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by Interplay

kabuto3_35-01.jpg (5955 bytes)A good friend of mine recently picked up this game, played it for a few minutes, and then returned it the next day. "Life’s too short," he said to me, " to play bad video games." I was pretty surprised. Virtually everything that I had heard about the game when it was released on the PC last year was positive. I had personally been looking forward to the PS2 port for some time. Having now played the game, I’ve learned that my friend is a little shallower than I had first thought. He judged the game completely on its visual merits. It didn’t wow him graphically, so he didn’t give it time to impress him with the story or gameplay. Giants: Citizen Kabuto is good, cheeky fun. There’s really no better way to describe it. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment I spent playing it. Unfortunately, some of the visuals are not up to speed which may keep some people from enjoying this title.

delphi3_7-01.jpg (6594 bytes)Fans of off-center British humor are sure to enjoy the cut-scenes between levels. The basic premise of the game involves overthrowing despotic aliens by playing as three different species. As with most video games on market the narrative serves the action, but by including a race of helpless yet self-centered aliens the game is able to get some real laughs out of the cut-scenes. As I played, I found myself reminded of the gameplay and tone of MDK 2 and that’s a good thing. In an age where too many video games are taking themselves much too seriously, it’s awfully nice to see a game with smart-alecky aliens who are completely incompetent and could care less.

mecc2_16-01.jpg (7211 bytes)The first third of the game you play as a Mec named Baz. The Mecs are a species that enjoy a good time and won’t let anything get in the way of their partying. Next up is the magical Delphi, daughter of the ruling despot. Finally you get to play as Kabuto the giant.

Kabuto-ingame-2_lg-01.jpg (7884 bytes)Breaking Giants up into three playable characters really helps keep the game from getting stale. By the time I got to the end of the Mecs’ level, I really needed a change. When you change characters it really does feel like an entirely different game. Many of the basic missions feel the same, but the gameplay is decidedly different. There are plenty of weapons and tools to choose from. Not only do you get guns and really big guns, but the Mecs also have Jet Packs and camouflage. Playing as Delphi gives you a bevy of spells, swords, and arrows. Kabuto doesn’t have any weapons other than his massive size and insatiable appetite, but trust me, that’s enough.

Delphi-ingame-3_lg-01.jpg (9059 bytes)It’s a pretty straightforward third person shooter. You have your standard search and rescue and search and destroy missions, but the game also incorporates some RTS elements that really add to the overall gameplay. It was a nice break in all of the shooting to be able to focus on building a stronghold and keeping my workers well fed and defended.

Mecc-ingame-1_lg-01.jpg (8792 bytes)The levels feel pretty sparse and the number of foes can be a little is not exactly legion. The one thing that the game does have going for it is the size of the levels. The islands that you fight on are absolutely massive. More than once I found myself getting a little lost. Don’t expect to finish this game in one setting. I kept thinking that the end was just around the corner, but the play went on and on and on. Even with the massive storage potential of the DVD format, it seems like so many games can be finished in a few short hours. Most game developers know that the quicker some kid can finish a game, the sooner they’ll be able to buy another.

kabuto4_12-01.jpg (8318 bytes)For as much as I enjoyed the game, I do have to admit that it could have looked a lot better. Character movements lacked any real fluidity and landscapes felt almost barren. In a few instances when the action got really intense the visuals were so choppy that I thought I was playing the game on a sub-par PC. If you are a shallow gamer and can admit it, you would probably do well to avoid the game. But if you’re willing to look past the dated graphics, you will find a game that is both entertaining and involving. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Giants: Citizen Kabuto is good cheeky fun.

Jason Frank   (04/04/2002)

Snapshot

Ups: Great sense of humor; nice variation in gameplay.

Downs: Graphics are a bit dated.

Platform: PlayStation 2