  The other "Bunch" never had to deal with jabroni ogres. |
Here's the story, of an evil white witch who enslaved a magical land with her wicked cronies. All of them had hearts of ice, like their master, the ogres were jabronies. Here's a story, of a family named Pevensie. Who were busy with problems of their own. They were four young kids, living all together, but they were all alone. Till the one day when this witch met the children, and they knew it was much more than a hunch. That their final battle, must somehow decide the fate of a kingdom. That's the way they all became the Narnia Bunch...
You get the idea and if you don't, you haven't watched much TV or read the works of legendary author C.S. Lewis.
C.S. Lewis' much-loved 'Chronicles of Narnia' is out to give that wacky wizard from Hogwart a run for his money this holiday season not only at the box office but at your local video game outlet as well.
Produced by Traveller's Tales for Buena Vista Games, the console and PC versions take players through the film's storyline with some extra cut-scenes to fill in the plot gaps. All of the Pevensie children (Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy), who find a magic wardrobe that acts as a portal to the fantastic land of Narnia, have their own individual abilities. Peter, the oldest and therefore the strongest, can smash objects and wield a sword. Susan shines when it comes to ranged combat with projectiles. Edmund is a lightweight version of Peter but is far more agile and a superb climber. Lucy, the youngest, can heal others and fit into cramped places. All of the Pevensie children's unique skills have to be mixed and matched throughout the game to succeed.
Although you can venture forth to unlock the mysteries of 'The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe' as a single player, 'Narnia' really excels when it is experienced through the cooperative play format. It is just more compelling to negotiate all of the puzzles and battles that way. As they say, two heads are better than one. Nonetheless, in either mode the Pevensie children can team up with each other at any time. When they do so, they can use special skills to vanquish foes or get through obstacles by using teamwork. Peter can swing Edmund around so he can deliver devastating kicks. Peter can also carry Susan on his shoulders to allow her to reach lofty objects. You can switch between siblings at any time depending upon the threat or impediment you are facing. In other words, 'Narnia' will not only exercise your manual dexterity but your brain cells as well.
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If you take your time and investigate your surroundings fully, the kids can get stronger and gain new powers too. Silver and gold coins collected throughout each level can be used to buy weapon upgrades, new skills or other useful objects.
When it comes to the Game Boy Advance instalment, you can throw all of the handheld preconceptions out the window. Astoundingly, it is as ornately detailed as the console-PC versions. The GBA version has been given as much attention as its technologically advanced brethren. Gee, imagine that. Kudos to Traveller's Tales and Buena Vista for respecting GBA gamers enough not to saddle them with an inferior adaption.
One huge variance in the GBA instalment is that Narnia's frigid weather does damage. Unless you can start a fire, drink tea or eat the warm toast you have scavenged, your temperature metre will sink and you will start turning a human popsicle. Another alteration is that all of the denizens of Narnia have a special energy called "Nartian Essence". When defeated, the remaining amounts become crystals. If you collect the crystals you can increase your health. Aslan, the Lord of the whole wood, has also bestowed the Pevensie kids with unusual magical capabilities called "Nobilities". Nobilities can be used to repel enemies, warm the children, permit them to sneak by enemies and gather them together for a robust attack.
Tackling such a time-honoured classic as ‘Narnia’ must have been an intimidating task. Fans of series should know though that Traveller’s Tales handled every detail of both games with great care and respect. A creative genius himself, C.S. Lewis would be proud that the developers have been faithful to his vision and that the ‘Narnia’ games might encourage children to explore the literary world he created.
WHAM! Rating: |
8 out of 10 |
ESRB Rating: |
E (Everyone) |
Official Web Site: |
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