Lair
Factor 5/SCEE
PS3


If I was going to not recommend a game this year, I would have to choose to not recommend 'Lair'. This was a game much anticipated after its initial previews. The animation looked fantastic and the concept was intriguing flying around on a dragon and burning things certainly sounds good in theory. However in practice, the flight mechanics of this game are seriously lacking.

To start with, the lock-on system does not really allow you to choose your target. You have to be flying directly at something to make it your targeting selection. The biggest problem is that if something suddenly moves into your path there is nothing you can do to prevent this new thing from becoming your target. Then there is the problem with collisions. Especially in the latter stages of the game, it is not rare to suddenly fly into a tower or rock wall. But the biggest problem involves the use of the 6-axis control system.

This is the new function with the PS3 controllers where you can move them up, down or to the side to move the object on the screen. This is fine with general banking and steering of your dragon, but the two special moves of "zoom forward" and "turn around" can be intensely frustrating. You can move forward by thrusting the controller forward, or execute a 180 degree turn by jerking the control vertically up. You have to give credit to the game designers for trying something new; and these new ideas sound fantastic, but unfortunately these moves do not always register, or register incorrectly with your dragon travelling totally opposite to the intended direction. This begs the question of why the boffins at Factor 5 didn't allow gamers an alternative to the 6-axis in the form of one of the analog sticks.

On the plus side the photo realism of the storyline is quite excellent and a lot of effort seems to have gone into the animation between scenes. That being the case it's a shame that the story is full of 2-dimensional villains and heros. You play as Rohn, a dragon rider for the Asylian army fighting back the Mokai. The Mokai and the Asylians used to live in harmony until a series of violent volcanic eruptions split the civilizations asunder. Rohn's internal development seems good, but you are left with a hackneyed grab-bag story reminiscient of that stinker of a movie, 'Eragon.'

The thing that really saves this game from being the "mother of all disappointments" is the sound. The cinematic orchestration and sound effects are first class. Without this and some of the animation you would be hard pressed to think of a reason to put this game into a PS3. Even with the annoying and cumbersome control system. don't expect a lot of playing time to get through this release. That, no extras to speak of, and no re-playability means there is nothing else really to say except if you only refuse to play one game this year, make sure that you refuse to play 'Lair.'

Anthony Paxton