(0,
data.expander.$expander[0].offsetTop-100);
});
});
Review
------
Originally slated for release last year, the much
delayed and anticipated Turok truly makes a case for 64-bit
gaming. Of course there's one big question we're all asking: Does
Turok, a game based on an obscure comic book character, actually
live up to the lofty N64 standards? Surprisingly, the answer is
yes.
Turok is quite interesting in many ways, especially since it's
one of the first third party titles released for the system (by
Accl nonetheless), and the second action oriented title for
this platform. Rather than wallowing in the world of Doom clones,
Turok truly lives up to its subtitle (Dinosaur Hunter) and mimics
a hunting safari. And instead of packing the levels full of
monsters, turning the game into a white-knuckle fest of constant
action, Turok moves a little more deliberately - though not less
brutally. Players have the time to choose their actions more
carefully, and actually sneak up on enemies one at a time.
The enemies in Turok look amazing. Killing them looks even
better, as some of them have long-drawn-out death animations.
Some guys grab their necks as blood spurts out in a dazzling
fountain of crimson - grab their necks, that is, before they
crumple to the ground and th around before giving up the
ghost. Some of the dinosaurs flop around on the ground when
they've been dealt a al blow, and as they th, blood flies
everywhere.
The rest of the game's graphics are also amazing - but they come
at a high cost. Since the enemies are made up of so many
polygons, the system can only handle three or four enemies
onscreen at a time. To compensate for this limitation, enemies
beam to your location in a Star Trek fashion. This gameplay
sleight of hand keeps the action going without sacrificing the
game's frame rate. Put another way, confront an enemy, run away,
and then turn around to see them all onscreen. The result? The
game's frame rate drops to an achingly slow three or four frames
per second. Thankfully, this doesn't happen very often, and the
bulk of the game runs at a fairly brisk pace. Also, a thick mist
shrouds Turok's universe. It creates a steamy jungle atmosphere
and keeps the player's visibility down to around 25 yards. This
provides a neat effect, especially when monsters emerge from the
mist fangs first, but it also conceals the N64's limitations by
keeping the onscreen polygon count lower than it would otherwise
be.
Turok is one of the first console games that could be called
totally immersive. Besides the great graphics, the ambient sound
effects are awesome. Bird calls and tiger yells are perfectly
rendered, and convey the feeling that you are not isolated in a
dungeon of death. The music soundtrack mainly consists of jungle
drums, and it works well within the parameters of the game, even
if it does get a bit repetitive.
Also adding to the list of factors that help move Turok past the
realm of being a game (and more towards an experience) is the
control. Although extremely awkward at first (the analog
controller is used for turning and head motion, while the yellow
C buttons are used for actual movement), the controls are totally
accurate and very well done. After a bit of practice, picking off
a grenade-tossing goon and sending him plummeting off a distant
ledge won't be a problem.
In terms of layout and design, the game is broken up into eight
levels, each of which can only be accessed after a certain number
of keys are found. This means Turok must wander around and
collect these keys while men try to riddle him with bullets and
dinosaurs try to tear him apart. The levels are amazingly huge -
tough, but not empty. In fact, on some of the later levels, if
you were to just run in a straight line, it would still take
three or four minutes to make it across.
Turok is more than just another Doom clone. And while Doom 64 and
Hexen may provide more action, only Turok delivers a complete
package of great graphics, outstanding sound, and a fresh
premise. If you are one of the N64 owners who think there is
nothing past Mario 64, you haven't played Turok. --Jeff Gerstmann
--Copyright ©1999 GameSpot Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction
in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written
permission of GameSpot is prohibited. GameSpot and the GameSpot
logo are trademarks of GameSpot Inc. -- GameSpot Review
See more ( javascript:void(0) )
- About this item Turok: Dinosaur Hunter.