Bionicle for PS2, by 6-year Old Alexandre

We've been wanting to do a section like this for some time, but tying our children down long enough to get answers from them (or tearing them from their games) isn't always easy. *grins*

These are not the opinion of an adult playing a children's game. You'll not find much technical information, if any at all. These are the reaction of the audience the game was targeted towards - a child. So, often, you'll only find what the gameplay is. But, in those descriptions you can hear the enthusiasm and excitement of the child playing it. Look to the end of the interview for any parent commentary.

Today, we bring you [b]Bionicle for PS2[/b] as reviewed by 6-year old Alexandre. Alexandre has been a fan of Bionicle since he was three and has impatiently been waiting for this game for more than 2 years now.

WarCry: What is the name of this game and what is it about?
Alexandre: The name is Bionicle and its about destroying the monsters and finding the 7th Toa.

WarCry: What kinds of Monsters?
Alexandre: Well, there are scorpions and spiders and Bohrok and Raakshi and Borhak-Kah. Lots of scorpions.

WarCry: What is a Toa?
Alexandre: They're good guys and magical creatures. Some can fly. Some can surf and some can skate. They're supposed to turn ino the Toa-Nuva and defeat Makuta (the bad guy) and any other evil brothers. Toa's protect the towns people.

WarCry: How many Toa's are there?
Alexandre: 6. Gali can swim. Lewa can glide. Tahu can surf on lava! I really like Tahu. Onua can rock skate. Kopaka can ice skate using his swords - I don't get how he does that. Pohatu can run and climb. I think there's a seventh Toa but it's hard to get past number 6.

WarCry: Do you have different controls for each of them?
Alexandre: Yes - its different for the abilities so you have to learn new things.

WarCry: What is the first thing you do in the game?
Alexandre: You start with Tahu and collect light stones and towns people and kill monsters and then kill the scorpion at the end. Then you have to kill a Bohrok.

<WarCry: What special things are there?
Alexandre: There's a Nuva Blast. How you do it is to overflow your elemental engery till its big and giant and then you can let out a powerful engery that can destroy dark cages. Only Gali-Nuva and Onua-Nuva can do this one.

WarCry: What are Dark Cages?
Alexandre: They are pink half-balls (energy spheres) that have Ga-Man Toarn (sic) and other villagers. You have to help them escape.

WarCry: You said you have to collect Lightstones. What do they give you?
Alexandre: You're supposed to get special stuff when you get to Kini-Nui. I haven't gotten there yet.

WarCry: How do you get Nua Armor?
Alexandre: Well....you finish Toa Tahu and Kopaka and then all the Toa circle around a sphere and when they go back to the ground they look at their new selves with the extra armor. So, I guess you just finish the first two. I think.

WarCry: Is the game hard?
Alexandre: A little bit until you defeat 5 levels (the first 5 Toa's) then you get Toa Lewa and he's as hard as the other 5 put together!

WarCry: Is the game fun?
Alexandre: Yeah! Because sometimes gliding or swiming or surfing on lave or other things that you can't do in other games.

WarCry: Would you play this game a lot?
Alexandre: Yes, if my mom would let me play more than a half-hour I'd play it for 3 years!

WarCry: Is this game scary?
Alexandre: No, but probably for little kids under 3.

Parental Commentary: As a parent, I'd recommend this game for children ages 6 and up. The controls aren't too difficult, he has good stopping points and enough variety to require that the child work for their rewards. Also, I've noticed that it's not so fast-paced as to cause the excitability in children that leads to irritability and anger after many fast-paced arcade games.