Lair

"Lair - GOTY Material!"

Normally I do not write reviews (this being my first one) but this game compelled me to. I hope this will help some of you who are still on the fence about this game. I will divide the review into sections for you.

Graphics N/A
I can not with total accuracy comment on this, because I played the game in SD, so I will not give it a score. However, from what I have seen, the game was absolutely gorgeous! The environments were huge, and gave the game an epic scale. The dragon and character models were fabulous. However, in the takedowns, there were some slight framerate hiccups at the beginning of the animations. All in all, this game is one of the best games graphically for any system, not just the PS3. In my opinion, it surpasses Gears of War.

Sound 10
This is where the game really shines. The soundtrack is one of the best I have heard from any game. It is so good, in fact, that it is a nominee for the BAFTA awards for best soundtrack, and I think it deserves to win. The sound effects were also spot-on, and the voice acting was simply superb. It is very rare indeed that voice acting in this caliber can be found anymore.

Gameplay 9
This game is extremely fun. There are so many ways to destroy your enemies that it never gets boring or repetitive. I especially liked going on the ground to eat, stomp on, and torch the troops. I also enjoyed picking up the tauros and throwing them onto helpless squads. One other thing I noticed, however, was the AI. Troops would actually scatter and try to run away when I ran towards them. Dragons would try to melee me when I was carrying bombs so I would drop them before I destroyed my target. And it did this when there were thousands of units on the screen at once, with individualized AI. That is testament to the power of the PS3 and the work Factor 5 put into the game.

Controls 9
I felt this deserved its own category, as it has been given a lot of flak by professional reviewers. The motion controls were incredibly intuitive, and even the 180 worked all of the time. The only catch is that there is a trick to doing most of these maneuvers. For example, with the 180, do not directly raise the controller up. Instead, make a movement as if you were holding the reins and pull it back toward you as well as up, as if you were trying to ascend. It will work every time. My only gripe is in the parts where you need to shake the controller, such as in the rip and tear sequences, as I was not able to figure out how much to go up and down. However, the controls did still work, it is just that I was not able to figure out how to use them in the most effective manner. All in all, the controls are definitely something different that has been done better than most Wii games even.

Replayability 8
This game is short, around the same length as Gears of War's singleplayer. It took me a week to get through the story once. However, there is a lot of replay value even after you have beaten the game. In fact, there is enough replay value to this amazing gem of a game that it almost makes up for the lack of multiplayer! You can get all the medals, unlock all the extras, and there is even a secret dragon to unlock. Every dragon has a different set of takedowns, and they are always fun to do. All the while, you will not get bored of the game because, as I said before, there are so many ways to go through the levels and kill the enemies.

Overall (not an average) 9.4
Definitely one of the better games of the year, maybe even Game of the Year for me! I, for one, cannot wait for the sequel! Definitely buy this game, no matter what any professional reviewer says. Be prepared for a unique and innovative experience that will keep you engrossed for a relatively long while.

I do not know what the professional reviewers were thinking when they gave this anything lower than even a 7. This is one of those very rare truly amazing games that I believe everyone should play.

Tips
Always turn smoothly and easily; never jerk the controller quickly and expect it to respond instantly. The dragon is an organic creature and simply cannot make hairpin turns like a Warhawk or an Xwing.

Control it as if you were holding the reins; you will find the game much more responsive that way.

Be patient with the game; you will not master it unless you have a good deal of practice.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 10/01/07

Game Release: Lair (US, 08/30/07)