The Mark of Kri

this gameplay has all the bells and whistles! You become Rau with his bird guide Kuzu and roam a middle earth century Asian continent looking for evil henchmen and dominions from hell. You are given numerous tasks to accomplish which adds to the fun. The fighting and stealth in this game is very realistic and you can attack enemies that way. The art and graphic scenes are well done and put together in continuity so you don't feel like you're just playing a game but you're in the action movie with Rau doing what you want him to do. Rau is a powerful warrior and he wields his weapons like a true king, and also there are several add ons to this game that make playing it enjoyable. This might be called a sleeper game because its not rec'd much fan publicity. I cannot wait for the sequel game.

The combat system featured in "The Mark of Kri" was always what got people talking. And it really was remarkable, making great use of the analog stick to select opponents for systematic attacks. And to that end, it's one hell of an action/adventure fighting game. Not to mention the clever mixture of stealth and hack-n-slash. But it's the striking visuals and the art design that really hooked me. The hand-drawn animation of the cutscenes (very "Disney gone wrong") juxtaposed with the gory violence make for all kinds of amusement.

There are a few stages in "The Mark of Kri" that are some of my favorite in any video game (just thinking about striking out in the fog-laden forest with your bow and arrow makes me all warm and fuzzy). It's not just nostalgic feelings that warrant the high rating, but that the game really does hold up today. Certainly the most fun you can have playing as a hulking Polynesian dude. It's a game that I've replayed many a time over the last ten years, and one of the hallmarks of the PS2.

And also surprisingly tough.

9/10