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GAME REVIEWED: Spyro The Dragon
RELEASED BY: SCEE
PRICE: £39.99
REVIEWED BY: A.K.
REVIEW: -
Spyro The Dragon is the first free-roaming 3D platform adventure on the Playstation and on centre stage is the little purple dragon himself. Spyro is an unbearably cute creation who, while most of the time you get a view of his purple behind and tail, will perfectly convey a range of emotions such as yawning, laughing, crying, being scared and sometimes tipping you a wink!
The job in front of the young dragon involves him freeing numerous dragony mates, who have been harshly imprisoned, in this case frozen into crystal statues, to keep in the best traditions of platform games. The evil villain that has done this is one Gnasty Gnorc, who Spyro has to defeat. So Spyro starts off, exploring each of the 36 levels set over 7 themed and incredibly detailed worlds.
When you first start to play the game, the first thing to strike you is the amazing quality of the pin-sharp, hi-res graphics. After this, a nudge of the pad causes Spyro to wander, revealing the fact that everything moves superbly and smoothly. The smoothness of the graphics and a glitch-free game engine are further proved when you hold the charge button, sending Spyro to sprint across the landscape, and everything on the screen gets flung about at idiotic speed added to the realistic look of the worlds. The game also has an exemplary re-draw distance. Lesser games hide distant scenery with mist (a process called 'fogging') or by cleverly placing scenery so you can never se too far ahead and expose the game's shortcomings. Spyro's world is as wide as it is long. From a vantage point on high, distant specs on the horizon reveal themselves to be jewel-obscuring treasure chests or lavishly textured, expertly animated enemy frogs.
Once you start to play Spyro, you realise that the gameplay is just as impressive as the graphics, for example, in a typically original touch, some of the baddies are afraid of Spyro and rather than cause you grief, they will gasp in horror and turn on their heels leading to various comical pursuits. Killing enemies isn't just fun - it's a bare necessity of life for the purple one. Many enemies release butterflies upon their demise which are snapped up by you firefly energy meter. When Spyro suffers damage, the firefly changes colour until the little fella, and Spyro, snuff it. The butterflies released are food for the firefly; and a source of energy for Spyro, which the firefly eagerly and comically snaps.
Spyro has little wings with which you can make him fly, if you get bored of making him charge all over the place or if you need to glide from high vantage points onto otherwise inaccessible platforms and openings. the secret flying levels involve timed circuits flying through rings and are almost a game in themselves and you can keep trying to get your best time possible.
Upon discovering one of your crystallised chum, to release him all you need to do is walk up to it and then an awesome FMV (Full Motion Video) starts, featuring the thankful beast coming to life and offering some useful advice for the game, fellow dragons don't always thank you for breaking them free. As well as butterflies appearing from your demised enemies, gems are also released from dead buddies and some are just dotted around the level and only once a certain number of gems have been retrieved will certain parts of a level become available to explore, and for the elusive 1000% complete rating, every last gem has to be located and retrieved.
While searching for treasure and freeing dragons you come across the dispicable egg thief who, now that the dragons are crystallised and out of the picture, takes the opportunity to kidnap unhatched dragon babies. To stop him, hold down the charge button until you ventilate his rear. The more eggs you collect, the more your chances of progressing to the next world are enhanced, but don't leave if you haven't freed all the dragons, check to see that you have by looking at your inventory.
You have two main options of attacking enemies: the quick, horns-down charge or a close of your flame breath. It's a case of learning which enemies are susceptible to which attack. For really tough types, like wizards, who you can't can't seem to get close enough to, use a nearby super-charge ramp with its distinctive glowing chevrons. Charge in the direction of the arrows and you'll take out the toughest of tough guys.
Hardcore platformer fans may not really like this game because it doesn't include any switch-pulling or puzzles to keep the grey cells ticking, but this game is a puzzle in itself with great detail to the characters in the game and the scenery also. The gameplay is also magnificent and it's an easy game to pick up and play. It is also very easy to become addicted to the little purple dragon's crusade. Definitely the best 3D platform game to date.
SCORE:
91%
LINKS: www.scee.com