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"Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy" Return of the Dead | Israel today

2019-12-25T10:38:16.212Z


Gaming


The adventure genre dates back to the 90s with a legendary sword, evil prince and mummy that could be burned without charge • But it is doubtful that the game that won visitors' love will be commercially successful this time

  • The style of the game "Mummy" concentrates on puzzles and thinking games // photography from the game

The game "Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy" for Nintendo Switch makes a strange impression at first. This is an HD resolution for Nintendo Switch for Game, released in late 2003 for PlayStation 2, Gamecube and Ex Box. But even though it is a novelty for an old game, this time it is a fairly successful revival.

The story

The game, which is based on Egyptian mythology, begins with the boy Sphinx and a bird-man named Horus, who teaches martial arts at Mentor Imahottap. First Mission: Obtain Osiris's sword in the dark kingdom of the city of Uruk. The two separate from the healthy logic and the horus that manages to reach the sword - falls to his death. Sphinx actually manages to get hold of it and escape with the help of a large sculpture that sends him away.

Sphinx Trailer and the Cursed Mummy // Photo: From THQ NORDIC's official YouTube channel

From here, the perspective shifts to the young Prince Strawberry Trust from Luxor, and we begin to collect pitchers in a short game. At one point, his older brother Akhanaten kidnaps and kills him. He cradles the body and prepares a mummy from it. Just then, Sphinx arrives and stops Achanaten. The killer escapes, and the mummy remains.

But after Sphinx's departure, someone collects the mummy and transfers it to the dungeon. Sphinx, meanwhile, discovers that the urns contain bits of Strawberry Anime's soul, and that if I collect them all - it can bring it back to life. The next steps lead to the final confrontation with Achanaten, which turns out to be evil Seth - in order to restore order to us. And in trouble, help comes from an unexpected place.

This is a classic "Action Adventure" game, which characterized the 1990s and early 2000s, a genre that less is seen today. The world of the game includes several sites: the temple of Imhhottap, the desert, the city of Heliopolis, the Bedouin tent, the castle of Strawberry An Amon and more.

The main hero Sphinx // Photo from the game

The main protagonist - Sphinx - has skills such as jumping, climbing, cliff-hanging and of course attacking. It is also possible to launch with the statue from the beginning of the game using a pendant or a short run.

As for the mummy, which plays in some of the stages, it can, among other things, crawl, stick to the walls and step on narrow tracks above the abyss. But more importantly, she can't die, so she has no problem being burned, crushed and split into three identical mummies. The stages with the mummy are not long, but they add variety, challenge and a lot of fun to the game.

graphics

The visibility is good. Not at the level of today's games, it's still graphics from the original game released in 2003, but the edges and textures have been upgraded to look smoother. Overall, the game looks good in both the "docking" display of the TV connection and in mobile mode.

However, sometimes it feels a bit like the background is dead. Often the character walks in the desert with only sand around. Which makes total sense, but still too extreme, which made us lose patience.

Despite the critics' love, the old "Sphinx and Cursed Mummy" was not commercially successful // Photo taken from the game

Another matter is the picturesque style and design of the characters, which drew inspiration from comics. That's why "The Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy" is very kid-friendly, too, which won't expose blatant violence in the game, or other things that don't suit their age. Unsurprisingly, according to US rating data, the game can also fit for ages 10 and up. However, you need to know basic English.

Sound

From the main menu to the various sites in the game, there is always a tune in the background, which changes according to developments. The tone is Egyptian style that characterizes historical series about ancient Egypt, which adds to the experience. The characters don't talk. Each makes sounds and cries that characterize it. They can also move your lips, but everything that is really said appears in subtitles.

Game play and mentions

The genre of the game is the type of action / adventure / platform. Throughout the game we can see in the upper left corner the life meter, which will improve as we progress through the stages. To the right, we can load objects for protection, launch arrows, use the monster beetles that we will meet later and more. There are two game styles: the "Sphinx" mode, with which there are mostly action games, and the "mummy" mode that mainly incorporates mind games like puzzles.

Since this is an old game that has been revamped, there are some squeaks in the game. The keys are not very up to date, the Sphinx can run and climb unrealistically and the perspective sometimes flows slowly. Also, there are no automatic saves and everything is done manually. An important thing to remember in such an adventure game.

The bottom line

Despite visitors' sympathy, "Sphinx and Cursed Mummy" was not a commercial success at the time. It remains a sort of "hidden diamond" of the PlayStation 2 console, the Ex Box and the Gamecube.

Not everyone will connect to this game and is a bit outdated in a costume remake. But for those who love the genre and especially for those who missed the game, this is a good opportunity to fill in gaps.

In Israel, the game is not sold in physical copy, but it can be ordered through websites from abroad or the digital version can be downloaded from store locations in the United States or Europe. Its price is only about $ 30.

The score is: 8 out of 10

Source: israelhayom

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