Giants: Citizen Kabuto

Before I had the internet many, many years ago, I walked into a store and saw this game staring straight at me. Thinking it looked like a very serious FPS action title I didn't hesitate to pick it up. To my surprise however, this was one of the funniest and most innovative titles that I had ever played at the time. It's fun, it's action-packed and it will have you laughing all the way to planet Majorca. As great a game as it is (and critically acclaimed mind you), it's unfortunate that a lot of gamers have never even played it, let alone ever heard of it. Whenever I mention 'Giants: Citizen Kabuto' to a group of gamers, the same stunned-mullet expression appears on their faces and they all utter the same line - "What the f*** is a Kabuto?" Thank GoG that those who have missed out on this game now have a chance to play it once more. The single player game is separated into three different sections based on the characters/race you play as - the Meccaryns (or Meccs for short), the Sea Reapers (more specifically the beautiful Delphi) and the big beast itself, Kabuto. The storyline progresses through these three races in a very linear fashion but in all honesty, you wouldn't have it any other way. As the storyline progresses, you'll find yourself meeting strange and hilarious characters (Timmy's Father sticks out in my mind for some reason) that guide you throughout the game, giving you hints as well as introducing you to new weapons and items. One of the first things you might notice is that the game can be played through either a first-person or third-person perspective. It is easy to switch between the two so finding what you prefer best is quite simple. What is surprising however is how the game switches to an FPS/RTS hybrid about half-way through both the Mecc and Sea Reaper campaigns. The interface is simple to use and easy to understand. You'll build up your base, collect Smarties to build any buildings and collect Vimp meat to feed the annoying buggers in no time. This of course leads into the multiplayer aspect of the game. It is a team based affair having three races to play as - yes, you can play as Kabuto and yes, it is just as awesome as it sounds. Each race has their own distinct look, feel and play style. The Meccs are more technologically advanced, thus using a lot more gadgets and weaponry. The Sea Reapers are more magically inclined and Kabuto, well, he just smashes things. The musical score for the game is fantastic and will be playing in your mind a long time after you've finished playing. All the sound effects sound beefy too. On the graphical side of things, it is pretty good for the time it came out. Then again, we are on GoG, so complaining about a game's graphics is pretty ridiculous. Gameplay is what counts and Giants: Citizen Kabuto is full of it. Giants: Citizen Kabuto really is one of a kind. If there ever was a game that deserved a second chance, this would be it. Plus, at $5.99, why wouldn't you want this under-appreciated, innovative, fantastic game?

As I recall, Giants was the game we all wanted to play 8 years ago (was it really that long ago?) but almost no one had the system requirements to play it. It was the game that dominated all game reviews and was used for screenshots to sell video cards. It demonstrated the latest and greatest game making technology at the time and made you realize that you might have to buy or build a whole new PC to play a single game. When we finally all had systems that were actually capable to play Giants to its fullest, the game had been forgotten to the bargain bin. But play it I did... and it really is a fantastic game full of great graphics, shooter (or 3rd person) action, and humor. At $5.99 you can't really go wrong with this title.

I'll try and keep this short and concise. Giants plays as a third-person shooter blended with RTS elements such as building a base, maintaining resources and a bit of unit control depending on which faction you play. The single player campaign takes you through the three races of Giants, each with their own quirks and play styles: The Meccaryns - A rowdy bunch of aliens with British accents that have little else on thier mind but women and beer who crash land on the "planet" while on their way to their vacation destination. Reapers - The native amphibious race of the "planet" lead by their tyrant queen Sapho and opposed by her daughter, Delphi. Kabuto - Created by the Reapers but proved too difficult to control, broke free and now terroizes the inhabitants of the "planet". Each mission is seperated by comedy laced cut-scenes that are, for me, the greatest part of this game. The voices are done well and the actors deliver their lines spot on. This video pretty much sums up the game's style: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Sh_VuxYqBY If you're looking for a good laugh and can forgive the game's low replayablity, Giants is a solid use of your $6.

This is one of my favorite games ever. I am so glad that GOG added it to their catalog as my original copy would not run on Windows XP. The best part of the game is how varied the characters and missions are. It has racing, real-time strategy, platforming, first-person shooting, and more. The characters play so differently that it feels almost like different games.