Retro Reflections: Looking Back On The Mark Of Kri

If it hadn’t been re-released on the PlayStation 4 in late 2015, The Mark of Kri would have been forgotten, and that is a shame. Obviously, it stood out enough to make it to this new console, but it seems many people have simply never played it or even heard of the title. It was originally released in 2002, coming from Sony Computer Entertainment San Diego Studio who had done nothing like it before, and would become known mostly for sports games.

What caught my attention was the cover, with a fierce and ominous image that had me intrigued, and I loved the blue font with its incredibly stylized letters. Although it didn’t tell me much about the world itself, the art style and character influenced the direction I knew we were heading–a brutal adventure. It also has a nice packed and colored booklet that shows off the items, art style, as well as a cool picture of the main character in action. With all of this working in the game’s favor, I figured it was just a matter of people missing out on something cool, but maybe my memories of it are better than reality.

The strongest aspect of it has to be the presentation, specifically the art. The game is rooted in Polynesian culture, taking its inspiration from Maori mythology, helping the backstory and motivations to flourish—something I knew nothing about, making it even more interesting—and turning the colors and environments into a fresh breath. The art team was composed of experienced 2D animators and it shows, from the simplest doodles of the load screens to the tranquil and surreal full landscapes. It could have easily been set somewhere else, but this is territory that isn’t commonly tread upon, and the inspiration the developers felt seeps through into the experience.

Everything is lively and beautiful, even if it looks cartoonish and almost cel-shaded. The style was unique and blended superbly with the gameplay, as well as having some wonderful transitions from still screen to play. The opening video shows off so much of this while having an epic feel. The game is also visually quite violent with a large dose of blood, causing many players to refer to it as ‘violent Disney,’ and I totally get that. Cartoonish gore seems to do it for me.

The music is strong and influences the game, changing as the play does, working with and not against the moment. The development team referred to it as ‘adaptive’ and said it required “incredibly tight synchronization,” and I think that shows in some spots. The voice acting on the other hand isn’t what I would call great, but is better than a lot of games that came before it. They try, in an over-the-top fashion, which comes out as fantastic and generally fun with a hint of being self-aware at the cost of some hokey moments.

“Now let’s beat on the dummies!”

It’s an action-adventure title that sees Rau, a large silent type and warrior, wielding several different weapons. He is highly-skilled and his fighting style looks like a flowing dance in action. The combat is another unique part of the game, and probably the element people remember the most. It allows the player to use the right thumbstick to mark targets with the X, Square, and Circle icons, so that attacks correspond to those buttons, and combos are built off of the order of strikes and use of buttons that are not currently assigned.

It may sound complicated at first, but there is a somewhat simple tutorial, as long as the player pays attention and doesn’t talk through it the first time, like I did. This system offers some freedom in how to fight and prioritizing enemy combatants, while forcing the player to be more aware of the situation, knowing when to block, and how the marks are assigned. The game also uses a healthy dose of stealth, which is easy to mess up on and requires the player to be unarmed, leaving them vulnerable, but the successful executions shown are extremely graphic and rewarding.

Rau is also the coolest guy around because he has a raven named Kuzo that distracts enemies, brings him items, and interacts with some objects. The bird is best used for scouting though, showing the player where enemies are up ahead, allowing for well-considered plans of attack, or you know, just rushing in.

Controls are only an issue when it came to putting away and drawing weapons, but movement itself can be a little clunky outside of combat. Sometimes clinging to walls doesn’t always take the first time, and it is best to avoid those together if fighting is imminent, as the game penalizes the player for striking them, wasting hits that should be going towards enemies. Rau moves a bit slower than most of his foes, making it more convenient to use stealth or fight through situations instead of trying to run.

The game can be tough, even a real kick in the balls with some spots, since Rau is often outnumbered. Meanwhile, things like arrows, health, and saves are often scarce. Yes, the game does not save automatically at any point inside of a stage, unless the player finds the item that allows them to do this. There are some branching paths at points that don’t mean much, but can make a section a bit easier momentarily, sometimes allowing the player to decide how they want to deal with an area. It is neat that after a while many of the missions are replayable at a whim. Once someone becomes really skilled with the combat, it can make the game a lot shorter.

Some critics saw this as a flaw, but there is a built in achievement system to keep some players coming back. Long before they were a common thing, Mark of Kri had a rudimentary achievement system called Baumasu’s Challenges that ranged from mastering combos, fighting with certain weapons and even unarmed, to taking out a certain number of enemies in various ways. There are also Tukus to collect, but these are all things I don’t see myself going back to once the game is beaten.

Mark of Kri received high reviews for the most part, but somehow caused controversy in New Zealand, due to what some felt as culturally insensitive choices when using elements of the Maori. I’m also not sure why this commercial was chosen to advertise a game that seems like it could have stood on its own story, but I guess it is sort of memorable, if not odd.

Not long after Mark of Kri released, Executive Producer Jay Beard left Sony to start his own studio, taking many of the people who worked on the game with him to form a new studio, BottleRocket Entertainment. Sony perhaps realized where the success of the first game came from, so they commissioned the team to develop the sequel, The Rise of the Kasai in 2005. This one didn’t sell as well, perhaps because of the title not being close to the original and most not realizing it was in fact a sequel. I’ve heard mixed reviews on that one, but the original held up for me, even if I realize it won’t be for everyone. So, I’ll have to acquire a copy of it and complete my Polynesian folklore set.