| |
| Publisher: THQ |
| Year released: 2003 |
| Platforms: |
I played it on the GameCube, but it’s also available on
PS2 and XBOX.
Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy is a very well designed and
beautifully animated action adventure that combines many different gameplay
mechanics into a solid, consistently entertaining game.
What to expect:
 | Through
the course of the game, you play two different characters: the daring and
powerful Sphinx, and the timid yet immortal mummy. Even though your
characters start out in different locations and have different goals, their
stories eventually intertwine, and each character’s progress ultimately
becomes dependent upon the other’s. |
| Playing
Sphinx involves a lot of jumping, swimming, long-distance running, and
combat. Sphinx does have puzzles to solve, but they’re generally not as
complex as those the mummy faces. |
| The
mummy’s parts of the game involve more stealth and ingenuity than
Sphinx’s. Also, the mummy is immortal so he can do a number of things that
Sphinx cannot. Many of the mummy’s puzzles are timed. The mummy has no
weapons and faces no enemies. |
| The
one aspect of gameplay common to both characters is platform jumping. And
there’s lots of it. |
| The
game mechanics are a bit different from some other action adventures with
platforming elements. For example, both Sphinx and the mummy can jump after
walking off a high cliff or ledge- something that usually means instant
death in other games (like The Hobbit). In fact, the ability to jump from
mid-air is required in order to perform some of the longer jumps (for both
characters), beginning about halfway through the game. |
What’s good:
| Fantastic
character animation, not only in cutscenes but during gameplay as well.
Characters look done by professional animators rather than computer
programmers. |
| Extremely
well-designed levels. Even smallish levels are designed in a way that
conveys the epic feel of the game- chambers have bottomless pits and
towering ceilings. Also, you almost never run into “invisible barriers”
that prevent you from exploring further. |
| Varied
gameplay. The kind of tasks and skills involved in playing Sphinx vs. the
mummy are so different that it’s almost like you’re getting two games in
one. Additionally, there are a number of optional minigames where you can
gain rewards for doing very well and develop skills you’ll need in order
to finish the game. |
| Good,
complex puzzles that require a lot more planning than in the typical action
adventure. |
| There’s
a lot of interaction with the environment, and even using aggressive
creatures to help you in your quest. |
| Each
creature and boss has its own fighting techniques and weaknesses, a fact
that keeps combat pretty challenging and entertaining. Once you figure out a
creature’s pattern you can dispatch it rather easily… as long as
there’s only one of ‘em! |
| You’re
presented with a somewhat open-ended gameworld and a number of fast-travel
options to get from place to place. The game and levels are designed in such
a way that the game progresses as a direct result of your characters
developing new skills, rather than simply ushering you into a new area.
Early on in your adventures you’ll notice plenty of inviting ledges,
platforms, and doors that you just can’t seem to be able to reach. Just
take note of these places and return when you’re better equipped for the
job. |
What’s bad:
| You
can only save your game at various “save statues” scattered around. When
playing as Sphinx you’ll often (but not always) find save statues located
near important or dangerous areas, however when playing as the mummy there
is only ONE save statue, which is located in the room where he starts each
level. The reasoning behind this, I guess, is that the mummy is immortal and
his game cannot end. The problem is, people who need to go to work, school,
or church have no place to save their game if they’re in the middle of a
mummy level, and the levels can sometimes take up to an hour to complete.
Your only option is to either pause the game and leave your GameCube on
until you are able to play again or forfeit and later restart the entire
level over from the beginning. That sucks. |
| There
is no spoken dialogue; all dialogue is presented in text captions at the
bottom of the screen. While that’s not a problem in itself, the text is so
small that it’s often not easily readable. |
| While
the controls are generally pretty smooth, Sphinx becomes a little
unresponsive during combat. An improperly placed blow can cost you dearly
because of the time it takes to recover. |
| I
found the ending unsatisfying… I won’t spoil it but to say that it begs
for a sequel would be an understatement. |
| If
you die and have to reload a game, you are forced to watch any intervening
cutscenes with no way of skipping them. This is also a pain if you plan to
replay the game, because since none of the dialogue is spoken you must keep
pressing buttons to make the dialogue continue. |
Difficulty (from
Very Easy to Very Hard): Hard – Challenging not just because of the combat and
platforming, but because of the puzzles as well.
My rating (from
Very Bad to Very Good): Very Good
You will probably
like this game if you liked these: Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, The
Hobbit, American McGee’s Alice, Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal |
