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Turok: Dinosaur Hunter
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Reviewed by Tim Eckel

Overview

I've been a long time fan of PC-based, first person, DOOM style, 3D combat
games.  Dark Forces, Heretic, and Quake really get my adrenaline pumping.  
I was hoping that Shadows of the Empire would give me that same feeling, 
with a better story line and graphics.  Alas, it didn't meet my expectations.  
Then along comes Turok: Dinosaur Hunter.  I again had high expectations for 
this game and didn't want a repeat of previous disappointments.  Well, I'm 
happy to say that Turok is by far the best 3D first person combat game
I have played!

Graphics - 5.0 / 5.0

We have all seen the still shots and animations.  But, to actually see the
graphics first-hand is amazing.  The enemies run around with great realism and
speed.  The quality and detail of the enemies and terrain make you feel like
you are actually Turok.  Cliffs just don't end like in SOTE, they have grassy
edges that turn to stone on the cliff sides.  There are also the little details
like looking into the sun (when it's not too foggy) will give you a great
lens-flair effect!  The fog not only hides pop-up, but also gives a great eerie
feeling to it.  The only real problem with the graphics is that I noticed a few
errors.  But, I had to look hard and it didn't effect the game play or realism.
                     
Sound - 4.7 / 5.0

The sound is one of the scariest parts.  You can adjust the volume level of the
sound effects as well as the background music.  Not just turning the music on
or off, but actually setting the level.  This is very nice because while the
music is well done, it tends to loop too frequently.  I adjusted the volume
level of the background music to be very quiet so it could still be heard but
won't drive me crazy.  The dinosaur sounds in the background make you look
around like you are about to be eaten.  The sounds have a good stereo image to
them.  You can tell where an enemy is by where the sound is coming from.  My
Nintendo 64 is connected to a Dolby Pro-Logic sound system.  With the sound
turned up, it gives a great feeling of actually being there.  Only Turok and
Wave Race 64 can give me this feeling.

Control - 4.7 / 5.0

At first, I was concerned about the way the controls were configured.  The
analog stick is used to aim and change directions, the C pad moves you in the
indicated direction, the R button makes you jump, A and B buttons are used to
select a weapon, the Z button fires the selected weapon, the L button toggles
on/off the overlaid map, and the direction pad is used to toggle between
running and walking.  Did you get all of that?  Jumping and moving around was,
at first, awkward.  However, after playing for a few hours, it is very natural
and gives you great freedom of movement.  Also, you can adjust the sensitivity
of the analog control in both the horizontal and vertical direction (something
missing from many games).  Aiming and firing are more realistic than in SOTE
and most DOOM style games.  One hint when jumping: use the overlaid map to aim,
jump, and know when to stop.

Gameplay - 4.9 / 5.0

In all, the game is one well put together package.  The graphics, sound, and
control mesh together and form what appears to be a real world that you are
exploring.  You will begin to believe that you are actually Turok fighting
real dinosaurs and enemies.

Lastability - 4.6 / 5.0

The levels are huge and full of things to explore.  Once you get good at
maneuvering and killing enemies you can set the difficulty to a higher level.
I've played for several days and have only explored a fraction of the Turok
universe.  I can see myself playing this for months and going back whenever
I need to vent some frustrations by killing some dinosaurs.

Summery

If I could only have three games, they would be Wave Race 64, Mario Kart 64,
and Turok (not necessarily in that order).  Turok takes DOOM style games to the
next level and beyond.

Turok is a must have!

Graphics
Sound
Control
Gameplay
Lastability
Overall
5.0
4.7
4.7
4.9
4.6
4.8
(Points are out of 5.0)

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