Lair: Extreme Makover Edition – Part One

Recently, we reported on an upcoming patch that will, among
other things, add analog controls to Factor 5’s PS3 title, Lair. The title,
when released was nearly universally panned by the critics. In the first of a
two part story, we will purchase the game, to examine once again, if a patch
can fix a game that is fundamentally broken. First, our pre-patch impressions:

After playing a few levels of the game, we found that Lair’s
flaws extend far beyond a mere reliance on SIXAXIS control. For a game that
showcases the wonder of flight, Lair loses points for a sluggish framerate. While
at times, the game may hit thirty frames per second, a great majority of the
game is played at a fluctuating framerate that looks like it dips into the
teens. Not only is the illusion of fluidity lost, but control is compromised
severely when these drops occur. The amount of in-game geometry, compares to
Warhawk, a game that bests Lair, by maintaining a rock-steady framerate.

Occasionally, the screen has so much activity, that identifying
enemy targets in a sky of moving shapes can be difficult. To compensate, the
player’s dragon offers aiming assistance to the player. Unfortunately, you will
find yourself tapping the fire button like crazy, hoping to hit an enemy unit. So
when an enemy is eliminated, any sense of achievement is diminished; in seldom feels
like you were responsible for the killing shot.

Ground combat uses the analog sticks, and feels particularly
sluggish. What should be a game-defining moment- dispatching hundreds of ground
troops, feel particularly lack-luster. Without a visual cue that troops have
been killed, group combat lacks any visceral punch.

All of the aforementioned factors diminish the exactness of
Lair’s controls. When framerates drop, control becomes increasingly difficult,
as the player’s natural instinct in to oversteer.  Without a visual indicator of enemy group unit
health, combat feels extra clumsy.

Doubtfully, all these issues will be fixed with the expected
patch. Perhaps, with an improved control scheme and targeting cursor, the game
will be playable enough for software-hungry PS3 owners to consider purchasing. Our post-patch impressions can be found here.