Pitfall: The Lost Expedition [PS2]

Pitfall Harry has been into the adventuring thing since the days of the Atari 2600, back before we even had graphics. In any sane universe, he'd be out of the bush-beating by now, perhaps running a safe, successful business enterprise somewhere -- Pitfall Harry Wireless Tycoon, or something along similar lines. But in fact, he's Indiana Jones-ing harder than ever for excitement, and while Activision's Pitfall: The Lost Expedition has a new look, mechanic, and sense of humor, it still manages an old-school sheen.

Harry -- who should really consider retaining the services of another travel agency -- has again managed to crash himself into some bejungled armpit of the world, and it's up to you to help him make his way through eight different environments, broken into 40 different levels.

The new Pitfall Harry is bumbling and dashing at the same time, looking as bulbously odd in his newest 3D incarnation as Leisure Suit Larry (another gaming icon) will soon look in his. And The Lost Expedition prominently features a new emphasis on the visual and physical humor of Harry's situation.

Harry still has his old moves, of course -- running, jumping, swinging on vines, and using the occasional croc as a stepping-stone -- plus some new ones, too. Not only can he swim and double-jump with follow-cam 3D freedom, but the control scheme for Harry's arm gives The Lost Expedition an even more "hands-on" feel than most games.

His arm is directly controlled by the analog stick, and can be used to grab and manipulate items Harry runs across in his journey. Come up to a switch, for example, and Harry will move it in the direction corresponding to the analog stick movement. It both feels and looks a little funny at first -- in both the "unfamiliar" and "ha-ha" ways -- but soon gives the proceedings a more visceral feel.

The same goes for other assorted bits of adventure gear. Harry can utilize torches to shed some light on current circumstances or burn away obstructive webs. He can wield ice-axes to climb frozen ledges, wield a slingshot to take down enemies, dunk his canteen down into water sources for medicinal purposes, and use shields to deflect an enemy's projectiles right back from whence it came. Hidden totems scattered throughout the levels (or as rewards for rescuing your luckless fellow adventurers) can be used as currency in the company of shaman -- always good to have a new special move or bonus life in stock.

In addition to the ambient threats of the environments, Harry's potential enemies include sneaky bush ninjas, stink-bomb-throwing renegade natives (you can thwart them with a deflecting shield and the obligatory gas-mask), and the psychotic and cyclonic "spinjas." Don't forget the so-called "snow bowlers" who do their best to make you a into a wintry, cartoon punch-line with large snowballs, and even Jonathan St. Claire, Pitfall Harry's age-old nemesis, makes an appearance.

The game's infusion of humor comes not only from the cinematics and visuals, but even the very mechanics. Eventually, you'll slip up and find yourself in the toothy maw of a crocodile or devoured by a sand pit... only to miraculously pry your way out of said jaws or be violently spat out by said pit. It gives a lighthearted, cartoonish feel to the game, but unfortunately, it's also a very forgiving scheme that takes away some of the urgency. The little details largely make up for the game's occasional wobbles, though, such as the fact that the original, chunky Pitfall can be found.

Full of overt and covert nods to the classic, Pitfall: The Lost Expedition is a worthy, entertaining successor to the proud, creaking lineage. We'd like to see more of the classics given a similar new lease on life, so long as the designers remember to tip the hat where hat-tipping is due. Also, an arsenal of stink-bombs should be a mandatory part of any video game loadout.