Gaming Target - PlayStation 2: Turok: Evolution

Written by John Scalzo on February 13, 2002

First Impressions: Don't make me get Prehistoric on your ass!

Turok has been going strong in the video game world for a long time now. Ever since the early days of the Nintendo 64 when Turok: Dinosaur Hunter made "Turok style controls" a real phrase used by game reviewers it's been there, innovating and impressing. Well innovating anyway, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter was followed by two sequels that never impressed me and a multiplayer edition that I never played. In fact, the sequels' biggest claim to fame was their lack of dinosaurs. It's like making a Batman game and having all the action take place in Hawaii or anywhere that's not Gotham.

But can you really keep a good first person shooter series down? Now comes Turok: Evolution and Acclaim has made one promise over and over after Turok 3 concerning the series: there will be dinosaurs! Turok: Evolution is a prequel that goes back to the beginnings of the Turok legacy. We meet the first Turok, Tal'Set, who is sucked into the Lost Lands along with his arch-nemesis, Captain Tobias Bruckner. There he is forced to join the war against Lord Tyrannus and his dinosaur (yay!) hordes. Bruckner also joins this war, willingly, on the side of Lord Tyrannus. Now if someone is named Tyrannus, that should tip you off they're bad news. But LORD Tyrannus, that's gotta be one bad dude.

Acclaim has also promised that not only will dinosaurs be returning, but that the jungle environments of the Lost Lands will be returning as well. These environments are truly looking impressive and definitely hold a candle to Acclaim's previous Turok games. Everything is sharp, detailed, and according to Acclaim, able to be blown up. Acclaim has said that many of the places that Turok encounters will be able to be blasted apart Red Faction-style and used to crush enemies in your way. I'm sure these falling pieces of the Lost Lands will be used for more than tenderizing dinos though, at least I hope. Another thing that Turok: Evolution is doing with its return to the Lost Lands is adding in pterodactyls. Sure flying dinosaurs are cool you say, but so? Well, you are the one that is going to be flying them. How cool is that? Flying high over the level, raining Turok style destruction from above.

Acclaim has also made mention that the Turok style controls will return, now utilizing the Dual Shock's dual analog sticks. On top of all that, Acclaim has made claim of there being 32 different enemies, "ground breaking" enemy A.I., and a multiplayer mode that is "deeper than Rage Wars." That's nice of them to say and all, but that's really stuff that has to be seen to be believed.