Description:
A first-person shooter game for kids isn't a brand-new concept. But it's new enough--and tricky to make--given many parents' concerns about violent games. Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Trial by Fire is a pretty successful attempt to create a fun FPS that stays kid friendly. Two games come on the CD-ROM: a short introductory game called Search for the Journal, and the longer main game, Trial by Fire. The introductory game can also be downloaded from Disney's Web site if you're interested in sampling before you buy. Trial by Fire can be played solo or multiplayer online. The solo game isn't all about shooting the bad guys--it features several short, challenging levels that involve varied tasks such as exploring caves, solving ancient Atlantean puzzles, and racing against rising lava. Some levels were very hard, but not unbeatable. Unfortunately, short describes the whole solo game. If you sit down and play hard, you'll be done in three or four hours, wanting more. That's when you'll probably be ready for the multiplayer game. In the online multiplayer game, you choose to play either capture the flag or tournament games ("tournament" appears to be parent-friendly code for "shoot the other team"). The boards are fairly simple, and players used to more complex FPS games will probably get done with them quickly. Play is smooth however, and lag didn't seem to be a problem on the GameSpy servers that the game steers you toward. If you (or your child) already enjoy faster-paced FPS games, such as Quake or Unreal, this might seem slow and simple by comparison. But for younger kids and parents concerned about gruesome violence, Trial by Fire is fun and challenging, using all the characters and locations from the movie. It's a great intro to the first-person shooter style of games, and a good follow-up to the movie. --Jeff Quick
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