In this case, the original is 2002's The Mark of Kri. Released in the doldrums of summer, Kri garnered critical success thanks to a delightful mix of grotesque violence, smooth animation and stealth-based gameplay that could best be described as Metal Gear Disney. The fighting system, using the right stick to assign a button that would attack a specific opponent, was something new, and the different weapons and combos provided enough variation to keep things from getting stale.

Sadly, Kri didn't perform as well in the commercial arena. Rumors began to circulate that though two sequels were planned, it appeared doubtful that they would be produced. The relative silence from Sony only reinforced these notions, and after a year most had given up hope of seeing Kri-protagonist Rau again.

Thus, last May's announcement of Rise of the Kasai came as a pleasant shock to many. This time around the focus was on cooperative play - Rau and sister Tati would fight side by side throughout the game, with one character controlled by either AI or an online partner. Unfortunately, the online mode was unexpectedly cut a few months before release.

The decision to design the game around cooperative multiplayer, and the subsequent removal thereof, is perhaps Kasai's biggest flaw. Without the option for online play, players are forced to use an AI partner. While the AI isn't particularly bad in that they're usually able to run through the levels themselves, the inability to communicate with them in any fashion is a major detriment.

Though each character follows a different path throughout the level, there are points at which they intersect. The resulting battles usually require some sort of strategy, such as Rau handling the archers while Tati takes care of the ground forces. In these situations, it would be handy if you could give your partner a simple order, like "Halt!", so that they don't rush into the room while you're stealthily picking off the archers. Another useful command would be "Help!", as in, "I can't shoot arrows at this boss if the ground forces are picking me apart so why don't you come and distract them." Both of these situations are a direct result of the removal of online play, which was slated to support the USB Headset for communication between players. Instead, players are forced to use an AI partner that is apparently both mute and deaf.

Then again, that's not a problem strictly limited to your partner's AI. The enemies aren't exactly the brightest - while playing as Rau, an easy alternative to combat is to alert the foes to your presence and retreat by about ten feet. Halfway into the chase, your opponents will just stop and stare, allowing you to easily pick them off with arrows. To be fair, this is somewhat rectified in later stages as foes carry more armor. That's not to say they won't stop and stare if you run away, but rather, you just can't kill them as easily while they're doing so, much in the same way that a Band-Aid covers, but does not heal, a wound.

In comparison to the first, Kasai controls a bit slower. The characters take a tad longer to turn and start running, and when they do it seems as if they aren't running all that fast. Those that haven't played Kri won't be bothered by this, but those that have will find that the first feels smoother and moves faster.

This leads into Kasai's other major flaw. Despite the wonderful production values of the cinematics, the game itself feels quite unpolished. Apart from the aforementioned AI issues, various graphical glitches, such as visible polygon seams, are common throughout the game. The other set of playable characters, Bamusu and Griz, play like Rau and Tati with slightly modified weapon sets. Instead of peeking from behind a corner, characters often keep moving around it, alerting enemies and ruining the stealth element. Some levels objectives consist of little more than hunting to find the proper switch, meanwhile some boss fights are just extended enemy encounters.

Overall, Rise of the Kasai doesn't stack up to The Mark of Kri. Yes, the game manages to do some things right, as Tati and Griz provide a fast alternative to Rau and Bamusu's cumbersome combat, and yes, there are some enjoyable moments, but these are easily overshadowed by the frustration associated with the AI and overall lack of polish. Judged independently of its predecessor, Kasai fares even worse as the player then lacks the motivation to keep playing and unravel the mysteries of the plot. Those curious as to Rau's further adventures would be best served by a weekend rental, but if you're not a member of that select audience, Kasai just isn't worth playing.