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CURSE: THE EYE OF ISIS (XBOX)
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Publisher: Wanadoo.
Developer: Asylum Entertainment. Released: November 2003 (Europe). Genre: Survival Horror. Other versions: PC; PS2. Posted 16th October 2023. By Shane Battams © 2023 |
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On the surface, Curse: The Eye of Isis seemed like an easy write-off. A survival horror game with little subtlety, many critics of the time wrote off Asylum Entertainment’s effort as derivative to a fault. However, for veterans of the genre used to the lows of the likes of Evil Dead: Hail to the King, this game may prove a surprising discovery. Mechanically sturdy, amply creepy and mostly compelling, it’s a satisfying Egyptian spin on the likes of Resident Evil, perhaps undone only by a lack of refinement.
Darien Dane looks set to enjoy a leisurely tour around an English natural history museum, as his childhood friend Victoria Sutton is eager to show him around her new exhibit. Unfortunately, thugs break into the museum and, with the theft of the Eye of Isis statue, a mysterious fog spreads around and infects nearby personnel, transforming them into horrific creatures. Dane looks to reunite with Sutton as you navigate around the museum, while an outside force looks to help set this curse back to rest. It’s not Oscar-calibre, with some ropey voice acting and dodgy cut-scenes sometimes taking you out of the story. Nevertheless, the thread is palatable. Both leads are likeable enough to keep you invested and there are some minor twists that don’t jump the shark, including an intriguing infection side story.
Curse: Eye of Isis offers a diverting setting and some cool foes to battle against
Taken at face value, Curse seems like a knock-off of competing survival horrors of the time. A lot of the tropes you’d expect from the genre are present: static camera angles that sometimes trail behind the player, limited inventory slots which force you to juggle ammo and key items and a focus on puzzle-solving with insets of combat against corrupted nasties. The initial setting sees you skulking around the closed museum, and though eventually you leave the premises to explore others, the principle remains the same during each act. There’s also a significant amount of backtracking at each location, something which may turn off the uninitiated, but at around seven hours in length, it’s just about the right amount of time you’d expect for this kind of adventure.
While it appears unoriginal on the surface, a deeper look reveals a rather competent survival horror title. The atmosphere deserves top marks here especially. The dingy lighting coats the environment in tremendous shadows, only lit by an oil lamp you acquire near the beginning. Ambient sounds such as creaks and groans leave you unsettled and some genuinely tense music heightens every encounter. Speaking of, combat has some cool wrinkles too. The nature of the titular curse sees you confronting a wild variety of creatures, keeping bosses and combat fresh. The late 1800s setting offers some different weapons than you’d expect, including flamethrowers, mortar guns and slow-loading rifles. Aiming lets you move freely, but keeping steady allows you to zoom your aim and rewards better precision. Along with being able to target specific body parts, it feels rather distinct next to competing survival horrors of the time.
While it appears unoriginal on the surface, a deeper look reveals a rather competent survival horror title. The atmosphere deserves top marks here especially. The dingy lighting coats the environment in tremendous shadows, only lit by an oil lamp you acquire near the beginning. Ambient sounds such as creaks and groans leave you unsettled and some genuinely tense music heightens every encounter. Speaking of, combat has some cool wrinkles too. The nature of the titular curse sees you confronting a wild variety of creatures, keeping bosses and combat fresh. The late 1800s setting offers some different weapons than you’d expect, including flamethrowers, mortar guns and slow-loading rifles. Aiming lets you move freely, but keeping steady allows you to zoom your aim and rewards better precision. Along with being able to target specific body parts, it feels rather distinct next to competing survival horrors of the time.
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Sadly, while Curse has a lot going for it, it’s undone by a lack of refinement. On the Normal setting, the game feels a touch too easy, as while some instant-death hazards and crowded combat encounters can leave you vulnerable, it’s nowhere near as gruelling as the classics. A Curse meter, which when filled starts draining your health, seems like a constant threat, but it can often be cured quickly with the sheer number of healing items dropped, including amulets that cure both your health and status. It also lacks the replayability of the genre’s best. Though you do take the role of two playable characters, the campaign is pretty linear and doesn’t let you freely change or choose from the start like a Resident Evil. A higher difficulty is available too, which does add some much-needed challenge to the game, but still, a lack of unlockables leaves you feeling short-changed.
The Eye of Isis isn’t the best-looking Xbox game out there, but there’s a charm to its presentation. Characters boast a slightly cartoony aesthetic which is slightly reminiscent of TimeSplitters, and although it seems like it’d be out of place, it works well. Nothing features spectacular amounts of geometry, and the animations leave a lot to be desired, but performance is smooth for the most part and cool effects like the visual flair of fire or the suffocating lighting add a lot. The sound is quite effective, bolstered by intense music and some uncanny sound effects. The voicework is pretty ropey, though nowhere near as bad as some of the most notorious horror titles.
The Eye of Isis isn’t the best-looking Xbox game out there, but there’s a charm to its presentation. Characters boast a slightly cartoony aesthetic which is slightly reminiscent of TimeSplitters, and although it seems like it’d be out of place, it works well. Nothing features spectacular amounts of geometry, and the animations leave a lot to be desired, but performance is smooth for the most part and cool effects like the visual flair of fire or the suffocating lighting add a lot. The sound is quite effective, bolstered by intense music and some uncanny sound effects. The voicework is pretty ropey, though nowhere near as bad as some of the most notorious horror titles.
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In the end, Curse: The Eye of Isis is a successful clone of the survival horror template which could have done with some extra refinement. The cool wrinkles Asylum added work well for the most part, while the narrative and setting prove rather compelling. It’s just a shame it lacks the replay value and challenge of the genre’s best, but it stands out despite a derivative exterior. If you have worn out your Resident Evils or crave a vacation from Silent Hill, this one should do the trick.
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VERDICT
"Curse: The Eye of Isis makes a mostly-successful attempt at following the survival horror template. It could have done with some extra refinement, but its cool ideas and setting prove compelling nonetheless." OVERALL: 7/10 |
OTHER GAMES LIKE THIS REVIEWED
Call of Cthulu: Dark Corners of the Earth (2005, Xbox)
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Condemned (2005, Xbox 360)
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