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Name: Bones

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Product:	Body Harvest (N64)
Date:	24.01.02 (123 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent varied gameplay, Lots of vehicles, Very challenging

Disadvantages: Abhorrent save game function, Frustrating occasionally, Perhaps too challenging for some

With the almost simultaneous launches of two more next-gen consoles on the immediate horizon, it seems now the N64 will finally bow out from the industry after a relatively unsuccessful (by Nintendo's standards) 4 years of sales in the UK market. However I believe the N64 has been cruelly ignored by many who believe to be one of few blemishes on Ninty's prestigious career in the industry. This is partially due to an over-occurrence of poor quality visuals in the software as well as many seeing it as a "kids console". It for this reason that I believe the N64 will lack in future years the nostalgia value that has blessed previous Nintendo consoles. I personally believe that the N64 has produced some exceptional third-party software and I so I am making a desperate plea for owners not to sell their console for a small fistful of cash when quality games such as Body Harvest exist.

Body Harvest is an adult themed third person action-adventure game; and contains elements of several genres. The story involves an alien species who every 25 years "pays a visit" to Earth for a feeding frenzy on the human population. You play a soldier called Adam Drake who as one of the last survivors of the human race has the opportunity to travel back in time and destroy the alien threat. At the time of release (sandwiched between Ocarina of Time and Turok 2 - which partially explains why it only sold about 10 copies throughout the entire country) it built up great notoriety among the gaming world for its "atrocious" graphics. More importantly despite promising reviews among Nintendo magazines it gained a reputation as unplayable. Now whilst I disagree with this I will state gladly that at times the game is incredibly frustrating and as one of the worst same game functions in gaming history. The four huge levels - each one a different time zone - gives you the opportunity to save after certain sections of the level have been completed whi
ch can often take over an hour of solid non-stop play.

So why the high score? Well despite the inclusion of some major problems in the game, these are I assure you dwarfed by the sheer magnitude of the potential bonuses this game has to offer. For starters the game plays like an absolute dream and is filled with so many wonderfully innovative ideas that when you accept the faults (and pass the rather lame first level) you will understand how exciting and how much fun this game is to play. The levels would take an eternity to cross on foot, so you must use vehicles. I'm not just talking about cars - there are buses, planes, airboats, helicopters, torpedo boats, tanks - even an ice cream truck. They are all adjusted to the time periods. Aliens are constantly appearing (there are about 80 types) around the levels so you barely have time to rest. The game is also an adventure game, with many side quests that must be completed. There are so many ingenious parts to this game the mind boggles at how the creators came up with so many great ideas. The human population are extremely irritating, which makes it highly satisfying to see them get eaten (you?re supposed to be saving them I know). Even better you can go round driving over them or blowing them up. I sound disturbingly psychotic here I know but they don't actually closely resemble humans (cubed heads anyone?). I often have found myself so preoccupied with dropping bombs on Greek villages that I forget I'm here to save them. As long as you keep your serial killing streak to fewer than 25 victims, you can get away with murder.
The sound in the game is pleasant, building up during battles and the dying away towards just a faint atmospheric tune in the background when the action stops. The game is very challenging and importantly: YOU CAN ONLY COMPLETE THE ENTIRE GAME ON THE HARDER SETTING (titled Hero). If you ever feel overwhelmed there are many button-pressing cheats but like most games,
the experience is much more rewarding without them (especially with this game where if you die you sometimes need to catch up on an hour of gameplay - and then you die again e.t.c.). With reference to the earlier point about graphics, I feel encouraged to point out that only the background detail for the levels are truly poor (Greece is shockingly bad). The aliens themselves are detailed quite nicely and make entertaining explosions. The level designs are excellent though, and have a nice level of variation in their landscape.

With this review I realize I cannot write more to fully express my extravagant enthusiasm for this game without repeating myself over and over again. Hence I will leave the rest of the plot and the secrets in the game to your discovery and believe me, at this price there should be argument. For within its graphical flaws lies a very enjoyable gaming experience. Body Harvest is a truly remarkable piece of work. The level of violence in the game is quite strong but is so unrealistic is shouldn't offend and there are some mild adult themes but as the box states the game is fully suitable for over 11's. I have decided after much deliberation to award this game five stars due to the amazing value for money it offers to consumers nowadays, offering literally months of gameplay (if you complete this in a matter of weeks you aren't human O.K trust me) compared to many recent Playstation 2 games. I heard Onimusha has 8 hours of gameplay: 8! - that's absolutely criminal for £40 no matter how good the graphics. Movie-type visuals are great but these games are in my opinion lacking the most important elements that make a great game. Hopefully my exuberrant love for Body Harvest will persuade you to purchase it.

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