The Mark of Kri Review

It’s been a while since I’ve done a written review on a game. I may eventually do this in video format, but a written one will do for now. I just need to get back into doing more video reviews on games soon. Lol This review is supposed to coincide with the one HartKnight did last month since we both started the game around the same time. However, I got sidetracked with work. Better late than never, right?

The Mark of Kri for the PlayStation 2 is an action-adventure game. Released in 2002, this game was developed by SCE San Diego Studio who would go on to develop various sports games. For their first outing, The Mark of Kri is a pretty decent action game even though it’s without flaws. The game puts you in the role of Rau, a warrior with an urge for adventure and fortune. He is even a character given the “Link syndrome,” which he doesn’t talk throughout the game but can only be heard when grunting or chanting attack combos.

During the game, he is accompanied by a bird companion named Kuzo. The bird gives an interesting element in gameplay as he is able to scout ahead to see what enemies Rau will come in contact with. This lets you strategizes on how you can approach your enemies whether you take them out full on or subdue them in stealth. The latter will become your very best friend as this game will test your patience.

Although The Mark of Kri contains six levels, each level may last between an hour to an hour-and-a-half. These levels are quite lengthy and are rarely forgiving if you take away the save scrolls each level offers. You will find that these save scrolls do become very handy upon completing a tough battle or completing one of Baumusu’s challenges.

The way the gameplay is set is very intriguing. You don’t have much control over the camera, but the right thumb stick allows you to scan your surroundings when there are nearby enemies. Upon doing so, an enemy is assigned a corresponding button command which you attack when pressing the button given to them. It makes for a nice way of switching combat up. Your enemies, on the other hand, will give you little room for attempting a weapon combo which can lead to frustration. At the same time, it forces you to block your opponents’ attacks in hopes that you can sneak in an attack before they come back with a fury of swings at you. I found the button commands upon attacking your enemies to be hit and miss. There are times when your attacks are effective, and you get that sensation even time your enemy stumbles backwards. Other times you wish that your character was quicker to your button commands even if the later weapons you obtain are on the slow side.

As mentioned earlier, the game is very short. For many players, it may take less than nine or ten hours to beat in a setting. The Mark of Kri does offer arena challenges in which you are given the choice between a time attack mode and how many enemies can you kill within a time limit. Both modes have a set of challenges similar to the Baumusu challenges in the main story. By completing these challenges, you are treated to some bonus content showcasing the concepts on how The Mark of Kri came to be.

Overall, the game is worth playing at least once. It may take some time to warm up to the game, but it was a fairly enjoyable experience even though it does fall short towards the game’s final battle. While some ideas could have used some fleshing out, The Mark of Kri boasts some fantastic art direction with superb music that changes dynamically between the game’s downtime and combat sequences. The cartoon look of the game may be a put off to some at first glance, but its graphic violence contrasts it very well justifying the game’s mature nature of its story. It’s rather a style I would not mind seeing more often in today’s games along with animated films outside of anime.

The Mark of Kri may not appeal to many action-adventure gamers, but it offers something different to the genre that some may find interesting to try out. The game’s length will probably put off many even though they’ll find that the long levels more than make up for the nine or ten hours of play time. The arena challenges may seem tacked on, but they do the job of offering players a bit more content outside of the game’s main story.

The Mark of Kri for PlayStation 2 gets a 7 out of 10.

Pros:

+ Fantastic art direction and dynamic music changes
+ A unique twist in combating enemies
+ Reasonable length in levels

Cons:

– Very few save scrolls in later levels
– Character tends to be slow on attack commands during battles
– Fairly short game; can be completed in nine to ten hours