the Adventures of Lomax

PC game / Little-known PC port of the better-known Playstation game, The Adventures of Lomax features the lemmings from Psygnosis' classic arcade puzzle series, but takes them back this time to the old school of classic platform gameplay. The plot is much more inventive this time than in, say, Lemmings Chronicles. Wherever trouble leads, the Lemmings are sure to follow. Now theyre in way over their little heads as Evil Ed has brainwashed them to do his sinister bidding. Only Lomax has managed to keep his wits (and his magic hat) so its up to him to free his friends from Evil Eds mind-numbing clutches. You must guide Sir Lummox on an incredible journey through the ultra- colorful Lemming Land.

Remember the race of annoying little creatures that were (evil grin here) actually more fun to blow up than save? Well, the good news is that Sir Lummox is smarter your average lemmings, but the levels are as frustrating as ever. Extremely reminiscent of Rayman, the game's multi-layered 2D appearance works comfortably well, and the controls are as good as the console version. Not to be outdone by its imaginative puzzle cousins, Lomax introduces a couple of new twists to the tried-and-true genre. Sir Lummox can utilize special lemming abilities such as floating, digging and building (just like the other Lemmings games), and has a magical helmet that he throws at enemies to break the wizard's spell over them. He can also use a spin move, and do the rest of the basics like running, jumping and the whole bit. You must use a lot of wit and instinct to get past the challenges, because there are alot of annoying little places where you can get plain stuck for the longest time. Using the right combination of Lemming abilities can always get you through, but you must plan their use strategically.

There are 44 very in-depth levels, all of which require a lot of patience and trial-and-error to get through. You may have to build your way over one obstacle, only to dig your way under the next. You must also learn when to use Lomax's spin and helmet attacks in conjunction with each other, because some enemies, for example, are only stunned by spin attacks.

The game's storyline and graphics are obviously directed at the younger generation of players, and this may be where the game ultimately fails, because the gameplay requires strategy, planning, and some VERY quick reflexes. Lomax is very difficult, even for experienced gamers. While older players will be turned off by the cutesy storyline and graphics, Lomax's fun twists, great platforming action, and Lemmings-like strategy element will attract all fans of the puzzle originals. Highly recommended, but be warned of the extremely high difficulty level.