Lupin the 3rd: Treasure of the Sorcerer King

"A classic case of an awesome idea but a bad execution"

This game is based on a TV show by the same name which made it's debut in the 1970's. It’s an anime, and it currently airs on Cartoon Network on the Adult Swim block. Lupin is a thief, but instead of being viewed as a bad guy in the game, he is viewed as a hero. He is somewhat of a ''Classy Thief'' as he doesn't kill. Lupin and his pals Jigen, Goemon, and the luscious Fujiko are trying to escape from Lupin's nemesis Inspector Zenigata of Interpol throughout the game, which makes for some great fun.

Gameplay: Here is the games strongest and weakest point. The game is a stealth game, almost exactly like Metal Gear Solid, exclamation points and all. This idea is nothing short of genius. Lupin’s world fits in perfectly with the stealth factor, and it makes the heists so much fun. The weapons in the game are geared for the kids though, replacing Metal Gears guns and knives with frying pans and sleep guns. When sneaking around, the game is amazing. There is nothing like hiding behind a statue while a guard walks right past you. When the fights begin or when the guards find you is when the game becomes troublesome. The camera is nothing short of frustrating as it tends to get stuck in small areas. The A.I. is also pretty bad too, as guards forget about you when you leave the room, which leaves them standing at the door yelling, ''Where did he go?'' until they forget you were there altogether. Also, the game is much too short, only about 8-10 hours long your first time through.

Story: The story leaves much to be desired also. Heists are somewhat pointless when you don't what you are stealing and why. Running from Zenigata is pretty fun though. He himself makes the game much better, and if you have seen the anime, you will know why. Classic ''Oh crap oh crap oh crap!'' quote and all, he seems to always be there providing a witty remark for your enjoyment. Besides old Zenigata though, the story is a big disappointment.

Graphics: The graphics in this game have their upsides and downsides. On the upside, Lupin and the gang are rendered in 3D almost perfectly. It felt as if I was playing the Anime when I first booted the game up, and I was very impressed. After the initial ''Whoa'' this game will give you though, you will realize the graphics are very grainy at times, and the environments are very boring and don't change much throughout the game. The graphics aren't that bad though, they just aren't on par with Final Fantasy.

Sound: One of the games best qualities is its sound. The soundtrack is pretty much all jazzy beats and sax solos, much like the anime. The voices are actually done by the English cast, which is awesome and doesn't happen often, and seeing as they are all very good at what they do, it gets a thumbs up. This is one of the better soundtracks to any game based on an Anime though definitely.

Play Time/Replay: The game takes about 8-10 hours to complete on your first time through, after that it’s really a question of if you can deal with the camera if you play through it again. I for one thought it was fun and I am on my third time through, but other less patient people might not be able to play through more than once

Overall: I think as a whole though this game won’t appeal to a wide range of people. If you like the anime even just a little bit I think you will want to at least give this game a rent, or if you are a huge Metal Gear Solid fan waiting for Snake Eater and Twin Snakes and you can deal with the thought of beating a guard over the head with a frying pan you should give it a try too. If you are neither, skip this one.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 02/22/04