Lair

By Rob Fahey Published 22 September, 2006

TGS: The wyrm turns.

Of all the titles which we've heard about on the PS3 to date, Lair is perhaps one of the least hyped - and the most promising. Developed by Factor 5, they of the "lots of Star Wars space battle games" fame, the game was done something of a disservice by early trailers which showed improbable sky battles between hulking dragons and their armoured riders, looking nothing like gameplay footage and giving all the characters - dragon and human - the unpleasantly over-shiny visual style which makes everything look like it's covered in a film of slime (an effect now thankfully banished from the game). Factor 5's pedigree is good, and dragons are always great - but Lair slipped under the radar somewhat, because we just didn't know enough about it.

At TGS today, Lair was granted an entire row of demo pods on the Sony stand - suggesting that Sony views it as one of its key first-party titles. As well they should, in fact - because the lengthy playable demo suggests that while this may be something of a diamond in the rough at present, it's got the potential to be a hefty gem indeed, and potentially one of the jewels in the crown of Sony's early line-up for the PS3.

The premise of the game is an immediate hook - you are a dragon-rider, seemingly caught up in some form of medieval fantasy war where dragons are the ultimate weapons both on the battlefield, and in the skies above. An important point is that unlike many games where being the pilot of a beast or machine means being firmly bonded to it, in Lair you really do play the rider, as distinct from the dragon - and there will be points when you'll be separated from your mount, such as when you leap across to other dragons to settle your differences with enemy riders up close and in person.

Starting out the demo, you and your faithful scaly steed are brought through a flying lesson which consists of flying accurately through a series of translucent rings in a wide mountain valley. This introduces one of the key aspects of the game - along with WarHawk, it's the first PS3 title to make major use of the tilt functionality of the new controller, and several months on from the knocked-up-in-a-few-weeks WarHawk demo at E3, Lair's use of the tilting pad is extremely well implemented. Either the pad is natural when it comes to controlling flying reptilian beasts, or Factor 5 has spent a lot of time tweaking the flight and control model - we suspect the latter, and we're very glad of it. We couldn't quite fathom whether the movement of the controller is simulating your hands on the dragon's reins, tugging gently up and down on each side, or whether you should be viewing the controller's body as a substitute for the dragon's own and moving it accordingly - or perhaps a halfway house between the two. However, it's certainly intuitive and responsive, with each movement feeling solid and the dragon moving nimbly, but still giving the impression that it's a creature with real mass.

'Lair' Screenshot 1

Once you've mastered those controls - and it really won't take long - the demo throws you into battle. There are two key aspects to the combat in the game which are explored in this build, namely air to air combat and air to ground combat; there's also ground to ground combat, but it felt clunky and unfinished in this demo, and we have a suspicion that Factor 5 really intends these majestic beasts to be airborne as much as possible anyway, so we doubt that land-based combat will be a major part of the finished product.

Air to air combat, as you might have guessed, takes the form of fighting against other dragons and their riders - and while you do have the option of spitting fireballs at them from range, or getting your dragon to grapple up close, by far the most effective way of taking out strong enemy dragons is to attack their riders. During combat, maneouvering yourself around into the right position gives you the chance to hop off your dragon and onto the enemy's mount - where you can proceed to attempt to knock the enemy rider off his dragon. That seems to pretty much disable the dragon too, who just flaps off to what I like to think is a happier, less warfare-focused life, perhaps raising some nice dragon chicks on a nice pile of gold surrounded by hobbit bones in a cave somewhere; however, you do also have the option of stabbing it in the neck once the rider is gone. It's all about giving the player choice, I guess. Either way, to get back to your own mount, you hop off the enemy dragon and it flies down to scoop you up - a lovely mechanic which gives air battles a certain satisfyingly epic feel.

'Lair' Screenshot 2

Speaking of epic, the second type of combat, being air to ground, exudes epicness from every one of its lovely digital pores. In the demo level, an enormous bridge spanning some kind of rough sea inlet, with gates set into the mountains on each end, formed the focus of the battle, with enemy forces doing their best to cross, your forces out in force to prevent them, and all manner of dragons circling in the skies above to lend support. The area is absolutely massive, and incredibly dramatic not only in scale but also in setting. Giant waves swell in the waters below the bridge, one of the nicest ocean effects we've ever seen in a game, while the setting sun infuses the bridge itself with strong, low-angled light that reflects and glares off every surface it hits. Giant braziers burn at intervals along the span, and columns of translucent smoke rise high into the air from them; meanwhile, the armies themselves march along dozens abreast and clash at their front lines.

After dealing with the dragons overhead, you turn your attention to the battle below - swooping low to roast the enemy troops with your dragon's fiery breath, or picking up their bigger units - a variety of large beasts - in its talons and dropping them over the side. You can also land amongst their forces to cause further havoc, but as previously mentioned, this just plain isn't as much fun as doing so from the air. As the battle progresses and the battle line moves, parts of the bridge fall under the bombardment, ditching entire battalions into the waters below; the flames rise higher, and the word "epic" begins to groan under entirely justifiable over-use.

'Lair' Screenshot 3

Sound good? In theory, it certainly is. The concept is sound and the execution is proceeding well - with the gameplay and the ideas on display prompting gushing scribbles in my notebook comparing the aerial combat to the bosses in Shadow of the Colossus which were dispatched in mid-air (albeit simpler and less involved), while the graphical look and feel is heavily influenced by Lord of the Rings' massive battles in the latter films, and other aspects of the game are a tantalising glimpse at Panzer Dragoon Orta done without the rails.

However, in practice, Lair is one of the least complete games on display at TGS this week. The game suffers from a multitude of graphics glitches and other such problems, and the admittedly impressive visuals have a particularly rough and ready feel in places - with specular highlights and over-saturated lighting being ridiculously over-used in a manner which goes well beyond being stylised and hovers dangerously close to the "ugly" line on occasion, while a weak depth of field system makes background scenery swim around as if it was being viewed underwater. Handling is also dodgy; the dragon occasionally clips through surfaces (and parts of its own body sometimes pop through the wings), while navigating around towers often gives a peculiar stair-stepping movement as the creature pops sideways in regular steps to avoid the obstacle. The troops on the ground also suffer from a lack of animation, with entire platoons of soldiers performing exactly the same action in tandem - a horribly artificial effect which drags down the epic feel of the battle by making the men on the ground seem like automatons.

Given the game's 2007 release date, and Factor 5's long reputation for delivering polished products, we're reasonably confident that most if not all of these issues will be gone by the time Lair is sinking its talons into people's PlayStation 3s - and if the firm has enough ideas and variety to bring the quality of the concept on show at TGS to a full-size game, then Lair is definitely one to watch very closely indeed in the coming months.

Picture of Rob.

About Rob Fahey

Rob Fahey is a former editor of GamesIndustry.biz who spent several years living in Japan and probably still has a mint condition Dreamcast Samba de Amigo set.

Read more articles from Rob by visiting the Rob Fahey archive page.

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Comments (47) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Eighthours #1 5 years ago

    here are two key aspects to the combat in the game which are explored in this build, namely air to air combat and air to ground combat; there's also ground to ground combat, but it felt clunky and unfinished in this demo, and we have a suspicion that Factor 5 really intends these majestic beasts to be airborne as much as possible anyway, so we doubt that land-based combat will be a major part of the finished product.

    Ouch. I remember Rebel Strike's onfoot sections. Please don't let them make the same mistake again!

    ...Factor 5's long reputation for delivering polished products

    Ouch. I remember Rebel Strike's onfoot sections. Please don't let them make the same mistake again!

  • asphaltcowboy #2 5 years ago

    The lack of animation is hardly suprising given how long it has til release...

  • BadBoyBonner #3 5 years ago

    LOL @ Eighthours

  • Nikanoru #4 5 years ago

    Hmm, I see an angular dragon tail. I thought we'd gotten rid of those after the PSX/N64.

  • spongebob #5 5 years ago

    It's just that PS3 sucks. It's Sony's fault.

    :)

  • Lex_Luthor #6 5 years ago

    I didn't give a shit before, but this is looking pretty good now. Probably hoping for too much the Dragons talk... and like Sean Connery...

  • Ihya #7 5 years ago

    That looks awesome. The sony haters seem almost impotent in their wrath.

  • Tayl #8 5 years ago

    -"entertaining article on this at UK reistance"

    Umm, you are aware that that site is run by a bunch of no-life Sony "haterz", who've probably never had even a little bit of sex in the entirety of their miserable lil' lives? I can laugh at virginal losers just fine without the added, and annoying, pretense of sanctimony that they're sporting, but thanks anyway.

  • JHuxley #9 5 years ago

    Looks promising, much better than the dull E3 trailer.

    "entertaining article on this at UK reistance:"

    If you find petty and moronic Sony bashing entertaining.

    EDIT: Yeah, what Tayl said :p
    Edited by 1 at 22/09/06 @ 19:39

  • Machina #10 5 years ago

    Anyone here remember Dragonstrike (SSI developed)? Now that was a good game back in ye olde days.

  • skx #11 5 years ago

    Factor 5 has done a great job on the Gamecube.

    I remember how everybody was sceptical about the promise of great graphics in Rough Squadron etc.. and finaly it looked awsome.

    But this time, the FMV scene had looked too much promising, as I can see it on the new realtime screenes.

    please take a look at the first post and try the link.

    greetz

    skx

  • haowan #12 5 years ago

    Ahaha. I love UK:R

  • Les #13 5 years ago

    "please take a look at the first post and try the link."

    That site is tasteless with it's rephrased concentration camp slogan. Probably made by 13 year old kids that don't know what they're talking about. If I ever do venture online on PS3, at least I won't meet these idiots.

  • JediMasterMalik #14 5 years ago

    IGN have said the game is only 50% done, meaning lots of time for polishing. I think this game is gonna be great.

  • haowan #15 5 years ago

    Lair? More like LIAR! amirite

  • ilmaestro #16 5 years ago

    lol @haowan

  • Lex_Luthor #17 5 years ago

    lol

  • J*C #18 5 years ago

    Looks average, at the moment. picked up panzer dragoon orta for xbox the other day, its soooooo beautiful! nice dragons as well :)

  • beep #19 5 years ago

    So this is just like Drakan then (with slightly improved visuals)...

  • Daikon #20 5 years ago

    Developed by Factor 5, they of the "lots of Star Wars space battle games" fame

    Factor 5, as in the guys who made Turrican on the Amiga.
    They will have my eternal respect.

  • DaM #21 5 years ago

    Even more entertaining article.

    UKR FTW! Get over it fanboys, and have a laugh....it's just a console.

  • Shinji #22 5 years ago

    The Drakan comparison isn't actually that close really - I'm not sure I made it that clear in the article, but there's no indication that there'll be any on-foot sections with your little dragonrider chap. The comment about being separated from the dragon simply referred to the ability to drop off its back in mid-air to attack other riders - the only sections on the ground we've seen had you piloting your dragon around like a scaly fire-breathing tank, basically :)

  • Planet #23 5 years ago

    When you consider endorsing Wikipedia vandalism as fun, you probably pee on your neighbors trees and spread some boogers at whomever place you visit...

  • manic_mouse #24 5 years ago

    " Hmm, I see an angular dragon tail. I thought we'd gotten rid of those after the PSX/N64."

    Maybe it was just a glitch in the tail physics or something. But still, a little disappointing after the "in-game" footage from 2005. I'll tell you one game that looks fantastic though, White Knight from Level 5. Wow.

  • Arwin #25 5 years ago

    It's currently running at 1080p too ...

  • Salvia #26 5 years ago

    "UKR FTW! Get over it fanboys, and have a laugh....it's just a console."

    Yeah I bet the editors at wikipedia are laughing themselves silly as they continuously remove the vandalism on their site.

    Knob.

    And talking of getting over it;UKR - get over it, the DC is dead and it's Sega's fault.
    Edited by 1 at 23/09/06 @ 12:52

  • HIGHVOLTAGE #27 5 years ago

    UKR are not written by 13 year old kids, maybe somebody with the mind of a 13 year old kid but not an actual 13 year old kid. UKR got over the DC they just take the piss out of everybody now. If you take their jokes, stunts and jibes seriously you've got a major sense of humour bypass. UKR rock!

    Ooooo Dragon games do things to me. They never sell well but I love them. The best is Panzer Dragoon in both its on rails shoot 'em up AND rpg forms-which your previewer seems to have forgotten about with his "imagine a none on rails Panzer" -er already imagined on the Saturn as Panzer Dragoon Saga-indeed possibly the best rpg ev-vaaaar! This does look more like Draken which wasn't in Panzer's league but I still ended up enjoying because it had a Dragon and a bird who looked like Lara Croft. This game doesn't have Lara Croft anymore but does have some big F-me battles so might be good. Although UKR might have a point too.

  • JHuxley #28 5 years ago

    "UKR got over the DC they just take the piss out of everybody now."

    They really haven't got over the DC. Mindless campaigns of hatred like the one linked above outline this fact clearly.

    I find it strange that some people who wouldn't so much as give the time of day to most fanboys happily advocate UKR's childish ramblings.

  • Lex_Luthor #29 5 years ago

    "I find it strange that some people who wouldn't so much as give the time of day to most fanboys happily advocate UKR's childish ramblings."

    UKR plays into the agenda of some people is all and they know it too.

    It's really nothing but a Sony hate blog from all I've seen.

  • haowan #30 5 years ago

    More of a Sega love blog. Cream the Rabbit porn? Check!

  • Lex_Luthor #31 5 years ago

    "Cream the Rabbit porn?"

    You're not serious...

  • haowan #32 5 years ago

    WROOOONG
    Edited by 1 at 23/09/06 @ 22:34

  • Shinji #33 5 years ago

    which your previewer seems to have forgotten about with his "imagine a none on rails Panzer" -er already imagined on the Saturn as Panzer Dragoon Saga

    Well quite, but then again I find it's probably more useful to reference games that have actually been played by more than a dozen people - hence specifically talking about Panzer Dragoon Orta, a game on a console that some humans actually owned. :)

    I really don't think you guys should be taking UK:R so seriously. It's a parody site, and usually a pretty funny one (although the Wikipedia stunt is slightly pathetic). The tongue in cheek blind Sony hatred is pitch perfect a lot of the time - and I'm sure the authors are just as aware as everyone else that comparing target footage of a game to footage from alpha code isn't fair or useful, but it is funny which is what counts...

  • Lex_Luthor #34 5 years ago

    "Well quite, but then again I find it's probably more useful to reference games that have actually been played by more than a dozen people - hence specifically talking about Panzer Dragoon Orta, a game on a console that some humans actually owned. :)"

    A more recent game to reference might have been Drakengard, as Lair looks being a more grand version of that from what I can see. Certainly seems to have more in common with Drakengard than Panzer Dragoon I'd say.

    Then again, no one probably played Drakengard either, so that may not be so great either :)

  • haowan #35 5 years ago

    I played.... Drakan. All the way through.

    /heads to the gaming confessional box thread

  • Fido128 #36 5 years ago

    'I find it strange that some people who wouldn't so much as give the time of day to most fanboys happily advocate UKR's childish ramblings.'

    'It's really nothing but a Sony hate blog from all I've seen.'

    It's a JOKE.

    Whether you or I find UK:R funny is not really the issue. I happen to, but if you don't, then fair enough. The point is: it's all written with tongue firmly in cheek.
    Edited by 2 at 25/09/06 @ 04:42

  • Genji #37 5 years ago

    Ahahaha. I love all these people who take UK:R seriously.

    Here. If you still think they're being completely serious after reading that, you really need your head examined.

    Also, Wikipedia vandalism can be very funny. Given that Wikipedia is just a big joke anyway, and not a source of authoritative information.

  • lambtron #38 5 years ago

    "And talking of getting over it;UKR - get over it, the DC is dead and it's Sega's fault."

    Hmm most people are in agreement that was actually EA's fault for not supporting the console...

  • Les #39 5 years ago

    For those actually interested in the game, there's a nice interview with the developers on IGN.com. I thought Factor 5 had gone Sony-exclusive, but they claim this is not the case. Still some of their statements could easily fit in a PS3-ad. But if you can put up with that, it's a good read.
    Edited by 1 at 25/09/06 @ 10:15

  • Genji #40 5 years ago

    "But a lot of the Sonyshit they spout is most of the time just boring."

    Fair enough. I find them more funny than not, but at least you're not taking them seriously.

  • lambtron #41 5 years ago

    lol at the difference between the target renders and the actual in-game shots.

    Just lol.

  • HIGHVOLTAGE #42 5 years ago

    Jeeeeesuzzzz have none of you lot heard of the world "irony" before? Look it up for gods sake. All those DC bits are both tribute and pisstake to the Dreamcast past. And the PS3 baiting, well it might be crude satire but I think they've got perfectly valid points too. Last time round Sony fed us a load of horse shit that PS2 would be vastly more powerful than the Dreamcast and the PC's of the day and it turned out to be total Bull. They are now making similiar ridiculous claims about PS3 in comparison the Xbox360. Lair doesn't look anything like as good the earlier "Real PS3 graphics, not CGI honest" demos. I don't want to see a replay of the farce that the last gen was. If Sony want my money impress me with your GAMES not your LIES.

    And what a stupid come back about Panzer Dragoon Saga too. So even though it was great lets forget it cause it didn't sell? If we're following that the only things that a relevant are those that "sold"-well let me put it this way. Blade Runner, Citizen Kane, The Shawshank Redemption, Fight Club-some of the greatest films ever made and yet all movies that when 1st released at the cinema flopped. You'd find few film critics that would reason they ain't worth talking about because they didn't do well at the box office. Gamings always the other way round-the commercial way round, the wrong way round. That's the real reason why I like UKR cause they occasionally stand up for the little quirky games regardless of whether it Sega, Nintendo, X-box or Sony-glad somebody does.

  • Les #43 5 years ago

    "lol at the difference between the target renders and the actual in-game shots."

    LOL at idiots (like EG at E3 2005) that compare target renders with game footage from an early build.
    Edited by 1 at 25/09/06 @ 22:08

  • Tayl #44 5 years ago

    Off-screen gameplay footage; for a title still at least six months from release, this has to be one of the most visually breathtaking games I've ever seen. A few rough spots here & there, placeholder flame effects and such but the overall effect is a bona-fide wow. Just wow.

    The doubters lose. And the joke is, they don't know just how badly they're going to have to eat their fucking words on this one.

  • haowan #45 5 years ago

    Of course, their Star Wars games looked very pretty, but played terribly, and (at least for me) their looks couldn't cover that horrible gameplay up.

    Looking at that footage I see:

    * flying through rings lol
    * dull lock-on homing missile shooting
    * wrestling with controls
    * awkward landing
    * some pretty graphics

    I looks like it might be fun for a little while, but I am still reserving my rights to say factor5lol when I play this and it turns out to be terrible.

  • Les #46 5 years ago

    "I am still reserving my rights to say factor5lol when I play this and it turns out to be terrible."

    Discussion was about graphics, not gameplay. Chances are it will look great when finished but that of course doesn't make it a great game all by itself.

  • Tayl #47 5 years ago

    * flying through rings lol

    It's a tutorial. How the fuck is that lol-worthy? The shrillness, and intellectual paucity of the anti-Sony campaign continue to plummet to evermore pathetic & desperate depths..

  • Lex_Luthor #48 5 years ago

    "It's a tutorial. How the fuck is that lol-worthy? The shrillness, and intellectual paucity of the anti-Sony campaign continue to plummet to evermore pathetic & desperate depths.."

    I agree completely, but I can assure haowan isn't one of the anti-Sony arseholes you usually get around the place Tayl :)

  • Tayl #49 5 years ago

    Alright; just mentally edit my post to read "anti-Lair" in place of "anti-Sony", then.
    /tutorialslol.flyinglol.AVleadlol.controllerlol.disctraylol. placeholdereffectslol.Factor5arenolongeranygoodsincetheydeci dedtonotmakegamesforNintendoanymorelol.IfIdon'tkeepupthepret enseoflol'ingateverythingevenslightlyPS3relatedmyentirefamil ywilldielol.obsessivecompulsivelol.

  • haowan #50 5 years ago

    Tayl lol

  • Tayl #51 5 years ago

    ^Meh, it's no good if it's not all run together. 6/10.

  • lambtron #52 5 years ago

    "LOL at idiots (like EG at E3 2005) that compare target renders with game footage from an early build."

    The target renders were marketed as in-game footage. And as someone on UK:R pointed out its unlikely (even if this is an early build) that somehow they are going to up the polygon count by an order of ooh say 10,000 by the time they ship.

    There's no need to be so defensive of all things Sony, its not like someone is insulting your mum.