Kiss Psycho Circus

• Platform:   Windows 98 / 95
• ELSPA Minimum Age: 15
• Media: Video Game

Take 2 Interactive and the Gathering of Developers (GOD) have taken the popular comic book series by Todd McFarlane, the creator of such masterpieces as "The Spawn", and created a glorious dark and imaginative masterpiece.

The Nightmare King has returned to pervert the fabric of our existence. In the rather crazy and strange world that is the Psycho Circus, the only thing between him and the perversion of justice is of course the four band members of KISS; Paul Stanley, Peter Criss, Ace Frehley and Gene Simmons.

In the game, each band member, or Elder as the story likes to suggest, is in control of a certain element. Paul Stanley is the Star Bearer and responsible for the water element, Peter Criss is known as Beast King and his element is earth. Whilst Ace Frehley and Gene Simmons go by the names of Celestial and Demon and are in charge of Air and Fire respectively.

Once you have completed the four elements, you will enter a fifth element. No, not a sexy Milla Jolivich, but the hideous conception of the unborn Nightmare Child.

The game takes a number of good elements from other titles such as the cinematic sequences from Half Life and the interactivity of the surrounding from Duke Nukem, is a well-balanced single player and multiplayer package. Yet unlike other games, not all the characters that you meet are buffoons, with the AI (Artificial Intelligence) creating a hierarchal system of behaviour. Monsters such as the Headless will charge in large hordes, whilst characters further up the food chain will take a more controlled approach.

Based on the first person genre, KISS Psycho Circus offers a whole new plethora of experiences to the genre while not forgetting its heritage. This game has virtually everything, graphics that are stunning, gameplay that is challenging and a storyline that is inventive. --Stuart Miles

Product Description
KISS Psycho Circus: The Nightmare Child is an intense first-person shooter based on the rich world created by Todd McFarlane in his bestselling KISS Psycho Circus comic books. The world of the Psycho Circus comes alive with vivid, combat-heavy environments, a wall of audio, and more eye candy than a KISS concert.

The game plunges four hastily recruited heroes into a demonic world of mystery and horror, where they must battle the hideous freaks of nature spawned by the dreams of The Nightmare Child. The player begins as a mere mortal and progressively acquires the powers of The Elder, the supernatural alter egos of KISS. The Elder, embodied through Demon, Starbearer, Beast King, and Celestial, must together prevent the unraveling of the cosmos.

The nightmare minions are largely split into three groups: horde creatures, circus mutants, and bosses. The hordes have their strength in numbers and come at you by the truckload; the circus thugs are stronger, smarter, and possess special abilities that vary depending on their profession. At the heart of each realm is a nightmarish boss who puts your powers to the ultimate test.

• PC & Video Games > Games > Action & Shooter