Primal – PS2 – Review

There are two sides to
every person–a side of us that is seen by everyone and then a hidden side that
many of us do not even know existed until it surfaces in the most unexpected
ways or moments.  For Jen Tate the moment of this discovery comes at the moment
where her mortal body hangs on the balance between life and death.  Her macabre
discovery, though, is that her hidden side has a supernatural origin that is
consumed by a savage and ancient power of an outer realm.  In Primal, the battle
to save the outside world–our world–lies in the hands of a girl just looking
for her boyfriend.   

This dark tale revolves
around Jen, an attractive young girl who is both chatty and likeable, who is
attacked along with her musician boyfriend by a dark being outside a gothic
nightclub.  The ordeal leaves Jen in the hospital in critical condition, her
life barely hanging on a thread, when a gargoyle named Scree plucks her spirit
out.  Scree tells her that her destiny is to set right the conflict between
Order and Chaos through four demon realms.  Jen soon discovers that she is
connected to these realms as a half-demon, a revelation that sets her on her
course to do right as well as rescue her boyfriend.

The demon realms, as you
will quickly find out, are huge.  The game does leave you plenty of time for
exploration, although–since the environment is massive–gamers will find
themselves backtracking very often.  It’s easy to miss a location in the dark
setting or a lever you were supposed to pull.  As for objectives, if you need a
reminder you can always ask Scree–he doesn’t offer all the answers but his
simple replies do lead you on the right direction.

Primal also allows you to
take control of Scree who is able to possess statues (to activate doors or
switches) and collect energy rocks that allows him to heal Jen’s injuries.
Pretty much Jen and Scree are basically stuck together like a bride and groom .
. . until gamers use Scree to scale walls.  This relationship works well in the
game, but the highlight is Jen’s ability to transform.  There are four demon
forms she can shift into: Ferai, Undine, Wraith and Djinn.  Each demon possesses
its own strengths and abilities.  Each demon form is assigned to the direction
pad so you can shift anytime you like.  Depending on the situation, though, your
demon form is put to use.  For example, shifting into the Undine demon form
allows you to move about easily underwater while the Ferai are known for their
ferocious strength.

Controlling Jen isn’t
difficult to do if you’ve played countless of third-person action titles of the
Resident Evil kind.  Jen basically runs across the environment and is able to
talk to other characters, interact with switches or doors and smash barrels.  In
the heat of battle, though, Jen comes to life and is able to block attacks and
perform a number of attacks in her human or demon form.  This, incidentally, is
where the game shows its weakness.   You can block attacks by monsters that
attack often in groups–but never to the point that they overwhelm you–and
punch and kick.  Jen can also transform to into one of her many demon selves to
take advantage of their abilities such as super strength.  What will have you
taking damage, though, is the camera that can often leave you wondering where
the monster when as it zips past you if they lung and miss you.

The graphics featured in
Primal are gorgeously lush and filled with outstanding details that really stand
out in a game that is dark in nature.  The four demon realms are dimly lit yet
filled with surreal terrains and gothic structures that are detailed quite
nicely.  Jen herself is a treat to look at since she not only moves
realistically but also possesses a number of facial expressions.  Yet the one
thing that stands out among the neatly rendered characters are the special
effects.  Watching Jen transform to one of her many demon selves is just one of
the game’s best visual highlights.

Sound-wise, the game also
features some pretty great voice acting by all of the characters featured in the
game.  The dialogue is top-notch here and many of the things that make Jen such
a likeable character is her witty comebacks and comments she makes to the more
serious Scree.  When monsters attack, their growls puncture the night
frighteningly and this really works in making each monster appear truly
menacing.  The score is also amazing in this game–it picks up into an
Orgy-styled instrumentation that invokes how chaotic a battle can become and
darkly beautiful during moments of exploration.

Aside from it’s elaborate
visuals, the game’s story and massive worlds are the kind that violently grabs
you by the throat and will have you enjoying every minute of it.  Yet the game
is not without it’s faults, one of them being that there are cut scenes aplenty
here to turn off true action fans, but don’t let this stop you from enjoying
this excellent title.  This one is on the highly recommended list for sure.

#Reviewer’s Scoring Details

Gameplay: 7.5
The working relationship between Jen
and Scree does keep things a bit more interesting since you are given the
freedom of deciding what character best suits the given situation.  It doesn’t
take much to notice that certain cracks are big enough for Scree to fit through
and there are areas where Scree’s stony skin keeps him out of harms way.  You
are also given the freedom to battle using Jen’s normal appearance (using a
dagger as your only defense) or any of her four demon selves.  Still, combat
could have been handled a whole lot better than this . . . although the game
does include some Mortal Kombat-type fatalities.

Graphics: 9.2
Primal is really quite a stunning
game to look at since it not only has wonderfully detailed characters, but
wonderfully detailed environments.  The four demon realms all vary in terrains
and each one has its own dark charm.  One of the world’s experiences eternal
night, making the place a snowy nightmarish landscape while another is submerged
in water.

The game’s most stunning
visual effect, though, is Jen’s demon transformations.  The transformation
itself is actually that amazing, especially as her physical features begin to
morph before your very eyes.  Scree’s visual trick is that–at will–he can
become a still stone gargoyle and he can absorb energy rocks in a flash of
blinding light.  The game also supports progressive scan for those with
Widescreen–if it does, you’re in for a real visual treat.

Sound: 9.0
As far as the sound is concerned,
the game showcases an amazing soundtrack as well as detailed sound effects that
deserves a great sound system that supports its Dolby Surround feature.  The
soundtrack does a great job of setting the somber mode during exploration of the
realms while it picks up dramatically during battles.  The Prague Philharmonic
Orchestra and Chorus give the game it’s beautifully creep vibe reminiscent of
the soundtrack heard in “Interview with the Vampire.”  The 16Volt tracks that
punctuate most battles are also great a fit Jen’s personality perfectly.

The voice acting in Primal
is nicely done and the dialogue is always fresh enough that it moves the story
along without sounding incredibly cheesy.  Complimenting the voice work is the
detailed sound effects that range from the wind passing through dry trees and
bushes to the guttural growls of the feral demons.  If you have a good sound
system hooked up; you can hear small specific features such as droplets of water
in the caves or the crackling flame of a lit torch.  Nice! 

Difficulty: Medium
Many of the challenges you face are
more puzzle related than combat related, which works out better considering the
fact that the combat mechanics really don‘t work in this game‘s favor.  There
are times when a player will get lost in the demon realm, especially those
realms that seem to span on forever.  The monsters Jen and Scree encounter are
vicious and some even strike hard and fast depending on what you’re facing.
Others attack in groups but never all at once.

Concept: 8.0
Without seeming too gimmicky, the
demon transformations and the switching between Jen and Scree actually help keep
the game from become stale and repetitive.  There are tasks best assigned to
particular characters and you will know when these times occur, but other times
you have to think twice before sending Jen to do something.  The demon forms are
put to full use not only in combat situations but also to make use of each
demon’s abilities.

Overall: 8.0
With a story that is more Clive
Barker than Stephen King, Primal is an enjoyable romp in the supernatural
realm.  And while the visuals and sound are top-notch, combat is seen more as an
annoying distraction rather than an enjoyable experience.  Still if you love a
good game with an occult theme, do give Primal a try . . . it won’t disappoint.