Toy Commander

Toy Commander doesn't have gobs of gore around every corner, it doesn't have 40 multiple endings, not one attractive anime girl boob is exposed throught the entire game ... it is the "Kix" of video games. Seemingly mundane, yet far more substantial than the majority of it's peers. On the surface, Toy Commander looks like a standard action game, but if you delve further into its essential mission structures, you'll find that Toy Commander is crafted with much more polish, cleverness, and love than most games of the genre provide.

Since the game takes place in a toy world, missions are made more interesting and unorthidox. From deoderizing smelly sneakers to guiding the migration of oregami birds, Toy Commander is an interesting contrast to the relentless hordes of generic army game assignments. The variety in missions is sometimes astonishing, as the game guides you through everything from fun exploratory romps to intense shoot-outs to amusing mini games. Versatility is definetly one of Toy Commanders most essential weapons.

Crisp textures, pristine polygons, an expansive draw distance, and a cornocopia of domestic scenary combine to create a visually impressive and verisimilative toy world. The audio is equally excellent, pumping out funky yet still dramatic and militaristic European techno that adds to the games already quirky ambiance.

Alas, this isn't a Santa Clause utopian toy realm, as it has a few faults. The controls, while solid, are at times sluggish, especially in Toy Commanders cramped, platformer-esque environments, and the missions, while generally near brilliant, are sometimes chin-scratchingly vague. Nothing here is significant enough to ruin this rad game, but it does give it a basting of "rushed" vibe.

Overall, Toy Commander scores one for the games that favor craft over flash. There are a few bumps in the road, but none spoil the quirky fun. Dreamcast admirers, rejoice, you have yet another awesome exclusive game to brag about to your preppy Ps2 touting peers.