Afrika (PS3) Review By Fragpuss

Afrika is basically this, you play a nature photographer (you can choose either the male or female) and you are at a camp together in an African wilderness.. it's unclear if it's a nature reserve or not, but i don't think it is, or if it is it's a newly opened one as you have to chart and catalogue they're unknown locations.

 

You get given missions to photograph certain animals in the areas you can explore, collect audio of certain animals, do night missions to find nocturnal animals, collect a series of animal skulls and so on, using a range of cameras (hand held, R/C, trap cams etc).

 

The locations and animals are rendered beautifully, and really show the power of the ps3 (i believe it was a launch title in Japan, where it was known as Hakuna Matata).

 

Some missions are for travel companies, newspaper articles and so on, while others are for major nature magazines like National Geographic.

 

If you're into shooting people in warzones this game will not be for you. But for people who enjoy shooting things with something other then a gun, it is a nice relaxing, visually stunning, beautiful alternative title that will be enjoyed over it's playtime.

 

The Soundtrack is also a really beautiful score that pulls you deeper into the game, with music that in a lot of points comes off as a grand safari or something akin to the first time the characters see dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, Grand, Impressive, Once in a lifetime kind of stuff.

 

My personal regret is the company (so far) haven't released any other games like this set in South/North America, Australasia, The Poles, or even a Jurassic Park style safari through areas inhabited by Dinosaurs.

 

The collision detection could be a little improved aswell as better AI for the few times they drive. This is all i can think of to improve the game.

 

A similar game is Aquanaut's Holiday: Hidden Memories but instead of being on land that all takes place underwater and again is a beautiful game, though released in Japan only and with an "Engrish" version released to Hong Kong and Asia

 

My personal score 9/10

 

By Fragpuss