Primal Rage

The struggle for power is the plot of many stories, in the center of which even the gods may well be. Moreover, the gods personifying the most negative, the most destructive states: hunger, death, madness ... They shared power when dinosaurs dominated the Earth, and then ... then they disappeared with them. The new owners of the planet were people who established their orders, dividing the five continents into many states. Centuries later, the ancient gods became a legend, and dinosaurs became the object of research by paleontologists; people believed in themselves, decided that they could hold the whole Earth in their hands. However, fate brought down a cataclysm on the planet, which turned everything upside down. The ancient gods were awakened and returned to their old war, and the people who lost a lot of what was acquired over thousands of generations remained the role of extras, fans and victims in the new brutal arena.

This is the setting of Primal Rage. In the future, we are offered to play for one of these ancient gods, embodied in giant monkeys and dinosaurs. There are only seven competitors, which, on the one hand, is not impressive, and on the other hand, they still managed to be made really different in many ways (even under the condition of external similarity). However, as you know, "the theater begins with a hanger", and the game - from the main menu.

It is surprisingly ascetic: only two points. Behind the first of them lies a choice of two plot options (for the left and for the right player), two training modes, a duel between two players and a “survival” battle, where two teams of four fighters fight. You must admit that the variety for the fighting game is quite unusual - the plot and the duel can still be called a standard set. The second one conceals the most diverse settings: from the number and length of rounds to the level of cruelty (in the last paragraph, however, there are only two options - bloody or bloodless fights). Especially pleasing is the presence of as many as 16 levels of difficulty, and it’s really different - from very easy, where opponents can be taken out literally right away, to heavy ones that obey only real professionals.

Well, having adjusted the game to our desires, we enter the arcade mode, select a fighter for ourselves and fall into one of the arenas. We are met by its owner - our rival. At our disposal are four keys of strokes, four keys of movement, a block at the top during a retreat, below at a squat and a retreat. The battle begins. People run around the arena, from time to time beginning to pray passionately to their idol. Blood (if, of course, it was turned on) flows like water. If we were beaten badly - it doesn’t matter, we eat a person who has jumped into the arena (another plus to the game’s blood bank), and thereby restore our health. The final blow, one of the opponents staggers without strength; if it’s not you, then make a combination and finish it in the best traditions of MK. Killing the brain, turning into a cow, incineration - each character has several fatality techniques that can satisfy many lovers of cruelty.

However, as you know, not by finishing off the same ... And here, inexperienced players can expect some disappointment. The fact is that although there are not so few special techniques for each fighter, in reality they all often come down to two or three. For example, Blizzard, among other tricks, has three hits, differing only in power and speed, plus a similar false hit. Diablo spits fire - in fact, most of his special attacks come down to this, the differences between them are not so great. And so on, further, further - similar reasoning can be carried out, in fact, about all fighters. But there is one big caveat: all special techniques can be carried out only from the gamepad, as reported by the authors of the game. When playing the keyboard, only a limited range is available, which, of course, spoils the impression, but somewhat arouses the aforementioned principle of “repetition from a different angle”.

Also, perhaps, it is worth mentioning the principle of using special techniques, which is rather unusual in Primal Rage. If in most other fighting games they were carried out according to the “series of movements + kick” method, then the approach is different: the player is required to first hold down two (and sometimes even more) shock buttons on the gamepad, and then, holding them, crank up the necessary movements. It is difficult to say whether this is better or worse than the classic solution, but you can not argue with originality.

The graphics in the game are quite consistent with the general level - not trying to achieve the ideal, the designers made just a few arenas and seven worthy fighters who were in line with the spirit of the game. However, sometimes even once there is no time to pay attention to the picture in the battle, the gaze is focused on two dragonflies, one and the other. Here one of them jumps on another, a wave of paws - a stream of blood spurts to the ground, but he makes a powerful attack, knocking down an opponent who has not had time to land. All this looks very impressive and somehow so natural ... Even you forget about some uncouth picture.