Who doesn't like the idea of flying a dragon and killing entire armies of troops, as well as opposing dragon riders? That scenario was the premise of "Lair," one of the first games touted by Sony after announcing the PlayStation 3 back in 2005.
The game generated a ton of excitement for the console. In addition to the brilliant concept, the graphics looked amazing. The combination of a beautiful game and a great idea had prospective PS3 owners eagerly awaiting the game's release.
"Lair" finally hit stores this August. Despite the excitement that had surrounded the game for years, it got abysmal reviews from the critics. IGN.com, a prominent gaming Web site, went so far as to give it a 4.9 on a 10-point rating scale. However, my own experience with the game has made it seem as if the mainstream reviewing sites and magazines that panned the game are either absolutely insane or just completely unable to adjust to the revolutionary way the game is played.
One of the game's greatest strengths is its story. It follows Rohn, a member of the Asylian Sky Guard - dragon riders who fight against Asylia's rivals to the north, the Mokai. As you progress through the game, you unlock different missions that require you to use your dragon in order to fight against the Mokai and later against your former brothers, the Asylians.
There is one important fact about "Lair" that should be noted prior to playing it. Factor 5, the game's developers, had a specific goal other than just making a great game. This goal was to show off the power of Sony's new controller, the SIXAXIS. The PS3 SIXAXIS controller is identical in shape to the DualShock 2 controller used with PlayStation 2. However, it has some added features.
Of these, the most notable is that it has a motion sensor that allows it to recognize when the controller is tilted and moved in any direction. "Lair" puts these added features to use in an attempt to create a game that relies almost solely on motion controls. Guiding your dragon in the air is done solely through tilting the controller, and it is the lack of choice between this control scheme and a more traditional one has driven critics to slam "Lair" in their reviews.
The game does indeed have a number of flaws that keep it from being as great as it should have been. For one, the SIXAXIS controls are somewhat unresponsive at times. For instance, trying to perform a 180-degree turn, which is done by jerking the controller upward, is at times easy as could be, and at others, an extremely demanding task. However, the controls are not as bad as they were made out to be. The person who wrote IGN's review of "Lair" complained that he had to do the same level multiple times and that the controls made it extremely aggravating, while I was able to complete it in one try.
Still, "Lair" gets plenty of things right. As one would expect, ripping apart whole battalions of troops is always enjoyable. Even more fun is spraying them with fire and watching them run around in circles. Flying around and fighting dragons is also a thrilling experience, which is enhanced by the SIXAXIS controls. With a revision of the lock-on system, slightly more responsive controls, and brushed up graphics, "Lair" would have lived up to all the hype. But even without these, it is still a worthwhile and enjoyable experience.
