Mummy knows best.
The PS2 era was full of forgettable platformers. Among those was a game called Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy. When it released very few people talked about it, which makes it even more perplexing why it has returned in 2019. THQ Nordic seems insistent on just popping out every IP they have in some form or fashion, so we have this little known game dropping alongside some of the biggest releases of the year in a limited release.
For starters this is not a full remaster. Instead it feels like a PC port with a little higher resolution and some cleaned up assets. This still feels like a product of its time. The camera controls are awkward and the context-sensitive actions are clunky at times. No one would mistake this for a modern game, but it is also a neat look into the genre from that era. There are omissions and mechanics that seem downright archaic. Once players get past those though, there is a hidden gem of a game here that never got a fair shake.
MSRP: $29.99
Platforms: Switch
Price I’d Pay: $19.99
That makes it all the more perplexing as to why it is getting such a limited release. This version is only releasing on Switch. Now I understand that everything comes to Switch nowadays, but this seems like something that could have broader appeal. The release timing is also suspect. Launching within the same time frame as heavy hitters such as Resident Evil 2 and Kingdom Hearts III really questions their intention. Is it because those two games are not on Switch, or simply because it needed to be pushed out? Regardless, Switch owners should not ignore this title. While rough, it has some bright spots.
Sphinx works as most platformers of that era did. The game focuses on exploration, puzzles, and combat. From the outset the move set is limited, but as the game progresses new abilities such as a double jump come into play. A secondary character also joins the fray and spices up the game play. These sections focus more on stealth as opposed to straight action. It is a nice change of pace.
One thing to note before going into this title is that it is indeed a product of its time. Puzzles are obtuse in their solutions. Nothing is spelled out for the player. The save system is also spread pretty thin. It can be a while between checkpoints so if I died, it was a ton of progress lost. Again, a product of games in general from this era.
All this said though there is a decent romp buried (no pun intended) within the confines of this experience. Sure it isn’t going to go down in history as a great platformer, but I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting it. It reminded me of the progress of our medium as well as the days when every company was trying to get in on the character platform action. I like to see forgotten games get a second chance, and THQ Nordic seems to be doing the legwork. Just spread it out and bring these to other consoles. Everyone should be able to stroll down memory lane at some point.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
