If you've got the time, "Turok " has got plenty of ammo — and let's not leave out the dinos with big, sharp, pointy teeth.
Those who never owned a Nintendo 64 may not be familiar with the "Turok" series by Acclaim, which up to this point was exclusive to Nintendo systems. "Turok Evolution" is the first in the series to be released on multiplatform, appearing on Playstation2, GameCube and Xbox.
Retailing for around $49.99, the plot surrounding "Turok Evolution" is straight-forward enough to not get in the way of the action. You are Tal'Set, leader of a tribal people being hunted down by a brutal Wild-West officer, Captain Bruckner. While locked in battle, you and the good captain are suddenly sucked into another world, populated by fierce dinosaurs and humanoid reptiles. You soon hook up with a rebel group fighting for its own survival against the humanoid Sleg. Naturally, Capt. Bruckner is not about to join your fair party, so he teams up with the scaley fiends instead.
This game is a first-person shooter. Most of the game has you running around, taking out bad guys, dinosaurs, crocodiles, etc., and solving the occasional puzzle. Most of the puzzles involve finding hidden switches on the level. The variety of weapons keeps things interesting. Some weapons come equipped with a sniper scope, which allows you to pick off enemies before they see you.
One nice thing to this version of "Turok" is the addition of flying levels, where Tal'Set takes to the skies on the back of a gliding dino. Sometimes there's nothing more satisfying than taking vengeance to the air as you engage in battles and bombard enemy bases below.
The game controls are pretty good, although the flight levels take some getting used to. You're flying an animal after all, not an F-16 jet. When you're done with the game's levels, "Turok Evolution" has several types of two-player games where you and a friend can play seek-and-destroy on a split screen.
The graphics on the game have "evolved" very little from its past versions. Enemies and dinosaurs don't have a lot of detail. What could look like an intimidating T-rex looks more like a paper cut-out kit.
Enemy AI can be pretty clever as they duck behind rocks; that's when it works as it should. Other times, you'll have your enemy running around in circles or stuck half-way into a rock.
There's good reason that "Turok Evolution" is rated "M" for mature. The game can be pretty bloody. Although no dismemberment is involved, there are decapitations of enemies.
In all, "Turok Evolution" is a decent first-person shooter, but certainly not one of the best ones out there.
E-mail: gfattah@desnews.com