• ID = PS0504
• STYLE = Stealth
• DEV. = Sony CEA, Inc.
• PUB. = Sony CEA, Inc.
• R-DATE = Jul-31-2002
• ESRB = M / For Mature
• PLAYERS = 1 player
• LIST PRICE = $34.99
  

For every legend, there is a hero. Epic adventure and fierce combat await you in the newest action-adventure game exclusively for PlayStation 2. Assume the role of Rau, a heroic warrior unmatched in skill and strength, as he battles through richly detailed 3-D environments to discover the truth about his family's dark secrets.

Accompanied by his loyal and trusted friend, a large black bird named Kazoo, Rau must fulfill his destiny to protect the world from an evil and powerful spell. With a unique and intuitive combat system in which enemies are attacked in Stealth mode or in an assigned striking order using the right analog stick, The Mark of Kris presents a new and innovative approach to fighting-adventure games.

Description 2:
Enter a brutal universe of heavy conflict and outrageous fighting in this cartoon-style epic. Not for the weak of heart, THE MARK OF KRI is a downright gory adventure that boasts an amazingly advanced storyline and a handful of memorable characters. Play as Rao, the most skilled warrior known to man, battle through environment after environment, try to get to the bottom of a dark secret that has plagued Rao’s family for generations.

The game is brand-new combat system is unlike anything ever experienced before, with innovative controls and a physics model which is unbelievable. Amazing 3D graphics decorate the screen from start to finish, and there is a lot of exploration. The story itself is widely variable, so be sure that the replay value is very high.

• Memorable characters.
• An awesome story.
• Incredible graphics.
• An innovative combat system.
• Single-player action.

Amazon.com Review
Though by no means perfect, The Mark of Kri is an original and completely realized game experience. With an innovative fighting system, graphics that are better than you thought the PS2 could deliver, and lots of cool extra character abilities, the game offers a fresh take on the basic guy-with-a-sword scenario.

The Mark of Kri offers some kind of story about dark times coming and bad guys roaming the countryside, or some kind of yadda yadda like that, but the only important thing to know is that you must wander around collecting stuff and kill guys who attack you. There are several things that make this more interesting than it sounds, most prominently the amazing environments of moss-covered ruins. Reportedly former Disney animators were among the developers, and it shows, not only in the character designs and movements, but in the excellence of the sound and lighting effects that subtly deepen the game's lush, ominous atmosphere.

Then there's the fighting system, which lets you assign a button to each attacker, so you can attack enemies on all sides without worrying about which direction you're facing. This is a fairly simple matter at first, but requires more strategy and skill as the game progresses. The Mark of Kri includes a stealth mode, which allows you to sneak up and strike lethal blows before enemies can sound the alarm, and there's a bird you can send ahead to scout hostile territory before you enter it. These extra features keep the ol' killing-crowds-of-bad-guys routine from growing tedious.

We have only two serious complaints: one, the environments are not as seamless and interactive as they could be (if there's a cliff, shouldn't you be able to jump off it?), and two, there are too many things to keep straight, stuff like magic items and combo moves (but then again, the author is unusually lazy, and this probably won't bother most gamers). Overall, though, The Mark of Kri is rock solid, graphically beautiful, and thoroughly engaging. --David Stoesz

Pros:
Beautiful graphics and art direction
Innovative and fun fighting system
Extra character abilities
Edgy, atmospheric sound effects and music

Cons:
Convoluted system of items to collect
Environments are not interactive enough
Some cutscenes are lengthy and pointless