The Mark of Kri

Written by Chris Reiter  on August 19, 2002

Full Review: Arnold Schwarzenegger always did say he'd be back...but not in video game form!

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Sony seems to have a curse cast upon them. Usually whenever an internally developed SCEA title is released on American shores, the game never strikes that huge of an impact, even though those that do realize it's out there are attracted to its innovative premise and the entertainment that it brings with it. Like ICO last year, The Mark of Kri is this summer's PlayStation 2 title that wasn't given the correct amount of marketing from its publisher, and even as it remains to stay in the long list of sleeper hits available, gamers should want to wake it from its slumber, as they'll find a wonderful level of amazement they'd have otherwise overlooked.

Time can be one's best friend, or one's worst enemy. For man, it is the latter half. At the beginning of time, it was there that a wicked magic was formed. If used, it could link the world people existed in with another that would allow passage of evil through this gateway. But, being aware of this possibility of certain doom for humanity, the magic icon that could perform this task was stolen and then broken up into six separate parts. There, each piece was handed out and entrusted to six separate families for safety to hold and protect against the evil that sought after it. Ever since then, time has been running out for the guardians of these pieces that have passed down the role of safekeeping these items throughout their history, as evil has patiently waited for a millennium to obtain these separate parts to put together once more, and summon forth the destruction of the world. Now it is your time and place to become the noble warrior Rau -- an adorer of adventure, and whose fate is about to reveal itself for his greatest journey yet.

You could call The Mark of Kri many things, and of those things you might say that its roots lie deep within your regular action brawl fest. Really though, the game divides itself up into a number of genres, and does so properly.. For instance, action is afoot when you're able to face off in combat with only one sword against a mass of up to nine guys all at one time. If you want stealth, there's plenty of that too. Sneaking around is basically one of the major ingredients to The Mark of Kri, when there are quite a few different angles you can follow to pop in and grab the enemy unnoticed. Most importantly, though, The Mark of Kri revolves around careful thinking for its strategy element. Working alongside your pet bird, Kuzo, you'll see that there's more to meets the eye when this soaring companion of nature has the ability to track ahead and catch a bird's eye view of enemies posted in locations you wouldn't be able to see on your own from far off distances.

Your main focus in the game is to complete each level by killing every enemy in sight. Even though you're a muscle bound warrior, you're only one guy. And literally, just about every level is composed of a vast number of enemy troops all with their own strengths and weaknesses. Some carry a sword. Others carry a bow. And there are even those that are equipped with a horn to call attention to other bad guys that will soon arrive on scene to weigh down your advancement through the rest of the adventure. Indifferent to each weapon style, you'll sometimes have to face those suited up in armor, which becomes a problem for those who like to kill every enemy using a bow and arrow. Kuzo acts as your main advantage against such odds. During the game's travels, there are spots risen high above in trees, on rooftops, on poles, and just about anything where Kuzo can get a good look at the things you can't see while moving Rau around in third person. Being too close to an enemy can get hazardous, as the nearer you approach one, the better it is they can detect you -- which is why Kuzo's around. Seeing what's in store ahead of you and planning your offensive maneuvers before hurrying death makes up for a very broad strategic element, that lends itself well in a game that would otherwise be considered a mindless hack and slash adventure.

Another strategy element that can often be used to retain your life in living status is the game's ability to let Rau sneak around. The Mark of Kri's computer controlled AI is both highly skilled in seeing and at hearing. Even by handling any form of the game's four weapons (sword, bow, spear, and axe), and moving around with it, the enemy will have their ears peeled for anything and everything. What's interesting about the sneak attacks is that there's more to them than just one constant act. Rau is able to focus on both individual and multiple enemies in all instances, and in a variety of ways too. For example, you can sneak up on one enemy or more facing in the opposite direction. There's the wall trick, where you can slide Rau's back up against a flat surface, wait until the enemy is close enough to you, and then grab him and either thrust him into the wall numerous times, or use a blade to pin him up against it in an orderly fashion. Even when you're on top of a roof, and the enemy is straight below you, the possibility of being invisible is one of the more attractive aspects of the game.

Above of all, though, The Mark of Kri is first and foremost an action packed ride. Fortunately, there's plenty of it. Like with the stealth properties, Rau is able to enter into attack modes to perform probably the most elaborate combos out of any game ever made. And every combo action is quite easy to execute and get a hang of, even with the many styles of fighting stances Rau can learn and use. Rotating the right analog stick focuses on any direction around Rau. From there a button icon of a corresponding controller face button will flash above the attacker's head. The only problem is that only three of the PlayStation 2 button symbols work with the combo system as the triangle button is put to use solely on switching between Rau and Kuzo's view points. Most of the time you'll find yourself defending and offending a large numbers of bad guys when you can only concentrate on three at once. Luckily though, you're given the ability to deflect attacks when equipped with either tools such as a sword or an axe, and in the process attack those who are in front of you, behind you, and to your sides -- even if you're facing a completely opposite direction or off course from their position on the screen.

Aside from close ranged attacks, Rau can also master the bow and arrow. Every weapon in the game has a unique style of its own, and you'll find out that each situation is best suited for a specific type of tool. Rushing into an open area where archers are unreachable by foot and are impenetrable by a sword or the like is not always the best plan of defeat. The same thing can be said about competing against a large group of bad guys, and you being equipped with the defenseless bow and arrow. Getting to know the environments can be challenging, but it's nice to see there's a real brain behind the game rather than to not have one. One thing about Kri's exploration though, is that each of its levels is huge. The element of surprise and knowing your attack routine throughout is necessary, especially since you may find yourself in peril by the limited amount of items scattered within each expanded area. Amongst collectibles like health to keep you going, arrows to keep you shooting, and even save scrolls to keep you saving, knowing what to do in each situation is always the game's focus.

With aspiring protщgщs of Don Bluth and Walt Disney on board, The Mark of Kri is brought to life visually in a luscious 3D cel-shaded game environment. Imagine an adventurous landscape brimming with aged fortress walls up on top of a snowy mountain side, a misty forest cast through dusk and dark, and even a lush green jungle thriving around green plants and streaming river banks. Particularly, everything is quite gorgeous and can almost be mistaken for a Disney movie in motion. Amidst these areas, The Mark of Kri pushes life effects like kicking up dust when running along dirt, leaving footprints behind in snow, or even lighting up solid objects such as stone walls when striking against it with your blade. To add to Kri's detailed fantasy, like every great-animated film, a touch of near perfect lighting and shadow effects are put to place. Over, under, and aside every worldly fragment, as well as on its moveable characters, the game is set to life in a tone of cartoon so real you'll wonder how they did it.

Character models in the game also fit the bill for the game's style. While the enemies only differ in look when it comes to their appearance, each one is crafted decently enough -- if not over highly done, especially when it comes down to those with body armor. Rau can strip enemies down to the cloths that cover their skins. Naturally, it's all about Rau when the game takes toll. Rau is always dressed with the fittings of a barbaric warrior. Sometimes with lesser clothing for warmer areas, and other times bundled up for the elements, Rau is a muscle man that certainly doesn't disappoint in any shape or form for his cartoon-esque adult thematic adventure.

But what really takes The Mark of Kri to its level of shine are the character animations strewn within each fight sequence. Both Rau and his opponents alike act more lifelike than many of the action movies available today. From flipping his sword around, catching it, and slicing the enemy in two; facing an enemy in front, and attacking one behind at the same time with ease; lifting and slamming an enemy towards the rock hard ground, stabbing him twice, and removing the blade, Rau is an unstoppable killing machine, and in the process, comes out looking cooler than ever before. Enemies in return have their due, as they spin about in Rau's body count pile up, getting their heads chopped off and blood splattering out from the stem that's left. There are those who crawl on the ground still as they fade into death, drop down as they should, and bleed a puddle of red. And even in battle, their stances change constantly, and the animations do with the technique, making each fight not so much repetitive, but actually enjoyable to watch as it is to enter.

Sound in the game has as much say as the rest, when it comes down to doing its part right. Whirling noises rip through the air as Rau swings any melee style weapon, leaving fierce clanks to follow behind. The shot of an arrow and the sound it affects when piercing yours or an enemy's body is also traceable. Footwork, from crunching along snow or grasslands, or rattling a rickety bridge is present and accounted for too. Trailing you with all this is a steady rhythm of the hunt for thrill. Namely a course of a lineal traditional of drum beats combined with a venture marked score that patterns itself slow and fast depending on whether or not enemy presence is near, the background music does the game well, and even varies according to the level you're wandering into.

Kri's cast of voice actors and actresses are yet another part of the game that's great for the wide mix it blends all together. Each actor does a good job in conveying their roles, and those chosen for which characters they bring to life fit in. For instance, many of the main personas you'll meet will be closely related to Rau's race, and their speaking part with it sounds similarly to the Indonesian type of culture. Although, it's just too bad Rau doesn't speak for himself throughout the story. Enemy forces on the other hand do...somewhat. While not in an English format, you can hear native yelps and screams as when they become aware of you near, run towards you with battle cries, and even mutter a sentence as they pass into the next life at times. The few noises they make aren't anything special, but do work well in the effect of the game's overall realism.