Game #957: Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy

  It's a Zelda!

 One game that frequently makes it into PS2's top unsung gems, as well as top worst game-breaking bugs is Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy, but it never quite caught my attention since I wasn't digging the artstyle. Regardless, as someone who adored the PS2 generation I was bound to give it a whirl someday... and so, here were are.

 What's interesting about this game is that it's a mix of Zelda and classic Gameboy Wario gameplay, yeah, you read that right! Most of the time is spent playing as Sphinx, in which the game plays like a Zelda-lite, kinda like Beyond Good and Evil. You've got a few areas you can visit and travel, areas have optional mini-games and optional puzzles that may reward you with optional upgrades such as a larger wallet or a piece of a golden ankh(Collect 4 for a new health piece!).... but as you go through the main quest you'll eventually get Canopic Vases, and you'll be transported to where Tuttankhamen, the cursed Mummy, sleeps, to play a bit as him. The mummy can't be killed, but much like Wario, it can change states. Get burned and now you can burn things, get flattened and now you can go through metal bars, get electrified and now you can activate special orbs. I thought I was gonna hate the mummy bits, but... man, those puzzles were fun! To the point that I'm a bit disappointed his levels are so short!

 One thing that threw me off a bit is that the game is a bit tough at first. It's only for a few hours, but before you get the double jump, Sphinx's basic jump's arc is a bit weird so platforming can be a bit harder than expected. And Sphinx's initial life points leave very little leeway for mistakes, add to this that save points feel very sparse and in between before you're given more freedom when it comes to exploration. But after the first few stages you'll get more health points, more convenient access to save points as well as the double jump that should fix any issues you could have with platforming. 

 The puzzles in the game are just right, both for Tut and Sphinx. No puzzle is hard enough as to require a guide, but they are complex enough to get you thinking, which I think made them just the right amount of challenging. The combat, only Sphinx gets it, is passable. You get a sword to attack with, and a bit later in the game a shield, but you'll use it mostly to solve a few puzzles. Enemies aren't too tough, but a few get some invincibility frames when initiating their attacks which might throw you off until you learn how to fight them.

 The one mechanic that REALLY sucked is monster capturing. There are two types of monsters you'll need: Bombs and Fire Armadillos. Bombs are, well, bombs, and the Fire Armadillos are needed to burn a few wood structures. The only way to get these monsters is to capture them with Beteles, and this is either boring or annoying. For starters, you start with 20 Capture Beetle max capacity. Now, you have to find a place where these monsters spawn.... and wait for them to slowly respawn and capture them. Bombs are easy enough, just use the Beetle and move it towards the bomb monster.... but Fire Armadillos? Oh no. You have to carefully attack them, WITHOUT killing them until they flash yellow, and then, and only then, use the beetle. Oh, you have to dodge its attacks. And you also have to wait for them to respawn. Trust me, nothing would be worse than getting to an area where you need either of these and not having them. And the game is never kind enough to spawn these creatures on areas where you need them, so you'll have to backtrack at least one area away and get a few to progress. Annoying.

 One thing to keep in mind, there's a nasty bug the second time you play as the mummy, if you use the second savespot and either turn off the system or die and restart.... you won't be able to progress through the game.

 After playing Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy I understand why it's so beloved, as the game is really fun and it's an interesting blend of different game mechanics. The monster capturing mechanic is dumb, it is, but the rest of the game works relatively well. The game ends on a massive cliffhanger.... and I wouldn't mind seeing a sequel.

 7.5