Electronic Gaming Monthly's Top 8 Turok Games

Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion (Game Boy Color)

#7

“I've said this time and time again in the past, but nine times out of ten, the Game Boy Color version of a big console game is going to suck – such is the case with Turok 3. Granted, it looks nice, but it's just not that fun to play. Each of the game's five main levels is broken up into two gameplay types. One is a ¾-overhead perspective, vehicle-based jaunt, where Turok gets to show off his driving skills in a tank, jeep and power boat. The other is a side-scrolling, kill-the-enemies-and-find-a-key sort of thing. The vehicle stuff can be entertaining, but the side-scrolling areas are ridiculous. On various levels, you're confronted by enemies who just keep coming and coming, no matter what you do. The whole process is wildly tedious and repetitive. There's no good reason to buy this game – so don't.” (3 out of 10)

Turok: Evolution
(PlayStation 2)

#7

“Despite its promise of Evolution, in most ways Turok is a giant leap backwards: Blocky characters, objects that suddenly pop into view, choppy movement and a two-player limit for splitscreen multiplayer, complete with lag (that's right, offline lag). A few sections get creative – the Panzer Dragoon-style flying sequences and stealth levels may be rough around the edges, but they're a welcome break from an otherwise unpolished hodge-podge of first-person shooter cliches, right down to the power-up-filled crates and explosive barrels. No wonder no reviewable copies were sent out in time for Turok's release, this game was obviously and painfully rushed out the door.” (4.2 out of 10)

Turok: Evolution (Xbox)

#6

“Turok's comeback bid shines brightest on Xbox, but it's still nothing special. It suffers from the same design weaknesses as its PS2 counterpart, including a laughable plot, poor level designs, wimpy sound effects and fluctuating difficulty. While the game offers cool weapons and environments, the overall package is lackluster. Visually, Turok can't compete with the likes of Halo, although it's smoother and sharper than its PS2 cousin. Even so, graphical issues still rear their ugly heads here. The single-player game drags on through 15 hit-or-miss levels, including four flying stages. And unlike the PS2 version, the multiplayer mode here is faster, plays better and supports four player splitscreen. Sadly, Turok: Evolution is no better than average.” (5 out of 10)

Turok: Rage Wars
(Nintendo 64)

#5

“What went wrong here? This was supposed to be the definitive multiplayer shooter on the consoles, but instead it's just barely adequate. The multiplayer modes (of which there aren't enough) rely too much on stuff you open in the single-player game – which is painfully repetitive (even when you play with a friend). Still, there's no denying this game delivers plenty of four-player thrills. And with Perfect Dark delayed, what else are you gonna play?” (6.5 out of 10)

Turok (Xbox 360 &
PlayStation 3)

#4

“Turok has a bad case of the shakes. Shoot a gun and the screen shakes. Get hit and the screen shakes. Draw your bow for too long and the screen shakes. Immersive? Maybe. Annoying? Yep. If I'm sighting on a bad guy every time I shoot or get shot, well, I get a little frustrated. Surprisingly, though, this issue doesn't damage Turok beyond redemption. This is largely due to the interesting story, solid writing and fantastic voice work, which all moves the game along to a satisfying climactic ending. My biggest gripes with Turok: The game handles stealth with absurd clumsiness. Sometimes enemies see you, sometimes they don't, and I couldn't find an obvious reason why. These issues guarantee that Turok isn't going to win any awards, especially considering 2007's stellar first-person shooters. But the unusual premise, solid writing and varied play make it worth a look.” (6.7 out of 10)

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter (Nintendo 64)

#3

“First-person shooters are way too commonplace today. Turok is just another one in the masses. The only thing that makes it stand out are the weapons, the enemies and the levels. The weapons effects are awesome and we set a new standard for this type of game. The enemies are well-animated polygons, a refreshing change from the sprites that we are used to in Doom games. The levels are wide-open outdoor areas, as opposed to tunnels and hallways. But in the end, these fluffy features don't help Turok stay afloat. It's still a boring shooter at heart. How many Doom games can gamers take before they are fed up?” (6.9 out of 10)

Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion (Nintendo 64)

#2

“This is a nice surprise. After Rage Wars, I wasn't expecting big things out of Turok 3, but big things are exactly what it delivers – the two characters to play as, the best hi-res graphics on the Nintendo 64, a smooth framerate, cool weapons, a slick story line and an almost Half-Life-like pace. The levels are short and to the point, while a generous save system has been added as well. The multiplayer moves at a smoother framerate than Perfect Dark, and revamped versions of the Lost World levels from the first game are even included, a sure sign that the former Iguana loves its fans. Not as deep as Perfect Dark, but almost as much fun.” (8.2 out of 10)

Turok 2: Seeds of Evil (Nintendo 64)

#1

“This may seem like an odd complaint, but I'm actually annoyed that Turok 2's levels are so damn big. If you could save anywhere, I'd be happy, but the limited amount of save points coupled with the fact that it's really easy to get lost in the game's huge levels really irks me. Still, the game's atmosphere and graphics kick ass (despite some slowdown), and the four-player modes are fantastic. I'd buy it for the multiplayer stuff alone.” (8.4 out of 10)