Black and White Creature Isle (Lionhead, PC)

By PETER ELEY

(Herald rating: * * * )

Black and White was launched last year on a wave of hype which dwarfed anything seen for a computer game.

Reality soon prevailed and what was left was a game that was fun, interesting and playable, without being earth-shattering.

Black and White casts you as a god with the ability to do miracles, good or bad, which affected the lives of villagers who worshipped you out of devotion, or fear.

You also got a creature who could be used to control villagers. This is where the game became really interesting, for the creature picked up on your responses and became either angelic, or a clawed monster.

Creature Isle is an add-on which expands this part of the game by putting you and your creature on an atoll inhabited by a tribe of godless creatures.

You have to convert them by winning a series of challenges which are advanced arcade games.

It's fun enough, but somehow seems to stray from the point of the original game.

peter_eley@nzherald.co.nz