MediEvil Resurrection
Score: 80% ESRB: Teen Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment America Developer: SCE Europe Media: UMD/1 Players: 1- 2 Genre: Action/ Adventure
Graphics & Sound: MediEvil: Resurrection looks nice and maintains a flowing fantasy world. Much of the game’s looks mirror those found in a Tim Burton film, so expect all kinds of macabre visuals as you travel through the game’s 19 levels. All of the characters are interesting to look at and are richly detailed. It’s a shame that the camera has so many issues, otherwise the game might look even better than it does. Sound is MediEvil’s strongest aspect. In particular, the voice work is very strong and really helps to push the game’s comedic feel. Though there are times where the script feels like its trying too hard to be funny, it is still enjoyable in a “Monty Python”-like way. Music is just as enjoyable and sets up each game’s mood perfectly.
Gameplay: MediEvil Resurrection takes the formerly dead knight, Sir Daniel Fortesque, and throws him into action against an evil wizard, Zarok, who is once again threatening his homeland. The reason I say "formerly dead" is because Sir Dan has been dead for quite some time after his first encounter with the wizard. Of course, his first encounter wasn't the tale of great bravery the people of the land have made it out to be. Actually, the king concocted the entire story in order to cover up for his blunder in appointing the cowardly Sir Dan the position of knight in the first place. But, these things have a way of coming full circle, and it’s up to Sir Dan to live up to his story and defeat Zarok. This time, however, Sir Dan has some backup. It seems that Death is pretty ticked off about the wizard raising from the dead in order to bolster his army -- so he's out to help Sir Dan in any way he can. While the extra coat of paint may help to make MediEvil look like a current-gen title, the underlying gameplay is still set well in the 90's. MediEvil is a pure hack-and-slash adventure and comes with all the standard features and functions you would expect. Level layouts are very linear with very little in the way of exploration or hidden paths. Each begins at point A and has you flipping a series of obvious switches and solving other basic puzzles on your way to point B. You'll encounter a few twists and turns along the way, but overall, there's only one way to complete each level. Many of the elements that have found their way into the current genre, including minor RPG elements and combos, are nowhere to be found. Players looking for a more standard adventure with few modern complications are sure to enjoy what MediEvil has to offer; those with a more "modern" state of mind may think otherwise. For added value, a few mini-games have been added to what is more or less a remake of a 10-year-old game. Surprisingly enough, many of these games actually add some play value to Resurrection, even for people who remember playing the original. These games include a challenging sheep-herding game, a roach smash and even a shooting gallery.
Difficulty: The A.I. in MediEvil Resurrection shows about as much evolution as the gameplay. Enemies simply bum rush Sir Dan and rely more on their numbers than any type of strategy during combat. This turns out to be a pretty good thing in the long run once you throw in the camera issues and basic combat system. The only enemies that show any differing tactics are the thieving imps you'll come across every now and then who will steal your weapon, forcing Sir Dan to remove his arm and use that as a weapon. These turn out to be nothing more than slight annoyances in the big picture though. Bosses tend to stick to set patterns that can be picked up rather easily and, at the very least, will cause you to have to replay the encounter once.
Game Mechanics: MediEvil Resurrection sticks to the basics of gameplay. Again, this is your standard hack and slash game with few modern additions. You'll accumulate a nice stockpile of weapons before the end of your quest, including both melee and ranged weapons, though they do little to change the overall equation. Most enemies can be taken down with a few swipes of a melee weapon while ranged weapons tend to only come into play during certain boss battles. Even then, there's very little strategy involved beyond choosing the most powerful weapon and bashing everything in sight. Other than the basic combat and gameplay, MediEvil’s biggest problem is its camera. For the most part, the camera tries to stay behind Sir Dan at all times, however it tends to pull in a little too tight, making it hard to see what’s around you. This becomes especially problematic during sequences that require you to jump between platforms. It also hinders combat. Granted, a lock-on mechanism is in place to help remedy this problem, but it rarely works properly and has a tendency to lock on to the enemy farthest from you. The camera also has an odd habit of getting stuck in certain places, causing you to have to hit the R button to reset it. Though this review may seem to have a negative tone, it's not because MediEvil is a bad game -- it's simply dated. Fans of old school hack and slash adventures are sure to find something to like about Resurrection. Often times it seems that developers forget the basics when making games, so it's good to see a developer sticking to the basics. At the same time, the basics may not be enough for some players, so those looking for a deeper experience won’t find it here.
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker
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