PS3 Fanboy

Well, this one comes as a surprise ... okay, not really. Amazon has the abysmal Turok listed on sale for US$39.99. If you order now, you'll get a free copy of the game's strategy guide. While a guide sounds like a nice incentive, it would take much more than that scant extra to entice a purchase from us.

You know, doesn't this really makes you wonder how bad this game really is? Think about it, the game gets a third of the price slashed off within only a sliver over a month into the game's release. Our review sums it up: "Unfortunately, as it stands right now, this is a rather flawed game that hides the truly clever mechanics the team was attempting." Any brave souls willing to take this offer up?

[Thanks, Trevor!]

How are you enjoying playing Turok? (Don't answer that truthfully, peoples' feelings could be hurt!) Were you aware that you were supposed to be playing it around November of last year? That's when it was originally scheduled to be released, at least. Unfortunately Propaganda Games had some trouble getting the quality of the PS3 version up to scratch, so the game was delayed to earlier this month. Similar delays occurred with other UE3 powered games last year, though none were pushed back as far as 2008.

We're expecting Sony to receive a nice "Thankyou!" hamper from Turok's developers any time now. All joking aside though, with the amount of games that were released during the last quarter of 2007, especially shooters, Turok would've been swallowed up and ignored. No doubt the game is receiving far better sales now than it could have in November, considering it has the entire month of February to itself with regards to the first person shooter market. Epic have gone on record to say that the engine is now fully optimised for the PS3 (and has been since UTIII was released, so this should be the last delay of this type that we see. Hopefully.

[Via Joystiq]

Ever want to like something more than you do? That's the feeling you get while playing Turok. When it works, Turok absorbs the player into a vicious world, one of incredible beauty and ferocity. Struggling against the ever-present menace of dinosaurs, players will find themselves blending in with the environment, using their tools to quietly, and effectively, kill without being seen. Clear moments of brilliant game direction aren't too hard to find -- the problem is, they're buried underneath a mountain of frustrating and questionable design choices. There's a good, if not great, game waiting to arise from Turok. Unfortunately, this latest entry on Xbox 360 and PS3 is not the one to realize that potential.

There are some wonderfully memorable sequences in Turok. At its finest, the game successfully meshes stealth and action into something truly fun. Players can sneak around in tall grass, slowly taking the opportunity to sneak up behind enemies, and quietly knife them in the back. From afar, they can use their bow and snipe enemies quickly and quietly. Finally, players can throw a flare at an unsuspecting guard, luring hungry dinosaurs their way. Pulling these maneuvers off, while keeping an eye on the grass for any sudden movements, is incredibly satisfying. If the game managed to continue highlighting these sequences, it would've been a clear winner.

We've been writing a lot of "X coming to Y in Z" posts recently, which we assume can only be a good thing. Compared to this time last year when the only thing we knew was coming to the PSN was Calling All Cars. With so much stuff on its way in the future, however, it does make us a little restless now, with nothing new to play. Good thing it's PSN update day.

Europeans will be waiting until February 7th in order to get their first taste of Turok. That's one whole day before the game launches. Americans, on the other hand, will no doubt receive it earlier. Not only because they always receive things earlier, but also because the game is out in America this month. Don't expect to see it today, though.

It's nice to see Turok come back from the horrible spiral it started to take after the first games. IGN got to test ride the dino-hunter title recently and their verdict is what we wanted to hear: "beyond sweet." Let's explain. The jungle you're stuck in on some foreign world is alive with options. Two soldiers approach your hiding place. Shoot them? They'll sound the alarm and waves of enemies will come, not to mention dinosaurs who grow hungry and like loud noises. Bow and arrow them? Yeah, but that's boring. Sneak around and knife 'em? Nah! How about you stick a silencer on your gun, aim carefully and shoot the nearby dinosaur egg nest, and watch the mother run out and feast on the intruders walking by? Now that sounds fun!

Much like plenty of other FPS titles out there, every weapon comes with a secondary fire option and each of these can be used appropriately in a multitude of situations. We hope Tek Arrows come back. Those were nifty. In addition to secondary fire on your weaponry, you'll have context-sensitive commands if you want to, er, "stealth kill" a dino, or if a dino is trying to eat your face. Sounds good, but might be a bit time consuming in those 16-player online matches complete with dinosaurs to kill everyone.

We're cautiously optimistic. The game sounds glorious, looks fantastic and from the hands-on, we get the idea the game has a lot going for it. What could ruin it? Not poor A.I., as it's being touted as something to be reckoned with. Length of the game? Nope, the online mode sounds unique and fun, too. We're not sure, but we think that this new Turok game will indeed bring the series to a new beginning and it will rock.

Ever since the original Turok on the fantastic, amazingly successful, completely not abandoned N64 that definitely did not indirectly spur on the creation of the PlayStation, the games have sucked. Not going to lie. Anyway, the new screenshots getting regurgitated from the dinosaur's stomach, as it were, over at Propaganda Games, are actually quite promising.

Five, count 'em, five screenshots have made their way onto the IGN screenshot section and we're going to chat about them. There are dinosaurs, people in funky outfits, blood, and pretty environments. Oh, scorpions too. We're not sure if these are in-game or pre-rendered or cinematic shots, but no matter what, if the end result looks anything like this, we'll be able to think that rabid dinosaurs are scary again. Leave us your thoughts!

The original Turok on the Nintendo 64 was, in a way, fun. For a little. There were crazy weapons that were horrendously entertaining, dinosaurs that enjoyed being violently slaughtered and boss battles that were pretty much impossible without cheat codes. The worst part about that first game was the fog -- you could not see very far in the distance at all. At all. Now, I never played any of the sequels, but apparently things went downhill. The newest iteration of the franchise is trying to mix things up a bit with their multiplayer. Here's what we know:

• 16-person multiplayer matches teeming with prehistoric life as well as human opponents
• Dinosaurs will actively hunt you down!
• In multiplayer, for example, there will be two different paths: a narrow road up a mountain that dinosaurs can't climb but leaves you completely open for human sniping or take the path through the jungle and get eaten. Or hide really well.

So, really, all we've learned is that 16-person multiplayer matches will pit you against other people as well as very hungry AI-dinosaurs. You've got different paths to choose on the maps and your death will come gruesomely either way. It sounds like a step in the right direction -- I've always wanted that third party opposition in multiplayer games. What do you guys think?

The Turok franchise has been an acquired taste; where most FPS franchises gain popularity through a constant rate of carnage, Turok the Dinosaur Hunter featured large environments and heavy segments of exploration. When it debuted with this formula on the N64, the game was widely received as being a generally great game. The rest of its installments on the console followed the path that the first title paved and it wasn't until Turok: Evolution hit the PS2, Xbox, and GameCube that the franchise became the fish out of water, flapping on the concrete and slowly dying.

As such, the announcement that Turok would be returning to the PS3 with a new team of dedicated folks behind it who aim to return to the franchise's grass roots of its glory days on the N64 brought about hope to many a gamer. IGN picked up on that beacon of hope and set sail through dark waters in order to conduct an interview with Propaganda Games Vice President and General Manager Josh Holmes.