Graphics: Graphics in Savage are basically quite good, which I say because the game as several resolution and color settings which make a significant difference on how things look. At the lowest setting, Savage looks rather blocky and quite undefined, while at the highest setting you get high resolution and the game looks great — although the screen is very small. Luckily, there is a happy medium which provides you with decent resolution and good graphics. Movie sequences are quite grainy but still look decent for 8-bit graphics (VGA). The main thing you will have to do is match up how high a resolution your computer can support while still maintaining adequate game speed. I discovered that Savage caused my video drivers to actually crash at some resolutions which we’re just too much for it to handle.




Interface/Gameplay: You can play Savage with either the keyboard, mouse, or joystick — none of which you can customize. To accomplish most tasks you will find it necessary to use the keyboard which can make some things in the game rather difficult to accomplish. To help you out though, the game does contain several different views and even a map setting. These views are very much needed as when you approach some trees or plants, they obscure the screen and you cannot see anything. You may also experience reaction delays to your keyboard commands when playing the game at a high resolution.




Sound FX:
You will hear everything that your lion does in Savage but you won’t hear most of the things that other creatures do. For instance, you won’t hear the sounds other animals make when they move, breezes of air, other lions roar, etc. When you approach humans they will scream though, and this can be fairly funny.




Musical Score: Savage plays music throughout the game which really only changes between missions. The music is, again, very reminescent of that used by the Discovery Channel and sounds good. Savage would have been better though if the music took on more changes during missions and gameplay.




Difficulty: Savage allows you to change the level of difficulty in the game, which makes it more difficult to kill creatures, etc. The game itself can be quite adventurous though as it requires you to do quite a bit of hunting to accomplish tasks (which always looks easier on television). Overall though, I think Savage will provide most users will a good degree of challenge.




Overall: Savage is by far the best simulation of an animal game I’ve ever seen — it’s just like watching the Discovery Channel and life on the Serengeti. Between the movies and the experience of having to grow up as a lion cub, Savage provides a unique gaming experience. While the game didn’t score very highly in some areas, it is still worth taking a look at if you want to play something that will teach as well as entertain.