The Inu Compass Review

Ride the Bear!

Golden Compass for the Xbox 360

Well I just beat this and let me tell you what a rush! I bought this at gohastings.com for a mere $2.72 with free shipping, brand new in shrink wrap. I thought hell I'll give it a whirl and pad my gamerscore and it gives me something to do when I am not making funny faces at my daughter.

The Golden Compass movie is one that I really enjoyed, with fantasy and technology steam-punk style mixed in, but I felt that a whole lot was missing from the story. So I bought the books and they are still sitting in my bookcase waiting to be read...Anyways the video actually touches on many scenes the movie doesn't, which I don't know if its for video games sake or the book. More than likely, both. The story was chunky and not really well told but had some interesting aspects that the game tried to inject.

Lyra, the main character, a snarky little liar of a girl is meant to be the chosen one, oohhhh, has the ability to read the alietheometer or something like, and use to see the future or answer questions. It's a chrystal ball. Decifier symbols see the future which turns in to a mini game. Being the little liar, she has the ability to fool people into telling secrets. Another mini game. Some of the most annoying mini games I have ever played! There is also Pan her deamon, her soul basically the way my uneducated brain understands it, he changes into a ermine, hawk, sloth and wildcat to tackle the levels with Lyra. This was frustrating at times too.

Then there is Lorek Byrnison, the fucking badass talking polar bear, who loves making armor out of sky iron..??. I loved his scenes in the movie; mean bastards those bears. Basically you ride this hulk though many of the levels, pawing the fuck out of peeps without blood and gore...sad. E for Everyone! Towards the end of the game he shines as does the quirky features the designers put into the gameplay. Lorek goes mano a mano with the *spoiler* king of the bears, game goes all street fighter, FIGHT! flashes across the screen and a move set. Win a button pressing mini game and you put up your paws and beat ass. It was cool, yet no blood, bummer. They kinda edited the best part of the movie's fight scene.

Overall the gameplay was bad and very simple, clunky and bad character detection. The graphics dated thought the backdrops were mostly snow and some looked cool. Huh, huh,huh,huh. Voice acting was bad; no Sam Elliot? What the Fuck? Pay the man!

The Rating System

1 Inu - This Inu is bad. It eats baby birds out of trees, craps in you shoes, and scares any potential female friends away with its ferocious demeanor.

2 Inu's - This Inu has been taken to obidience training, but failed. The dog tried hard, but just never got any of the tricks right.

3 Inu's - An average loveable Inu, sure its not gonna win any awards, but it is a faithful companion

4 Inu's - This Inu is special, he knows all of his tricks, everyone loves him, and he sits by your side every time you come back from the bar... alone.

5 Inu's - This is Inu is legendary. He is a dog among puppies. One day there will be movies made about how awesome he is. He gets your beer for you when you get home and never fails to get you atleast 3 phone numbers every time you take him for a walk. Oh and he growls as the fatties approach(unless your into that kind of thing).

I would have to give this game a score of 2 INU's for it frustration and it's overall shallow gameplay though shows sparks of ingenius quirkiness. SWS out.