Preview

Drakan:
The Ancients’ Gates

Developer: Surreal
Software
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Genre: Action/Adventure
Platform: PlayStation 2
Release Date: March 2002

By: Harriet
Gurganus

The original Drakan:
The Order of the Flame was released for the PC in 1999. Drakan:
The Ancient Gates, due for release in March of 2002, is an undeviating
outcome of the original game and will follow your favorite characters,
Rynn and Arokh, her dragon and comrade, as they struggle to keep their
world free from the oppressive and evil aliens, the Desert Lords.
This project is a stand alone game and positively not a port from
the PC to the PS2. It begins where the first Drakan ended.

The Ancients’ Gates
is a third-person action/adventure that is both linear and non-linear,
and is over three times the size of the original Drakan that
was made for the PC. It will take the average player about 40 hours
to complete the game. It consists of five fully-realized 3D environments
that include mountains, swamps, deserts, islands and arctic regions.
Combat between good and evil will feature over 80 hand to hand weapons,
12 types of magic spells and the power of five dragon weapons. Game
play will include explorations, airborne combat, hand to hand fighting
and puzzle solving. As you play, you can determine what characteristics
best fit your interaction with Rynn and begin to customize her persona
and skills. This will allow you to fit within Rynn’s skin, so to speak,
and make her more of an extension of yourself.

Surreal Software has put
over two years of love, time and effort into this game. If you enjoyed
Drakan: The Order of the Flame this is one that you should
not miss. It is forecast to be bigger and better than the first in
the series and an overall stronger game.