Χ-Play (2003)

Rise of the Kasai, Zoo Keeper, Area 51 and more! (3x35)

Air date: Apr 12, 2005

On tonight's episode of X-Play, we review Rise of the Kasai. The Mark of Kri was somewhat of a sleeper hit on PlayStation 2, a game that received little hype, but ended up being one of Sony’s most memorable titles for 2002. Combining an innovative control scheme that made use of both analog sticks for fighting and rich, cartoon-like graphics and animation, The Mark of Kri seamlessly blended stealth, explosive bursts of violence, and most importantly, a distinctive sense of style. Rise of the Kasai continues the exploits of the barrel-jawed barbarian named Rau and his feathered friend Kuzo, but this time he is joined by his sister, Tati, who has more curves than Mullholland Drive and is just as dangerous at high speeds. Hollywood special effects legend Stan Winston’s designed some of the scariest monsters ever seen, including Jurassic Park’s dinosaurs and the predator. Now he’s lending his talents to Area 51, an ambitious first-person shooter inspired by the classic arcade light gun game. Given the title’s obvious potential--everyone loves a futuristic firefight, as evidenced by Halo 2’s multimillion-selling success--X-Play couldn’t resist taking an advance look at the adventure. With retro compilations being the current cash cow of the gaming industry, it's surprising that more old-school publishers aren't getting on the bandwagon. As it stands, Midway's still the only company to cash in on this little phenomenon in any meaningful way, offering dozens of arcade classics at bargain bin prices. Sega's finally stepping up with Sega Classics Collection, though unlike Midway it's decided to rework the nine games found on this retro disc. The results are less than spectacular. So far in this console generation, Konami and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been like supermodels and sumo--two otherwise decent things best left in their own little worlds. Nevertheless, they team up once again for TMNT: Mutant Melee, a party-style fighting game heav