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Rise
of the Kasai
My
initial surprise from seeing this fact sheet arrive at Armchair Empire
was not that a second installment of Mark
of Kri was being made, but that the came was expected to come out in
a quarter other than 4th. The original MOK
brought some cool ideas in fighting to the forefront, namely being able
to simultaneously fight up to three people at once and had a good
stealth feature. The original was really hurt by the computer AI though,
and apparently it has been addressed.
The
2 player mode has caught my eye though, being able to play the level
with a friend or against one sounds intriguing… but I hope that
defending doesn’t degrade into a series of one-on-one fracases until
you wear down the attacker. We’ll just have to wait and see then.
Here's the official line from Sony:
Rise of the Kasai, the sequel to the critically acclaimed The Mark of
Kri, builds upon the original with new storylines, characters, weapons,
and cooperative online gameplay - offering a game three-times larger
than the original. With 10 captivating levels and numerous collaborative
fighting stages, gamers will start the journey by playing through events
that took place 10 years prior to The Mark of Kri and then jump to 10
years later when a series of new spells have taken hold. Players can
either assume the role of Rau, a heroic warrior
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unmatched in skill and
strength, Tati, his younger, agile sister with a darker, more
threatening side, or other characters, each with their own weapons,
deadly combos, and unique animations. As the last of the "Rakus,"
together they must scout, strategize, stealth and fight through richly
detailed 3D environments, where they will discover the truth about the
family's dark secret, and the origins of the Kasai.
Rise of the Kasai presents a new and innovative approach to fighting
adventure games. With the critically-acclaimed combat system, gamers can
attack in stealth mode or use the best weapon available for the
situation. Up to nine opponents in the player's range can be attacked by
using the right analog stick to select and assign specific or multiple
buttons for lethal combos. Combined with artistically sketched movies,
and a colorful cast of characters, the engaging storyline of Rise of the
Kasai will immerse gamers into a world of dark magic, discovery and
conflict.
Rise of the Kasai begins with Kuzo, a large black bird who is Rau's
trusted spirit guide, being informed that Rau has been killed. As the
story progresses, the characters replay significant events in Rau's
destiny. Taking place both 10 years before the original game's storyline
and 10 years after, Rau joins his younger sister, Tati and the other
cast of characters as they battle the Kasai through 10 dynamic levels in
search of the events that led up to his death.
Features:
The main hero, Rau, and his trusted spirit guide, Kuzo, return for the
sequel along with new, stylized characters, including Tati- Rau's
sister, each with their own weapons, abilities and purpose.
With all new dynamic environments, playable characters, online
cooperative gameplay, weapons, storyline and more, Rise of the Kasai
offers three times the gameplay of the original.
Building on the proprietary combat action that is innovative, intuitive
and extremely responsive, two players will be able to team up online and
defeat enemies together or play with a human or artificial intelligence
(AI) controlled character for a one-of-a-kind gameplay experience.
The critically acclaimed combat system operates by sweeping the right
analog stick in the direction of the enemies, enabling up to nine
targets to be "locked" onto and attacked. Pressing the
corresponding buttons engages an enemy (or group) attack, while combos
can be used to kill swiftly and mercilessly.
While Rau is able to use Kuzo to scout unknown territory, distract
enemies and retrieve items, Tati can "spirit walk" and see
through the eyes of the dead. Tati also has the ability to blend
seamlessly into the environment and wait undetected, furthering the
strategic element of the gameplay.
Defeat enemies in a balanced mix between two different states of
fighting - armed or unarmed (stealth). Rau has four weapons in his
arsenal: battle axe, Taiaha (spear), broadsword and bow and arrow.
Tati's arsenal includes daggers, a deadly staff with retracting blades,
an axe, a proximity-based weapon and the ability to become invisible in
stealth mode.
Vibrant, intricately detailed areas with their own uniquely distinct
style that build on The Mark of Kri's award winning art direction.
Engaging storyline that takes place 10 years after The Mark of Kri
immerses the player into a world of dark magic, discovery and conflict.
Learn key story information through the Oracle, Kuzo, artistically
sketched in-game movies and animated in-game movies.
Immersive game design requires the players to strategize as they
progress from one "combative puzzle" to the next. By scouting
ahead and evaluating the scenario they can then plan their best line of
attack and which weapon is best suited for each situation.
-
Tazman
(August
7, 2004)
“Heavens.
You don't so much speak the language as chew on it and spit it out.”
