On February 5, the dino-hunting franchise is back from extinction with Unreal 3, the graphics engine that brought us Gears of War. That’s enough for any first-person shooter addict to collect some cartridges and take a look.

Let’s face it-Turok games of the past weren’t shining examples of gaming.  Some might even say they were just plain bad. Expectations are decidedly low for Turok. But the updated shooter will have stealth elements and deep multiplayer and that’s enough for a small but dedicated following.

At this time I have only played the demo which, last time I checked, still isn’t available in the US or Canada via Xbox Live.

Like most first-person shooters, a thin story is used as an excuse to tote an arsenal. But Turok, the character that has been seen in comics since 1954, has a twist. It will use mystery and stealth to keep you absorbed.

Dinosaur Planet

Joseph Turok crash lands on a strange planet and must hunt down a rogue black-ops soldier named Kane. The planet happens to be populated with loads of strange creatures including several species of dinosaur.

The game-play has a unique feel with movement reminiscent of Gears of War. Turok doesn’t just run, his point of view bobs and shakes as he accelerates under the weight of equipment. The stealth component is a popular and welcome addition to first-person shooters these days. You’ll find a bow and knife are necessary ways to score silent kills as you sneak through the jungle trying to solve the mystery  of Kane’s black-ops detachment.

The knife attacks in Turok are brutal and so satisfying, it’s scary. Wielding the knife you’ll quickly take down enemy soldiers in silence and Turok doesn’t spare the gore. But by far, the most interesting thing about Turok is exploring the jungle alongside living dinosaurs.

You can wage a personal war on all giant reptiles if you like, but it’s not recommended. Not all the dinosaurs are looking to add human to the menu. It was nice to occasionally observe some plant eaters while taking in the graphics power of Unreal 3.

Turok probably won’t redefine the genre. You’ll explore a light mystery story with Turok and his macho buddy Slade. Voiced by Ron Pearlman, Slade will coach you through the early part of the game.

Turok and Slade are typical of the electronic men who populate first-person shooters - the kind of guys who open cans of beer with their teeth and have never even heard of Oprah. The game is simple, but fun. But perhaps the fun will wear out after 10+ hours of game-time. All said it’s difficult to imagine a better twist on the crowded first-person shooter market than the addition of dinosaurs.

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This entry was posted on Monday, January 28th, 2008 at 12:54 pm and is filed under Gaming. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.