Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy

"Half-man, half-lion. All good."

There are some games that I could never picture myself buying. Whether it's because there is no hype around them or because there are just too many other games to play but some titles just never get a look in. Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy was one of those titles. Thankfully I did stumble across this game and after playing it extensively I found myself saying 'Why didn't I buy this game?' Whilst Sphinx doesn't have the pedigree of Mario or the tradition of Final Fantasy it's clear that this is an enjoyable game that has opened the door for plenty of sequels, expansions and other follow ups. Of course with it being a brand spanking new franchise there are plenty of problems in the gameplay and controls but as a whole it's one of the better games you will play on the Playstation 2.

Set in ancient Egypt this platform/adventure title lends plenty from games like the Legend of Zelda and other big titles from the genre to mold itself into something generic yet with enough of it's own flair and self-device to keep things interesting. Like Zelda gamers must explore large environments, collect power-ups, engage in combat and solve various puzzles on the quest. Sphinx, a half-man and half-lion 'creature' is on a journey to rid the world of an ominous evil. Along the way players will also get to control Tutankhamen, an undead mummy whose own quest becomes mingled in with the one Sphinx is undertaking. The story is as you would expect, quite lacking and would have done well to draw more from the Ancient Egypt theme.

Both characters start off with very few skills and it takes quite a while for the game to really fire up. In fact initially the game is quite uninspired and feels bit like a C-grade game that 'could do better'. Thankfully the development team sharpened their pencils and got to work developing the game from the bare bones start. As our heroes gain more powers they are able to access new areas, upgrades and characters to interact with. In fact the game opens up in a similar way Metroid Prime did, making gamers remember certain locations to come back to when they get a certain power up. As a result you'll be going back and forth a fair bit but the engaging combat system and beautiful environments keep it interesting.

As gamers can play as the mummy Tutankhamen or the hybrid creature Sphinx the contrasts between each become quite attractive. The mummy has an extensive range of tricks. He can cloak himself and sneak quietly around his foe while the Sphinx will take matters into his own hands and take many of the enemies on head first. Each character grows from strength to strength the player can begin to take on some of the games tougher puzzles. A lot of them tend to fall back on simplistic 'flick the hidden switch in a certain way' style but some are quite unique and will certainly test most gamers but not to the point of frustration.

Battling in Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy is quite enjoyable. There are hundreds of uniquely modeled enemies in the game and each requires a different method to take them down efficiently. Players can stick together combo's with sword swings, punches and jumps to effectively take down more than one opponent at a time. It's here that the in-game camera can serve up more than a few headaches. It can swing back and forth and you can easily lose track of your opponent in the confusion. A lock on mode like in Starfox Adventures or Wind Waker would have served the whole combat system well.

The camera system is about the only flaw in the visuals though and for the most part its just fine. You'll wrestle with it occasionally but it doesn't effect the gameplay as much as the camera did in game like Sonic Adventure 2. Thankfully any glitches are made up for in the rest of the aesthetics. Character animation is flawless, the environments are well detailed and the framerate is solid throughout the game even with multiple enemies on screen. There is a bit of pop-up here and there but for the most part each area glues together nicely.

On the audio side of things Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy is also strong. There are plenty of sound effects to enjoy and the music is appropriate for the setting without taking all the focus away from the action. Unfortunately there is no voice acting to go with the cut scenes and in-game dialog and this is something that should have definitely featured in the title. Maybe next time.

Overall the game is well done but there are some points where the game suffers. Long load times, some annoying fetch quests, a sometimes frustrating camera problems and a lacking storyline could easily put some gamers off. The slow start doesn't do much to convince gamers that it's worth playing either. However if you can get yourself into it you are in for a real treat. The eye candy is spectacular and the game is almost on the same level. Sure you could go and play Jak II or have a play through of Wind Waker or Ocarina of Time again but if you want something a little bit different check out Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 04/20/04