Sphinx and the Shadow of Set: How to keep five editors busy... Company: THQ We recently got a chance to spend some hands-on time with THQ's upcoming adventure game, Sphinx and the Shadow of Set and so far things are looking very impressive. According to the game's mythology, the Egyptian Empire merged with several other worlds via the Lunar and Solar Disc portals. Over time, the connection between worlds began to erode. Because of this, some of the Empires began to crumble apart and lose all connection with the portals. Some races even began to alienate themselves from others and failed to recognize races they had once called friend. However, as these two powers began to separate, one prophecy still remained -- that two forces, one Dark and one Light, would one day help to reunite the worlds. Over the course of the game, players will take control of Sphinx, a young demi-god and King Tut, a bumbling mummy, as they try to reunite the portals. As Sphinx, players will be treated to a more traditional adventure game which combines many aspects of games like Tomb Raider, with those of Zelda. As the young demi-god, players will learn numerous tricks and moves to help them conquer the game's many traps and monsters. Sword combos are incredibly easy to pull off, as are many of the moves Sphinx will learn over the course of the game. Sphinx is also armed with a blowpipe that can be loaded with several different dart types, such as fire, acid and bouncing. Not only will the pipe prove to be an invaluable combat resource, but it also plays a major part in many of the game's head-scratching puzzles. And believe me, some of the puzzles in the game are extremely clever, and will take a while to figure out. One of the more interesting aspects of Sphinx is the dynamics between the two characters. Whereas Sphinx's quest is rather typical for an adventure game, that of the mummy is incredibly unique. This section of the demo was easily one of my favorites, and judging from the reaction of some of other editors, they were pleased as well. Before beginning to understand the mummy's side of the quest, you have to realize that as a mummy, he's already dead. The way this plays into the entire scenario is very interesting and one of the more creative modes of gameplay I've seen in a game, especially in terms of problem solving. The puzzles in this section ranged from having to light yourself on fire in order to light a torch, to literally flattening yourself so you can fit through a thin space between bars. I could go on, but frankly -- some of the more far out methods just have to be seen to be believed. An aspect that struck me the most about Sphinx is that it lent itself to being a very 'group' oriented game. This doesn't mean that the game is a multi-player game (at least not in the traditional sense), but rather it's a game where a group of friends could have a blast playing through it and passing the controller between themselves. As I mentioned before, it certainly kept a few members of our staff entertained. If the game's short demo is any indication of the final product, Sphinx and the Shadow of Set should prove to be a must play game. Look for it later this year on both the PS2 and GameCube. But, for PS2 owners who just can't wait, a playable demo can be obtained by visiting the game's official site. -Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker Related Links: THQ Official Sphinx Website The REAL Great Sphinx... Arts and Crafts fun...