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One of the best games this summer!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 11 / 12
Date: August 06, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This is the sleeper that made it through the cracks of the video game industry and came out on top. This game offers so much and puts out much more.

Animation/Graphics::: Think Jak and Daxter animation and flow, think Onimisha action (but with it's own unique fighting system), think Metal Gear Solid 2 stealth; mix those games triple the fun factor and you have Mark of Kri. The look of the game reminds me of Mulan and the Emperor's New Groove, but with a more mature presentation. It seems to have become that American animation is best familiarized with Disney or Don Bluth animation. Just as Japan has their animation style, it seems we do as well. The difference is that most Japanese animation is pretty violent (okay, sometimes they can be very violent). So, think of this as our American version of that. It's American style animation (i.e. Disney style) that is violent.

Rau (the main character) can kill/battle his enemies many different ways. For instance, you can sneak up behind an enemy and either break his neck, cut his head off, use your sword to staple him to the wall, cut him from bottom up, on and on). Rau has so much animation to him.

Control/movement of characters::: The controls and fighting sytle may seem difficult at first, but once you do it a couple of times it becomes cake (training is recommended at the beginning and when you get a new weapon). The fighting system is unique as in I have never seen this way used before in a game. You use your right analog stick to target an enemy or enemies. Then a button icon appears above their heads (square, X or circle). When attacking you can press the button that corrisponds to the enemy you want to hit with the selected icon over their head. There is a lot more to it, but like I said, once you get it, it is actually easy.

The sound::: the sound fits the game well

Fun factor::: I can't stess the fun factor of this game. I didn't think anything of this game when I first saw a preview, but after reading a few reviews and seeing how everyone rated this game high (check on gamezone.com). I was convinced there must be something to this game. You have a number of attacks, a number of weapons, you have your faithful sidekick Kuzo (a bird that can be used to seek out enemies, help out puzzles, help with ladders and switches....like Beastmaster. You can see through the eyes of Kuzo whenever you want).

In closing, I am not good at writing reviews in text. I can sit there and tell you all about it in person, better than my review. What it comes down to, is that I highly recommend this game.

I am a 20-something long time console video gamer. I own and highly recommend the other following games for the PS2 ((also gives you an idea of what type of games I go for)):::

Grand Theft Auto 3
Medal Of Honor: Frontline
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
MLB Slugfest 2003
Red Faction
Spider-Man
Dynasty Warrior 3
SSX Tricky
Max Payne
Jak And Daxter
NCAA College Football
Frequency
and now::: Mark of Kri

... go and buy it

Disney + Conan + Gore = ?

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 9
Date: August 04, 2002
Author: Amazon User

The Mark of Kri is not a game for kids. Its lush animation, and soft, almost painterly graphics may at first appear to be geared towards a younger audience, but the first time the main character, a barbarian named Rau, cuts an enemy's arm off, then turns around and cleaves a foe in two, it becomes obvious that the style is no indication of the target age.

That said, The Mark of Kri is a beautiful game, whose presentation is second to none. The innovative combat system allows for both interesting one-on-one battles, and more chaotic multi-person battles. Essentially, using the right analog stick to target an enemy will cause an icon corresponding to one of the PS2 controller's buttons to appear over an enemy's head. Until you either "stop focus", or kill the enemy, hitting that button will target that enemy. If fewer than three enemies are targetted (the triangle button serves a different purpose, as do the shoulder buttons), the unused buttons become attack modifiers, allowing you to do different combo attacks, providing some much-needed variety.

The game isn't strictly about combat, however. Rau is able to sneak about, and kill his enemies stealthily, and he is able to snipe enemies using a bow he is given. The variety in combat techniques gives the player a number of ways to approach problems in the game, giving it a bit of nonlinearity that's not standard in an action game of this sort.

Rau's "sprit guide", a bird named Kuzo, provides yet another gameplay element. Rau can see through Kuzo's eyes, and as such, can send the bird ahead of him, so he can plan how to best attack the enemies that lie in wait.

The Mark of Kri is an interesting, varied action game. It's not tremendously long, but doesn't lose your interest, with lots of options to unlock, and a good amount of replay value. The graphics and animation are reminiscent of a Disney film, the feel of the movie, and the narrator, are very Conan-esque, and the abundance of gore, as a result of the excellent and innovative combat engine provide a game that, at first blush, may look like an overly violent kid's game, but in execution, is a wonderfully differently stylized game, made for adults.

Great stuff.

Cartoons aren't just for kids anymore...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: August 06, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This game is a visual masterpiece. I love the opening movie and the deep story, the visuals are "drawn" on the screen as you watch a scenario setting up the tone of the level/game. A dark and deadly spell that was seperated into six portions, given to six families for safekeeping has been found once again by the demons of legend.
You must battle your way through legions of bandits and other nasties to find the truth about the happenings in your world. To aide you on your quest is your faithful and intelligent spirit companion, Kuzo. Use his bird-sight to help you look ahead and spy on enemies. Infiltrate their ranks with stealth or brute force. Either way, Rau is a massive warrior and a force to be reckoned with.
With many objectives to complete and items to find, this game is deep and involved. You can unlock extra outfits, arenas and cheats as you progress through the game.
While the unique targeting and battle system may take some time to get used to, the game provides an excellent training module designed to help you familiarize yourself with the controls and basics of combat.
The load times between levels can get irritating, but the lush artwork and compelling story quickly make up for any grumblings and misgivings that one may have. A popular magazine rated this game as "flawed" and a "nice try, but falls short." I am happy that I disregarded this advice and purchased this well-done piece of software. Blurring the line between animated movies and video games, The Mark of Kri does an excellent job on both ends.
The gameplay is fluid and easily mastered, and the addition of the new battle system and the "bird-sight" only assist in pulling you further and further into the game. While it looks like a kiddie cartoon, this one is aimed at mature audiences, the combat and blood and gore arent meant for children. It isnt over-the-top, but it does definatley show that current trend in video games: adult audiences.
As the gamers of the world get older, and the hardware becomes more powerful and advanced, so do the games. This is one game that manages to keep pace and stay with the flow. With its rich and involving storyline, vivid graphical presentation and ease of control, The Mark of Kri has secured itself a place in many a gamers library.

Why isn't Sony pushing this game like their other products?

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: August 07, 2002
Author: Amazon User

The Mark of Kri is one of deepest, most innovative and fun action/adventure games i've ever played. It's gameplay has elements of brutal (REALLY BRUTAL) stealth, and an equally fun good'ol hack'n'slash with an innovative new combat system good for pick up and play.
The combat system in this game is what really makes it shine (followed up by the stealth). Moving the right analog stick around will focus Rau (the huge barbarian you control) on a certain bandit. He will be labeled as X, O, or triangle; depending on what he's labeled, that will be the button you press to attack. Don't get me wrong though, button mashers will be hard pressed to beat this game, it does take skill to master the combos.
It's graphics are ironically funny. Even though The Mark of Kri has a cartoonish look to it, it still is an extremely gruesome game. The in-game graphics are gorgeus, moving at a steady 60 frames per second, The Mark of Kri is a beautiful title.
Even the voice acting is done fairly well, it may sound a little hoaky at times but for the most part it's very well done. And even though the story is nothing to write home about, it's an adequate reason to go beat the living [stuffing] out of some unsuspecting bandits.
Overal, The Mark of Kri is a deep, innovative experience, but at the same time it is a great pick up and play game. At the very LEAST rent this game a couple times, 8/10 people will find it more than satisfying.

Hack and slash action was never this much fun.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: September 02, 2002
Author: Amazon User

There's something to be said for games that combine strong atmosphere with a simple, playable mechanic. TENCHU, a sleeper PSOne hit for Activision from several years ago, did this by melding a dark, brooding vision of feudal Japan with effective controls and addictive game play. Now Sony's in-house developers bring a similar delight to the PS2 with THE MARK OF KRI, a game no one really talked about before its release, but one that no one can stop playing now that it's out.

Combining sword- and axe-swinging action with stealth elements, THE MARK OF KRI follows the story of a young warrior named Rau, who finds himself unwittingly caught up in an ages-old battle between the forces of light and darkness, with only his spirit guide, the bird named Kuzo, to help him. During the course of the game, the tale is told in startlingly well-acted voice segments, and accompanied by lush, hand-drawn artwork that's reminiscent of animator Don Bluth's (THE SECRET OF NIMH) Disney-style work. Between installments of the story, the players navigate Rau through huge (and we're talking HUGE) and beautifully rendered levels, eliminating bad guys and generally wreaking havoc.

The characters in THE MARK OF KRI are animated by hand, not motion captured, and this has the unexpected effect of making everything seem much more smooth and lifelike than it might otherwise have been. Even though Rau and his enemies are somewhat cartoonish in that same Bluth style, soon the player won't notice, as the level of verisimilitude draws one right in and keeps one there.

But the game isn't all pretty landscapes and excellent character designs. Oh, no. There's also a heaping helping of violence, which more than earns the game's M rating. Rau breaks necks, runs men through, and lops off heads with abandon. When in the heat of combat, he severs limbs and can even cut a man in two. Blood spills aplenty, with wild variety in the forms and methods of killing.

The game truly shines when Rau is subtler, however. Many times our hero finds himself opposing impossible odds. Silently eliminating the threat, man by man, is the only way to move forward. To assist Rau in this, Kuzo can fly ahead and scout out the situation. Rau can see through Kuzo's eyes, and this supernatural ability proves invaluable time and again.

If story mode -- which is expansive, and will require hours of play to complete -- isn't enough, THE MARK OF KRI also features special challenges that can be unlocked, and which must be defeated in order to earn extras such as new outfits and concept artwork. Some of these challenges are so extreme that they'll have the player howling at the screen in frustration, but the feeling of accomplishment once the trial is defeated will make the time spent more than worth it.

THE MARK OF KRI is the genuine article, a game with almost no hype that explodes with all the elements gamers could want in their entertainment: rock-solid play, incredible action, and dazzling graphics. One step inside Rau's world and there's no escape; the game is simply that good.

Good game but very short

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: August 02, 2002
Author: Amazon User

If Milius had created the screen version of 'Conan the Barbarian' using Disney-style animation instead of live action, I would have expected the result to look something like this. Don't let the harmless-cartoon appearance fool you though; this is an incredibly violent game full of animated bludgeonings, dismemberments, and impalements. Get it for yourself, but don't let your kids near it.

The visuals in this game are a joy to behold. During level load-times, different 2D sketches are either displayed or drawn in while you are waiting. When the sketch solidifies into the game environment you'll be knocked flat by how good the 3D version (that you play in) looks... The designers poured a lot of hard work into the art and it really shows. The levels are all very different from each other (temple ruins, Atlantis?, dungeons) and populated by different enemies, but each is beautifully drawn and animated.

The difficulty of the missions ramps up slowly and there are training opportunities between the missions so you can learn new moves and new weapons. The first few missions emphasize stealth; the later ones center on battles against large numbers of opponents. Puzzles are very, very simple so as not to distract you from the main task of killing lots and lots of enemies. Usually, all you must do is fight your way through to a switch that opens the exit for the next part of the level. No block puzzles, no Rube Goldberg contraptions, just big, barbarian-friendly levers to pull.

If you're a fan of the MGS style of stealth missions, there's a nice stone age twist to the whole radar thing that lets you know where your enemies are (and where they're looking). In Mark of Kri, your companion is a bird who acts as a second set of eyes. At different places in the game, you can send him forward to a vantage point and see the world from his eys. This lets you get the drop on baddies who may be hanging out just around the bend or patrolling the walls overhead. As a game device, this feature is very well done.

The combat system for this game has gotten a lot of press and it's fairly simple, and enjoyable, to use. The right stick is used to assign button presses to nearby enemies and pushing the appropriate button uncorks a weapon strike against that enemy. By leaving some of the buttons unassigned (i.e. targeting only 1 or 2 enemies), you can use them to modify the main strike to deliver more damaging combo attacks. The bigger weapons have larger targeting cones so you can group 2 or even 3 enemies to the same button. Terrain makes a difference as hitting stones or walls on a swing will interrupt your combos and hitting a tree or post can result in your weapon being stuck for a few seconds! This helps to keep the combat from devolving into pure button-mashing as you have to keep maneuvering to better positions or switch to a weapon better suited to confined spaces. The final battles pit you against a dozen or so opponents at once and by then you'll have the hang of one vs. many fighting so that you can sit back and enjoy watching body parts fly as you wade into the crowds with your battle axe. Did I mention this was a really, really violent game?

OK. The big downer. The game is very, very short. The timestamp on my completed game reads a little over 8 hours. I haven't completed all the mini-games or unlocked all the artwork/costumes/movies, but it only took 2 days to finish the main story. On the other hand, Mark of Kri is at a lower price point than the typical PS2 game, so it's balanced out somewhat by that.

Bottom line: Too short, but very, very satisfying to play and full of creative, well-executed ideas and artwork. It definitely deserves a spot on your shelf.

an awesome, bloody game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: September 19, 2002
Author: Amazon User

When I first played this game, I had my doubts about it. I thought it was going to be a super in-depth RPG(personally, I don't really like those types of games). But, man was I wrong. This game has elements of both genres, acton/adventue and RPG. With an involving story, and excellent control, "The Mark of Kri" would be a great addition to anyone's PS2 library.

must have

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: September 29, 2002
Author: Amazon User

this game has been getting excellent reviews and i definitely have to agree. There are some camera problems and the view can get very messed up at times but what makes this game so special is the way it combines stealth moves and fighting sequences. The graphics are awesome and this game will keep you interested even after you have completed it.

BEST ADVENTURE MAKE YET!!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: December 04, 2002
Author: Amazon User

I love this game! I like slicing people's head-offs and cutting all of the bad-guys into nothing but limbs if you like that this is the game 4 U. I tell ya its like really going through wide-realistical scenes and events. Its a truely amazing game.

Start of a Great Adventure!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: December 05, 2002
Author: Amazon User

I was very pleasantly surprised with the action and variety of fighting moves the game offers. The graphics are great and the story line mixes well with the artistic presentation of the game. The game was short in length of play but is a great start if it is be a first of many series of adventures based on the main character. I rented the game and completed it over a 3 day playing time (about 12-15 hrs). The game does have replay value in the arena and challenge mode but not so much in replaying the story line. I highly recommend playing this game for its story and game fighting style. Buy it if you can.....at least rent it and have fun embarking on a high action packed adventure.

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