Primal Critic Reviews

This title's great story, realistic visuals and immersive game play will keep you glued to the screen for hours.

It's as free-form as a game can possibly be while retaining the qualities needed to remain a compelling interactive experience.

Not many games can touch you, let alone make you really think about not only the world around you but also your inner persona, who you would prefer to show to the world but often must keep hidden for the sake of keeping up appearances. Play this game.

Uneasy control prevents the game from becoming a ten out of ten but we are still very pleased.

What will keep you going through much of this game is the original story with well written and even better voiced characters and graphics that push the envelope of the PS2.

I would not call Primal an innovative title, but it has lots to do and TONS of different powers, which the game doles out just about when you start wanting something new.

Primal is one of the best action adventure games I've played.

It starts off a bit slow, but the more you play, the more engrossed you'll become. That's where Sony Cambridge's true talents shine through. The story, the music, and that imagination factor always seem to steal the show in one of their titles.

Other than a lack of truly finger-busting battles for die-hard action fans, long-winded cut scenes are Primal's only real concern. The rest of the experience, in all its brain-teasing, high-resolution glory, is a terrific combination of gothic underworld exploration and movie-quality scripting.

While the visuals and sound are top-notch, combat is seen more as an annoying distraction rather than an enjoyable experience.

Its funky bugs, ho-hum core plot and flat, unrewarding ending keep me from recommending it to everyone, but the amazing graphics, unrelentingly sharp dialogue and fantastic score keep it high enough that I can say it’s a definite rental.

A funny game; the opening phase is likely to put off most gamers as it’s too long-winded, slow, frustrating and just not exciting enough; however persevere and you’ll be rewarded with a decent action/adventure title with ludicrously high production values.

Limited by an inconsequential combat system and basic wander-puzzles. What it does manage to do though is overwhelm us with high-quality production values, wow us with an excellent graphical presentation, and move us with one hell of a killer soundtrack.

I can't think of a more enjoyable puzzle-based adventure since "Ico." Though not without faults, Primal does so much right, you never really want to put it down.

Pleasant. It’s challenging without being too frustrating, and it’s attractive without being gobsmacking, full of decent set-pieces without anything that seriously demands a bit of thought.

Primal's actual gameplay isn't quite as polished or engaging as the game's presentation, but overall, Primal is still easily recommended to those who enjoy exploring their games and not just plowing through them.

Those with a taste for all things gothic will probably love Primal, as will many other gamers However, its high production values are hampered somewhat by its underdeveloped fighting engine, simple puzzles, and slow pacing.

Primal is more like "Soul Reaver" meets "Ico." And let me tell you, it works.

If there were more combat, the inconsistencies in the environment wouldn't be so glaring, or at least they'd be more forgivable because you'd be busy with other things.

If you’re an enthusiast of well-designed levels who doesn’t need twitch action to be satisfied, you should definitely give it a go. All others will likely nod off.