Turok 2 - Seeds of Evil (PC)

We all know where this came from. An identical re-coding of the N64 version, and that's no bad thing. The single-player game is enjoyable, if a little sparse at times. Once you have cleared out the enemies within one area of the level, should you have to revisit said 'pacified' area, only a couple of the original monsters will have respawned. This can make for some pretty dull gameplay should you need to backtrack - and sometimes that's all you seem to do due to some frightfully well-hidden corridors, switches and doors.

You won't be asking the map system down the pub for a friendly pint afterwards either, it'll drive you nuckin' futs at times, especially within levels that have many 'floors'. This creates problems as the map is solely 2D, and therefore isn't an ideal reference when trying to find the entrance to the next area you need to get to. But that's REALLY the only criticism about the game as a whole.

The map system could have been converted into a glorious 3D model, a la the Descent series, instead of just being a straight port of the N64 version. Anyway, gripes aside, this is a pretty solid, not to mention absolutely gorgeous-looking, 3D romp. And that's just the one-player game...

Multiplayer, Turok 2 is fast and furious. It comes with five different play modes including Rok Match (your typical all-against-all scrap), Capture the Flag, and Arena. This last mode, Arena, pits you against just one other player in an enclosed, and distinctly bizarre, organic pit. A countdown is sounded and then all hell breaks loose as you have access to almost every weapon in the game (limitable via pre-match options - nice), and there are no rules except win. While you slug it out, everyone else who joined watches the proceedings and then gets their chance: "winner stays on" if you will (just like a session of pool down at the local).

So, as a complete package, Turok 2 is a fun, if not essential purchase. But as always, make sure you try the demo BEFORE you buy...

71%

Mike Jones