Primal

by Sony

Product Features

• Mission: Unleash and control four different demon-fighting forms

Product Details

• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B00007UHPJ
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches ; 4.8 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: March 25, 2003
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #17,129 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #73 in Video Games > PlayStation 2 > Role-Playing
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Primal follows the story of Jen Tate, a modern woman who must face the demons of an immortal universe to discover her own supernatural origin. As Jen, players learn to unleash and control four different demon-fighting forms, each possessing unique skills and attributes, as they are immersed in a fantasy world joined inextricably with our own. This is not a world of goblins and barbarians, or any other such fantasy fare. Within the dark realms of Primal’s alternate universe, gamers find themselves involved in an intricate and realistic story--enhanced by several subplots and twists--that makes them question the fine line between fantasy and reality.

Primal is a story-driven game of exploration, combat, and puzzles, presented through the experiences of Jen and Lewis, a present-day human couple drawn into discord by eternal forces. While gameplay revolves around the events of the story, there are many personal revelations and surprises for the characters along the way. Essential to the game’s core is the unusual and evolving relationship between Primal’s two main playable characters, Jen and her companion Scree, a gargoyle. Players can switch between Jen and Scree at any time and will be required to assess and utilize each character’s strengths to succeed in various areas of the game.

Primal is set within a huge environment featuring four expansive realms surrounding a central hub. A dynamic loading system allows for uninterrupted gameplay between levels, and magical portals act as links and windows into other worlds. Additional technological achievements include seamless character morphing between Jen’s human and demon forms, extravagant particle effects, and environmental effects such as fog and mist.

Product Description

In Primal you will become an unlikely warrior, championing otherworldly forces as the latest hero in the war between Chaos and Order!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gargoyle of My Dreams, January 3, 2004

By 

Marc Ruby™ "The Noh Hare™" (Warren, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Primal (Video Game)

When Jen Tate and her rock star boyfriend leave a wild dance hall to go pay the rent, the last thing they expect is to be attacked and beaten within an inch of their lives by a gigantic demon. Lying in an emergency recovery room, Jen leaves her body and meets Scree, a gargoyle turned guide, and is drawn into Oblivion and the center of the demonic worlds where chaos and order fight a continuous battle. Unfortunately, chaos is winning, and it will take Jen's special powers to restore the balance.

Jen and Scree work their ways through four different demon realms all superbly detailed, restoring or creating order and improving their skills for the last titanic fight. The game requires equal amounts of battle skills and thought - Only Jen can fight, but it takes Scree's talents as well to overcome some of the ingenious obstacles in their path. As the game progresses, Jen acquires special demonic powers in each realm. The player switches between the to characters - depending on what skills are needed.

Primal is a winner at many levels. The characters, Jen and Scree, are delightful. Jen is a rocker who is determined to work her way up and make good. Scree, a spirit torn from his body and thrust into a statue, plays the part of the wise straight man. The dialog between them is full of little twists and barbs, but it is clear that a great deal of affection builds between them as the story evolves.

The realms of the story are immense and beautifully illustrated; their civilizations believable and interesting. The only flaw in the world building is that there are only a few characters other than Jen and Scree that achieve any personality. Animation and movement control are excellent. This isn't one of those RPG's where the controller is the real opponent.

Primal is rated as mature - primarily due to blood and violence. Jen's language has a rough edge as well. From my viewpoint, none of these factors is extreme - parts don't go flying everywhere, etc., but the Primal is definitely pitched to the 15+ age group. Even so, this is really too good a game to miss.

26 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars PRIMAL!(sexy half-demon goth rock chick runs for Lara vote!), March 7, 2003

By 

Mista Mista (London, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Primal (Video Game)

Primal progresses through four realms in the Parallel world of Oblivion. In Each realm her appearence changes dramatically and each realm is ruled by either the forces of order or chaos, and something major is messing up the balance.

Unusually, unlike other games, which claim to be deep and fantastical and try to be as complex and open-ended as possible, Primal sesigners have devised a storyline, which is stuck to throughout the game, wearing it's linear nature with pride.

Reasons for buying it:
-Deep, dark and huge.
-Broad, intultive puzzles.
-Very nasty monsters.

Reasons for leaving it:
-Vague sense of being unfaithful to Mrs Croft
-Not a game that gets along with natural light.
-Where's the mini-gun?
(AS YOU SEE DIGGING HARD FOR BAD POINTS!)

Graphics/visuals: Gorgeous. Slinky characters, near-edible textures!
9.4/10

Sound: Alf soaring and dramatic. Decent acting!
8.9/10

Gameplay: Simple, fun. Combat a teeny bit simplistic.
8.2/10

Life span: Huge and linear. The save-anywhere option is great.
8.6/10

OVERALL SCORE AND THOUGHTS:
I give this 8.8/10 (88%)

-A finely crafted adventure, which reveals its depths gradually, unfolding at a pace to suit even the most fantasy-challenged.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fine gothic action-adventure with great production value, August 8, 2005

By 

The Reverend (USA) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Primal (Video Game)

A very good-looking game with awesome sound, awe-inspiring visuals and a deep plot that will keep you busy for anything between 15 and 30 hours - you set the pace. There's no need to rush, because the different worlds are very detailed in terms of architecture and overall design and seem to welcome you to take look around to relish the cool atmosphere. The difficulty level is easy-medium. The game is action based but also has puzzles, which however are simple enough to avoid frustration (with very few exceptions, where you need to look a little closer at your surroundings).
The game is divided into 4 episodes. Each is a different part of the alternate world, Jen has to discover in order to find her lost boy-friend (abducted by demonic creatures). The episodes show a great deal of variety: from lost underground civilizations in eternal snow to medieval castles and villages in the rain to underwater worlds and Egyptian temples and tombs - you'll be there.
Jen's sidekick is a gargoyle named Scree, who has special abilities like turning to stone (you guessed that one), possessing statues and using them to fight larger enemies or create bridges/smash doors, etc. and climbing stone walls. Jen is the fighter: she learns different moves as she discovers and unleashes different demonic forms of herself, each one connected to the area she's in (e.g. she can become a water-dwelling demon once she gets to Aquis, an underwater civilization). She can also climb ropes and squeeze through tiny cracks in walls, Scree is too big for. Even though they need to work as a team to solve some of the riddles this game is far from ICO. It's a lot easier and as mentioned above more action oriented.
The fighting system is fun for the most part. Only few moves do not seem to have the desired effect and feel sluggish or delayed. Since each episode introduce a new demon form with new abilities, you may switch to that one form you like best. Jen's last incarnation as a fiery She-Pharaoh has the most balanced and most fun combat - and combat you will a lot in this last episode!
Overall everything in this game is excellent with minor complaints about the above mentioned battle-moves, which are not a big problem, because the game's difficulty is forgiving enough when a fight does not go as flawless as desired.
The sound effects are very well done as is the voice acting, which deserves special mentioning due to the casting of well known actors for the dialog of all main characters.
There is some replay value due to the enormous size of the game as well as numerous unlockables such as behind the scenes commentaries (yup, there's a whole bunch of em).

Have fun playing!