11-Apr-2003 Mark our words, this one's a lot more violent than it looks...
CVG readers, allow us to introduce Rau. Now, don't judge Rau by his looks. Yes, we know he looks like the proverbial brick privy. We know he's drawn like a dim sidekick in a second-rate Disney flick.
But Rau has hidden depths. If you want stealth, grace and agility, he's your man. He hardly dribbles at all, and he's the star of a rather unusual fighting game.
The Mark Of Kri is all about Rau's battle to save the world, but what makes it different from your average beat 'em up is the way fights are conducted. Being able to attack any enemy without facing them means you can look forward to fighting whole crowds. It also means the camera can do what it likes without worrying about making it easy to control Rau, so battles can look pretty spectacular. It's all about the gore and the battle frenzy - no girly spells for our Rau!
We are the knights of Kri, we are! When he's not fighting, Rau also enjoys a bit of sneaky stealth. You're gifted with a spirit bird guide called Kuzo. Unfortunately, guiding your birdie around becomes a bit repetitive after a while, and you'll get the hang of the stealth missions pretty quickly too.
Essentially, Kuzo is a camera that can only be placed in certain locations, so all you do is wait for the guards to turn their backs then jump in and smack them up. Somehow, sneaking up on a load of criminals gathered round a camp-fire isn't as exciting as, say, infiltrating a top-secret nuclear weapons factory.
Rau has a number of gory and extreme ways with which to dispatch his foes - our favourite is the one where he grabs them by the scruff of the neck and smashes their heads into the nearest wall, but there's something here for everyone. While there's lots of gore, The Mark Of Kri follows in the footsteps of games like Grand Theft Auto III by remaining fairly cartoon-like. Some of the sound effects are gruesome enough, though. Try skewering a hapless guard with your sword and you'll see what we mean.
Hawaii Fight-O Rau's world is a sort of 'Far East/South Pacific' version of your traditional fantasy setting. Ancient temples filled with giant baby sculptures give things a bit of a Thai feel, and Rau and his people look rather Maori-like. It's a brave and welcome change from all those knights and Vikings... but it doesn't really have much impact on the way you play.
Extras include arena challenges, during which you tussle with a set number of foes, and new costumes for Rau to wear. Beating the arena challenges will also unlock new goodies like cheats, and there are always in-game battle challenges to help you hone you skills.
Enemies are well-animated, but there aren't that many variations per level. And don't expect many supernatural powers or creatures either. Rau doesn't use magic, and there are no giant boss characters or massive demons to slay here.
At heart, The Mark Of Kri is just a superior scrolling beat 'em up. There's nothing wrong with that of course, but it does mean that once you've mastered the art of full-on fighting and stealth kills, you're left with little else to do.
An adventure game that employed the same engine and characters would have really been something, but this is essentially a polished and satisfying slugger.
Copyright 2006 - 2009 Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath, UK BA1 2BW England and Wales company registration number 2008885
