Crazy? No, Krazy...
A Review of Krazy Ivan
by Mark W. Frantz
First, you've got this first person shooter idea. Ever since Doom came out, everybody's been trying to emulate it. Some successful (Duke) and many more not successful (too numerous to mention.) Then, you've got a resurgence of the mech game, with Mechwarrior II, Shattered Steel, and host of other ones like it. Now, you've got an emulation of both that does neither justice, and creates a game that I have already seen on the bargain wall at Babbage's. That said, let's discuss Krazy Ivan.
The story line of this "epic" is typical: aliens have taken over the world, and you, in your secret Soviet mech, are the only one who can stop them. Of course the only way to stop aliens is to go around in your mechanized armor suit, blasting them back to the planets they dared to leave. (They're so mean.) And of course this is only the excuse to run around blowing up things, so it's really a mute point. (Sometimes I wish they could be more inventive with their plots.)
The game plays like most of the mech games that exist. Dropped into the battle zone, you must face a horde of less intelligent droids, who simply wander aimlessly hellbent on destroying you. They're an easy kill, and usually they leave behind some energy for your shield or some ammo for your guns. Beyond the less intelligent droids lies the sentient ones, who are really just big robots that have a heck of a lot more firepower and the mind to use it. But if you're fast and can keep firing, you really shouldn't have problems dispatching these foes. Once all sentients are destroyed in an arena, you proceed to the shield generator, and, using your weapon bristling mech, destroy it in the glory of mankind.
Of course, in order to perform these wonderful acts of heroicism, you need the right tools. And you get to use many different weapons, from 20mm guns to lasers and rockets, basically a standard fare...nothin' fancy. And to help you on your quest is a woman with a semi plausible Russian accent who briefs you on the sentient robots before you battle with them.
And so the action isn't bad. The graphics aren't bad either, except for some reason the battlefield is always socked n with fog, rendering your enemies that are a certain distance away invisible. Of course, they can still see you and fire at you. Beyond that glaring problem, the rest of the graphics are alright (although certainly nothing to write home about).
In fact, the worst thing about Krazy Ivan is not the graphics, or the game play, or the story line. It's that even a novice will probably have fought his way through the ENTIRE game after about five hours, at most. It simply is not that difficult, nor are the five arenas that large. That's right, only five arenas, each containing about three to six intelligent robots. And defeating the intelligents is simply a matter of moving fast and firing. It didn't take long to figure out.
So, what we have here is a game that is somewhat fun to play, with passable graphics, an unoriginal story line, and some pretty good game play that lasts for a short, short period of time. But since the game is already relegated to the bargain bins, it may be worth the $10-$15 you'll pay for it. But if you're looking for the best, go Mechwarrior II, and let Krazy Ivan remain in the psych ward.
Gamer's Zone Scorecard
| Product: | Krazy Ivan |
| Company: | Psygnosis |
| Cost: | $19.95 |
System Requirements:
Pentium 60 Mhz or better,
8 MB Ram, Windows95,
SVGA monitor, Double Speed CD-ROM drive.
Breakdown:
Fun Factor 3
Graphics 3
Sound 3
Interface 3
Replayability 2
Overall Score:
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