2008 Woodie Awards
Lair is a better game than its reputation lets on
Chris Linderman
Issue date: 10/29/07 Section: Entertainment
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Lair for the Playstation 3 has the reputation of being a bad game. But, after a few hours of hands on time with the game, I came to quite a different conclusion.
The main gripe that gamers have had with the game was the fact that it was hard to control.
Granted, using Sony's patented Six-Axis control scheme does take some getting used to, but once you master the controls it's easy to make your dragon obey your every command with just a twist of the wrist.
Some of the commands don't work very well, such as the 180 command.
Many times when I needed to turn around in a hurry instead of getting the expected response my dragon would dive with great speed in the opposite direction. But other than those few minor difficulties with the controller I had no problem piloting my fire breathing beast.
This brings me to my next point, some of the moves that you can pull off in Lair are stunningly brutal and awe inspiring.
You just haven't lived until you've swooped down close to the ground and spewed fire upon your enemies.
You can also eat enemy foot soldiers or pick them up and take them several hundred feet above the ground, let go and watch as they plummet to their ultimate demise.
Fighting against other dragons is reminiscent of dog fights from the Ace Combat series.
You can spit fire on them until the opposing dragon is burnt up, charge your opponent and knock him out of the sky, or engage in a mini game in which you can bite and claw while trying to avoid your opponent's strikes.
While it is safer to just shoot fire from a distance the mid-air fighting mini games are some of the best action sequences in any game available on PS3.
The graphics for this game are also quite stunning. There are a wide variety of landscapes for you to torch.
Lair has everything from snowy mountain tops to beach front cities. This is definitely the game to have if you are the proud owner of a high definition television.
So, all in all, Lair is certainly not a bad game. While it does have some minor control issues, they can be easily overlooked, and once you get into a mid air tooth-n-claw match to the death with another dragon you will be hooked. I give Lair for the Playstation 3 an 8 out of 10.
The main gripe that gamers have had with the game was the fact that it was hard to control.
Granted, using Sony's patented Six-Axis control scheme does take some getting used to, but once you master the controls it's easy to make your dragon obey your every command with just a twist of the wrist.
Some of the commands don't work very well, such as the 180 command.
Many times when I needed to turn around in a hurry instead of getting the expected response my dragon would dive with great speed in the opposite direction. But other than those few minor difficulties with the controller I had no problem piloting my fire breathing beast.
This brings me to my next point, some of the moves that you can pull off in Lair are stunningly brutal and awe inspiring.
You just haven't lived until you've swooped down close to the ground and spewed fire upon your enemies.
You can also eat enemy foot soldiers or pick them up and take them several hundred feet above the ground, let go and watch as they plummet to their ultimate demise.
Fighting against other dragons is reminiscent of dog fights from the Ace Combat series.
You can spit fire on them until the opposing dragon is burnt up, charge your opponent and knock him out of the sky, or engage in a mini game in which you can bite and claw while trying to avoid your opponent's strikes.
While it is safer to just shoot fire from a distance the mid-air fighting mini games are some of the best action sequences in any game available on PS3.
The graphics for this game are also quite stunning. There are a wide variety of landscapes for you to torch.
Lair has everything from snowy mountain tops to beach front cities. This is definitely the game to have if you are the proud owner of a high definition television.
So, all in all, Lair is certainly not a bad game. While it does have some minor control issues, they can be easily overlooked, and once you get into a mid air tooth-n-claw match to the death with another dragon you will be hooked. I give Lair for the Playstation 3 an 8 out of 10.
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