Akuji: The Heartless

Author's Rating:

Pros: gameplay, story

Cons: confusing at first

Author's Review
Crystal Dynamics has a new graphics build this turnaround. Even though the same graphics are being used on three games, it stills fits in nicely on how the game uses the build. The lighting is medium , nothing heavy. Although the frame rate was very steady, with absolutly no slow down at all. The cool thing about Kuji is that the game streams all the way through the game. The characters are basically done. You know how it is on a 33mhz system like the Playstation. But, Kuji makes the translation nicely. There is one gripe that I have. That is the damn Camera angles before its right then even after that it returns to the same, nail biting angles. The enemys are done basically nothing fancy and to shout out at. So the finally word is that the graphics really aren't that great. I was expecteding more out of this game, but instead I was left with boring graphics.

Every game that I have reviewed has either good sound or crappy sound. This game is in the between catagoire. The speech was so-so, not as good after your done playing MGS (I dont think there will ever be a better game on the playstation, not until Playstation 2 comes out. Ü) The speech in the game was there, again the lips never, hardly move at all, as the characters talk. Roundtree adds spice to the character, who's the man!?! Couldn't help it, sorry. The music never really caught my attention, as so to the sound FX's. Hack 'N is the only sound of the game and the enimies dieing adds nothing new to any other game I have played. The sound quality is good, sounds they really wanted to nail the speech sound on the button, before shipping the game.

As far as the control goes on Kuji, well I have to say that it is one of the best qualitites in the game. Crystal Dynamics take a different approach on how to use the jumping method. Instead of pushing the button and simply jumping, no Dynamics had to do it a different way. In this case you have to hold down the button and the longer you hold the farther or higher you jump. It seems simply to do, but wait until you actually have to jump in a tight spot and get out of harms way, then you'll relaize how hard and painful it is. The buttons act sharp, no delay apon the button smashing. The game also seemed hard when the camera angles shift on you. All of a sudden you are running forward, next minute your running to the side of a cliff and off of it.