Lair Review (PS3)

Developer Factor 5, the developer behind the Star Wars: Rogue Squadron video games, ditches X-Wings for dragons in Lair, Sony's latest PlayStation 3 adventure. In the game, you play as Rohn, a warrior that must defend the Asylian civilization from the evil Mokai. Leaping onto the back of a powerful dragon, Rohn and his pet set out to annihilate his foes, torching them with fire and tearing them to shreds. It certainly looks pretty, and the quality motion controls make the game stand out, but repetitive missions and choppy animation demote Lair to rental status.

Like most PS3 games, Lair enhances one's entertainment system. The developers did a wonderful job bringing this fantasy world to life, creating beautiful dragons, rolling mountains, wondrous kingdoms and plenty of enemies that clog the screen, both on the ground and in the air. Being able to battle in the sky and then land to devour hordes of foot soldiers looks amazing, as does the wave effects after a ship explodes. If you have a 1080p-enabled HDTV, you'll love the eye candy.

Lair's 7.1 surround sound also shines, particularly because of its epic soundtrack. Composed by John Debney (whose previous works include Sin City and The Passion of the Christ), the music consists of adrenaline charged battle music that perfectly captures the game's dark, violent tone.

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