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PRISONER OF WAR (PS2) By TOM FAHEY At first sight you know it's no Monte Carlo, though you give it a chance and take a bite. It doesn't have the cream and jam centre that make it a favorite, nor does it leave that lovely aftertaste, which you forevermore lust. Though for a brief moment you feel somewhat enlightened by this new flavor, which makes it all worthwhile...
Codemasters haven't given us the Monte Carlo of the "stealth" games, that award goes to Hideo Kojima no questions, but they did give us that satisfying flavor that wet our appetite nonetheless. World War II: Prisoner Of War is a new, somewhat uniquely-crafted stealth-based game for the PS2.
In this third person style game, you explore, discover, and essentially escape different locations throughout Germany as the smart tongued, stylishly dressed Captain Lewis Stone. Shot down by Nazi scum, the pilot is arrested the moment he and his parachute hit the ground - the very same moment his sly tongue comes into play.
Once the poorly scripted cut scenes are over, you are free to move around your new home - a prisoner of war (POW) camp. You can interact with the other prisoners - and the guards for the matter - though they make for very limited conversation. And I thought Nazis loved Americans...
So what else can you do but start scavenging again? But it really is the best way to familiarise yourself with your environment. One of the quickest ways to gain your items back is to buy them. Not with money, but with product cigarettes, alcohol, chocolate - the list continues. Each of these items are worth a certain amount (Brandy holding the most value ^_^ ) and you can trade them for various items. Has anyone out there seen the Steve McQueen classic The Great Escape? Well this game is like playing the movie. Tops!
POW has some rather good graphics to boot, as well. With stylishly distorted figures and facial expressions, the graphics make for a comical effect when compared to the serious gameplay. Still, the character designs hold great importance to the realistic feel of the game. With many different uniforms from the various military units of the allied forces, you really get the idea of what the war camps must have been like.
In adding to the realistic feeling of the war camp, the sound plays a vital role. Enter the German accent! OMG I just cant get enough of it. "Halt!! American scum!! Shop or I vil shoot!!!!" Oh dear...I think Ive lost the plot. But in any case, it sure does improve the overall affect of the various prisons.
So here's the deal ladies and gents: Save a little money and put those Monte Carlos back on the shelf, and grab a different bickie for much-needed gaming variation. Prisoner of War is an entertaining title with quite a lot to it and the relatively unique style of play will certainly entertain in the short term, if not the long.
Fans of other stealth games including MGS, Splinter Cell, and the good old Tenchu should defiantly try out this newbie. And who knows? It could be the cream-filled cookie you were looking for all this time. ^_~
ORIGINALITY 85%
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Imagine
putting your hand into a cookie jar, to find yourself with a biscuit you
have never before sampled. 
Basically the idea
is to escape. You can collect various items such as crowbars, enemy uniforms,
keys, and even boot polish to blacken your face at night! Each item you
find is essentially the key to your success, though as you escape from
one camp, you get captured and move onto the next... Sigh.
As far as the atmospheric-type
graphics go, there's nothing too special, but all the same there is a
certain level of detail that is bound to impress.
