Bionicle [PC]

Gameplay Bionicle starts out simply enough, unfortunately it never really gets complicated -- besides for the odd lingo. In an effort to appease fans and keep kids interested in the game, Bionicle never settles on one character or gameplay style for any extent of time. Instead, you're constantly switching environments, characters, and actions -- a delight for children with ADD or heroin addicts. While the variety is supposed to keep you from getting bored, it instead makes for a disjointed experience.

After the initial story telling scene, you'll find yourself in the guise of the Toa Tahu in Ta-Wahi (or the fire elemental in a volcanic region). You're confronted with the problem of navigating a very basic platform filled level -- the most difficult segment is when you have to jump across a lava flow on decently sized rocks. Your jumping is occasionally hindered by pockets of bad guys that shoot "dark elements" at you. Luckily, these can all be toasted using "good elements" (the fire Toa happens to use fire). By pressing the attack button, and flailing your wand/staff, you can unleash a fiery blast of elemental energy. Although these shots automatically home in on the nearest dark energy, you can't just fire without discretion. Each shot uses a certain amount of elemental energy, which depletes your elemental energy meter. Without energy, you can't shoot. Fortunately, you can recharge your elemental energy in one of three ways. The first is the simplest, which is to not fire for a while since the meter will slowly refill on its own. If you're in a bit of rush, you can use your Toa's shield (it lasts for about two seconds) to absorb the dark energy shot at you and transform it into useful elemental power. As a last resort, your Toa can suck in elemental power from the surrounding area -- but this requires him to remain still for an extended period of time (not something to do around enemies).

The concept is a good one -- that you need to absorb your enemy's evil energy to do good. It's a ying and yang theme (although that might be reaching a bit). What fails to be good is that you usually don't have to use this theme. Since the camera angles are so horrid (you have no control), you usually aren't able to see what you're shooting at (or the blasts that are about to hit you), which makes it difficult to absorb them. Running around in circles, both to avoid fire and to charge your meter, works wonders and is really all you need to do throughout the platforming portions.

Once you reach the end of the lava flows, fire boy will hand off the adventure, marathon style, to the next Toa in line. Ice man is ready to take you snowboarding down some powdery slopes while fighting an enemy before he reaches a nearby village. Once this quick jaunt to the peaks ends, it's time for a swim with the water Toa. She takes you on another platforming venture similar to the fire Toa's, except you'll spend the majority of your time swimming. Throughout these levels you'll also have to find and rescue Matorans so that they can operate various machines for you. Since they're usually in plain sight and the levels are so brief, searching for guys screaming, "Help me!" doesn't really add any difficulty or enjoyment.