Before moving on, now's a good time to have a little recap of the gameplay elements most commonly despised by adventurers:

- timed segments
- mazes (double raspberry for timed mazes)
- stealth sequences
- arcade mini-games
- pixel hunts
- slider puzzles

Now let's review the list of those gameplay elements not found in Atlantis Evolution:

- slider puzzles

The second list is awfully short, isn't it? Sadly, the inescapable truth is that AE not only includes so many activities that gamers are known to dislike, but it beats us over the head with them. You'll race Curtis through a twisty maze with guards on your heels, only to find that you needed to collect items you didn't know existed. Back out you go—this time on a scavenger pixel hunt through a twisty maze with guards on your heels. Survive that ordeal (after many inevitable failures) and then another death-defying, timed environmental challenge, and you'll land right at the beginning of a LARGER maze. This one isn't timed; just far more confusing, and also hiding tiny objects you couldn't possibly know you'd need until you reach the end.

Sure, these mazes aren't impossible—they're simply no fun. Then again, they're probably less aggravating then the stealth sequence where you'll need to sneak Curtis past patrolling guards. Wait, whoops... did I say "sequence"? I meant the plural "sequences"! Once again, your reward for making it through one episode of clumsy, trial-end-error, node-based sneaking will be another one, but this time even harder. By this stage, I was sure I had discovered the meaning of "anti-fun". I was wrong. That distinction was still to come.

Scattered throughout AE are terminals that activate primitive mini-games. From Defender to Frogger to Pong (remember those?), apparently the pinnacle of Atlantean evolution is similar to our own arcade games of the 1980's. The only thing missing is Pac-Man, I believe. Unfortunately, the Atlanteans mustn't have grasped the need for responsive controls, as several games suffer dreadfully in that regard, making them much harder than they need to be. To be fair, some of these mini-games are mildly fun, and some are actually puzzle-based, such as the Sokoban and Hanoi Tower terminals. Still, regardless of the quality or difficulty, their inclusion is entirely random and arbitrary, serving as gameplay filler rather than relevant narrative devices.

After surviving each of the above endurance tests, (well into the game, I'm afraid) Atlantis Evolution finally settles into more comfortable adventure gameplay, like exploration, clue gathering, item collecting, and manipulating the environment. Although the order of required actions remains fairly linear, the pace is much more relaxed, and the areas open up and allow for more freedom of movement. You're not quite done with the pixel hunts, however, and you'll also encounter an untriggered hotspot guaranteed to trip you up unfairly, but for the most part, you'll be relishing the improved direction of the game, and wondering why the heck it took so long to get there.

As Curtis is finally allowed to do more than run for his life and avoid getting lost, the plot and character development become far more prominent, as well. I won't spoil Curtis' role in the unfolding drama, but suffice to say that his arrival in New Atlantis might not be a coincidence. Slowly but surely, you begin to unravel the bizarre and tragic history of Atlantis, and piece together what must be done to right many centuries of wrongs. Although this sounds sincere, make no mistake—the story of AE is completely hokey, but we'll assume that's by design. It's a blend of sci-fi and surreal fantasy that is so outrageously over-the-top, with so many unbelievable logic gaps, it couldn't possibly be serious. (Could it?… Naaah.)

The cast of characters in the game also contributes to the campy tone, and the hackneyed dialogue really drives the point home. The Atlantean villagers (no great "civilization" in AE) are essentially cult members; unhelpful and frightened and darn near lobotomized as they "tread the path of humility and shame." The human-like "gods" of Atlantis prove to be a sniveling, whiny, infighting family of brats. Though their personalities are irritating, they are strangely appropriate to the atmosphere of the game. Curtis, himself, serving as both main character and occasional narrator, comes across as glib and remarkably unaffected by the circumstances, as if he himself doesn't believe the story going on around him. Personally, I didn't blame him, but as the lead, you think he'd be a little more emotionally invested in matters of life and death.

All this would be tolerable with a B-movie charm, but the poor voice acting and weak lip-synching shatter the fragile illusion. Curtis gets one of the better vocal performances, but even his character wavers unevenly. Far too many of the secondary characters range from mediocre to downright awful; either stiff and wooden or overly theatrical. The notable exception here is Miranda, a native who is introduced early but vastly underused (and I'm not just saying that because she's scantily-clad). Whatever suspension of disbelief the game tenuously clings to at the best of times is jeopardized pretty much every time the non-playable characters open their mouths. At least subtitles are an option, so if you're a fast reader, you can minimize the verbal damage.

Thankfully, where AE falls short in the voice department, it comes back with a vengeance in the rest of its audio presentation. Ambient effects are prevalent and well done, and some of the music is truly noteworthy, whether through classic orchestral arrangements or atmospheric ethnic scores.

Ah, if only sweet melodies and inspired artistry were enough to make a game great. But no, they're only enough to tempt and entice; a style in search of substance. Yet with an imaginative twist to the mythology of the lost continent and a strong focus on cinematic storytelling, there was reason to believe that Atlantis Evolution might be able to deliver on its ambitions. Regrettably, it turns out that the vortex swallowing Curtis in the early going is (unintentionally) symbolic of the game's promise sinking into the depths. With an emphasis on frustrating gameplay elements and archaic mini-games, a script that strains all credibility, and outdated technology that undermines the artists' own visual flair, the result is a title with an identity crisis between the old days of Cryo (with a dash of Atari) and new beginnings for Atlantis Interactive Entertainment. As this is the first of a projected series of Atlantis games, I sincerely hope the developers pay particular attention to what does and doesn't work in this game, as it's such a shame to see great potential wasted by poor design.

In case it isn't painfully obvious by now, I really can't recommend this game to anyone on its own merits. Fans of the earlier Cryo games may be interested, though even they'll need to realize that it most closely resembles the erratic Lost Tales rather than the improved sequels. Those that simply can't get enough of the sunken city in any form may also find it worth the 10-15 hours it takes to complete. For all others, Atlantis Evolution is best left alone, because it's drowning in problems.