Lair

 PlayStation 3
  • Publisher: SCEA
  • Release Date: Aug 30, 2007
User Score
6.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 249 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 135 out of 249
  2. Mixed: 30 out of 249
  3. Negative: 84 out of 249
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  1. JadeC.
    Nov 16, 2007
    10
    Whats wrong with everyone? This game sheer scale is by far the best that has been portrayed on the PS3 and is definitely a worthwhile buy.
  2. sirky004
    Feb 2, 2012
    8
    Lair is a good game, the only bad about this is playing this game by using the worst controller ever. ( but now you can use directional buttons thanks to the patch).
  3. AnthonyL
    Aug 3, 2009
    7
    okay - I didn't let the reviews scare me off this one, and yes there are truth in the reviews but there is alot to be seen in LAIR. Lair performs very well in the sound department with effects and composed music, and graphics. The controls are however mostly unresponsive but nothing that becomes inpossible to play. IF a little more attnetion was put towards the gameplay this couldokay - I didn't let the reviews scare me off this one, and yes there are truth in the reviews but there is alot to be seen in LAIR. Lair performs very well in the sound department with effects and composed music, and graphics. The controls are however mostly unresponsive but nothing that becomes inpossible to play. IF a little more attnetion was put towards the gameplay this could have been much better, but nevertheless a decent playthrough.… Expand
  4. Smaxor
    Oct 3, 2007
    3
    Too many fanboys are creating a reality distortion effect around this game (4 out of 5 stars, on Amazon, wtf). I bought it, wish I hadn't. All those professional reviewers aren't wrong, the controls strangle an otherwise great game. In fact I'd call it a case study of a AAA title brought down to the D level thanks entirely to its awful controls. I strongly suggest you rent Too many fanboys are creating a reality distortion effect around this game (4 out of 5 stars, on Amazon, wtf). I bought it, wish I hadn't. All those professional reviewers aren't wrong, the controls strangle an otherwise great game. In fact I'd call it a case study of a AAA title brought down to the D level thanks entirely to its awful controls. I strongly suggest you rent or borrow the game before spending $60 on it.… Expand
  5. L
    Sep 14, 2007
    9
    Very underrated, beautiful game that once you get the hang of the controls isnt at all hard and is very enjoyable; good story and very addictive gameplay.
  6. jackhole99
    Jul 28, 2012
    9
    I want to start off by stating this review is based on the game with the patch controls. For me I enjoyed this game a lot. The action is insane, killer sound, a killer story, and the controls are great with the patch. I don
  7. OrenM.
    Dec 6, 2007
    10
    There is nothing wrong with the control of this game, the only problem that I think of is not exactly a problem. This is a very challenging game, but I prepare a challenging game over a game that I pay $60 and finish over one weekend. I play a single level each day again and again till I get one of the medals, then I go to the extra screen and enjoy the new thing that I find there. There is nothing wrong with the control of this game, the only problem that I think of is not exactly a problem. This is a very challenging game, but I prepare a challenging game over a game that I pay $60 and finish over one weekend. I play a single level each day again and again till I get one of the medals, then I go to the extra screen and enjoy the new thing that I find there. I'm strongly recommend this game to everyone that appreciate challenges, to the rest, go and play Halo or any other FPS that the reviewers love so much.… Expand
  8. JakeS.
    Aug 31, 2007
    5
    Oh wow. My uncle, who is big into dragons, picked this up yesterday. We played it last night. The game really is awful. My uncle's disappointment was very evident. I thought he was about to cry. It is just crazy how a game with so much going for it could suffer from such tremendous gameplay flaws. You get furious just playing it. I played it last night and read the IGN review this Oh wow. My uncle, who is big into dragons, picked this up yesterday. We played it last night. The game really is awful. My uncle's disappointment was very evident. I thought he was about to cry. It is just crazy how a game with so much going for it could suffer from such tremendous gameplay flaws. You get furious just playing it. I played it last night and read the IGN review this morning and it is right on. The game is just unbelievably bad. It should have been delayed until 2008 for sure.… Expand
  9. ChrisS.
    Sep 3, 2007
    2
    Horrid game. How could they hype this so much? It is barely playable.
  10. JuicyT.
    Nov 15, 2007
    0
    The controls are disgustingly bad, the missions are horriflically repetitive and the boss fights are like a sad game of follow the leader. This game only focuses on graphics and throws everything that matters in the garbage, it's almost like they didn't even test the game for problems before they submitted it to retailers. I'll be glad when sony comes out with a good game The controls are disgustingly bad, the missions are horriflically repetitive and the boss fights are like a sad game of follow the leader. This game only focuses on graphics and throws everything that matters in the garbage, it's almost like they didn't even test the game for problems before they submitted it to retailers. I'll be glad when sony comes out with a good game like "Uncharted" or "Ratchet" where they already have an established control scheme that no gay sixaxis is going to get in the way of.… Expand
  11. SimonR.
    Oct 17, 2007
    1
    A over hyped game that turned out to be rubbish.
  12. CabroNorberto
    Sep 10, 2007
    2
    I rented this game and returned it the next day. I thought to give it a shot like the people here suggest to do but I feel like I wasted $4 EVEN renting it. Bad camera, frustrating controls, CHEAP AI.... the list goes on and on... The only great thing is the music which is AWESOME! Theres is plenty slowdown and drop in framerate here so many people here are telling lies. Check an in-gameI rented this game and returned it the next day. I thought to give it a shot like the people here suggest to do but I feel like I wasted $4 EVEN renting it. Bad camera, frustrating controls, CHEAP AI.... the list goes on and on... The only great thing is the music which is AWESOME! Theres is plenty slowdown and drop in framerate here so many people here are telling lies. Check an in-game video of the game and you will see...… Expand
  13. GregoryG.
    Sep 4, 2007
    0
    The whole concept of the controls are terrible. While it makes sense the whole pulling of the reigns thing actually works but it's just not intuitive nor is it any fun.
  14. Jaime
    Jan 7, 2008
    3
    I don't recomend this game for: - Poor framerate. - Medium graphics . - And in 1 mission that can last 1 hour ,you have three lives, if you lost another life ,you have to repeat all.
  15. PhillipB.
    Sep 28, 2007
    2
    It gets a 2 for its beauty. Gameplay is horrible (mainly due to the control issues) and the story makes little to no sense. I feel betrayed as I was so excited for this game.
  16. KenG.
    Sep 3, 2007
    2
    Man the control stinks, nice game to look at be it's unplayable with this controls... Stay away from it.
  17. AndrewL.
    Sep 5, 2007
    4
    Love the sound, graphics, and story. Want to pitch it out the window for its aggrivating control scheme.
  18. TomW
    Jul 2, 2009
    2
    Don't listen to people blinded their love for the console, this game is terrible and frustrating. Sixaxis controls are spotty and inaccurate at best (even after an hour of tutorial training), the story is predictable and uninteresting. I waited for the game to drop below $20 to pick it up and it still wasn't worth it. If you are truly interested just buy one of Factor 5's Don't listen to people blinded their love for the console, this game is terrible and frustrating. Sixaxis controls are spotty and inaccurate at best (even after an hour of tutorial training), the story is predictable and uninteresting. I waited for the game to drop below $20 to pick it up and it still wasn't worth it. If you are truly interested just buy one of Factor 5's old X-wings games and pretend they're dragons, you'll have much more fun.… Expand
  19. DavidK.
    Nov 11, 2007
    0
    The could be a good game. It has nice graphics. I awaited it big time. Now after 3-4 hours (and after almost smashing my controller into the TV) I say the game s*cks. The controls are so bad that there are no worlds for them. I never thought controls can kill a game. 'You can learn them!' 'Its a matter of time and practice!' But here it not kills the game but The could be a good game. It has nice graphics. I awaited it big time. Now after 3-4 hours (and after almost smashing my controller into the TV) I say the game s*cks. The controls are so bad that there are no worlds for them. I never thought controls can kill a game. 'You can learn them!' 'Its a matter of time and practice!' But here it not kills the game but terminates it. Destroys it. It siply tortures it to death. In this game sixaxis is bad. (I am saying this despite I am sony fan.) Played game like Drakan:Ancient's Gates, Drakengard 1-2 there it was good, playable, controllable. Here.... you want to do a 180 instead game dashes, you want to dash, game does 180. You need to evade right, you shake the controller right it does not do anything (or goes left instead). The controls are HORRIFIC!!!!!! … Expand
  20. UncleDougB.
    Oct 17, 2007
    0
    One HUGE cobbled-up piece of trash, and nothing more.
  21. NofaceMan
    Sep 11, 2007
    0
    I played it for a very short time and had to walk away because of the crap that the sixaxis controls had created the game. Im returning it immidately.
  22. Juxtarious
    Jun 26, 2020
    4
    Lo odio, insulso, pesado, la mierda del Sisaxis que era aburrido... un desastre. Por culpa de juegos como éste vendí mi PS3 Fat, aunque por suerte volví con una Slim años más tarde...
  23. Ole-PetterS.
    Oct 1, 2007
    8
    Wonderful graphics and awesome gameplay. The sixaxis works great, allthough it takes some practice to completely control the dragon. Enjoy!
  24. FoolyCooly
    Oct 9, 2007
    8
    Excellent underrated game, fun hectic and visually stunning, complaints are just too harsh, with a little patience and exploration this game is very enjoyable the sixaxis controls were perfect for me, i've got all the gold medals already, only the occasional bugs and frame rate drops hurts this game a little and few neglected explanations for example the lock on shouldn't be Excellent underrated game, fun hectic and visually stunning, complaints are just too harsh, with a little patience and exploration this game is very enjoyable the sixaxis controls were perfect for me, i've got all the gold medals already, only the occasional bugs and frame rate drops hurts this game a little and few neglected explanations for example the lock on shouldn't be used unless you want to grab an object, take down or fight a dragon otherwise for the shooting you should rely on auto lock and the sixaxis should be moved smoothly with this in mind this game is excellent.… Expand
  25. MikeC.
    Sep 6, 2007
    10
    I just cannot believe the scores this game is getting. I spent one hour playing the game before mastering the controls. ONE HOUR. My only complaint is that it's not long enough. Otherwise I never had the control problems the "pros" are bitching about, I never saw ANY slowdown/frame skipping/graphical bugs. These guys are morons, plain and simple.
  26. DanteN.
    Sep 7, 2007
    1
    LOL Tim P. is a complete failed fanboy. Everything about this game sucks, not even the graphics deliver, because are full of glitches, slowdowns. The AI is cheaper than an 8bit old NES game, the control is abismal, maybe the only good thing about Lair is the music, otherwise don't buy the most dissapointing game of this entire generation.
  27. JJ
    Oct 21, 2007
    10
    It's unfortunate how easily people would judge a game they really don't give a chance for playing. People tend to forget the experience of a new way of playing a video game and easily jump to say it's too hard or too difficult. Six Axis for this game Liar is outstanding and worth while. It defers from the typical hack and slash kinda of game, and makes you part of the game. It's unfortunate how easily people would judge a game they really don't give a chance for playing. People tend to forget the experience of a new way of playing a video game and easily jump to say it's too hard or too difficult. Six Axis for this game Liar is outstanding and worth while. It defers from the typical hack and slash kinda of game, and makes you part of the game. For all those low reviews, you honestly don't know how to review a game because you're reviewing it on complications that it does for you. You've forgotten the true meaning of how to challenge and experience a game should be.… Expand
  28. RobH.
    Sep 10, 2007
    2
    This game is terrible. Amazing graphics and musical score, but horrid controls and boring and tedious gameplay. I wanted to love this game, but couldnt. Also, it looks like Sony sent some cronies, namely Tim P., to promote this game and bash the Wii. So how is the Wii remote a gimmick and Six axis not? Sony added the six axis AFTER they saw the wii remote. If anything, the six axis This game is terrible. Amazing graphics and musical score, but horrid controls and boring and tedious gameplay. I wanted to love this game, but couldnt. Also, it looks like Sony sent some cronies, namely Tim P., to promote this game and bash the Wii. So how is the Wii remote a gimmick and Six axis not? Sony added the six axis AFTER they saw the wii remote. If anything, the six axis controller is the gimmick, and it shows in this game.… Expand
  29. KennyL.
    Sep 10, 2007
    9
    I was wary about buying this game due to bad ratings especially where the controls are concered. Since i had 60 bucks to burn i figured i'd give it a shot and boy was i suprised at how good this game is. The controls take a bit of getting used to but in a very short time, i was wreaking havoc in the skies like a pro. Those who complain about the targeting system should stick to FPS I was wary about buying this game due to bad ratings especially where the controls are concered. Since i had 60 bucks to burn i figured i'd give it a shot and boy was i suprised at how good this game is. The controls take a bit of getting used to but in a very short time, i was wreaking havoc in the skies like a pro. Those who complain about the targeting system should stick to FPS and not flight combat games which typically have targeting systems as it is frustratingly hard otherwise to kill enemies during frantic air manuevers. The graphics are beautiful, the sound is superb, the control is better than they get credit for and most importantly, its FUN!… Expand
  30. JasonA.
    Sep 1, 2007
    7
    The only reason this game is getting bad reviews is because the reviewers suck at playing games, at least this one. The controls were cool, did they take time to get used to, YES! But all the complains, I could not see. I got good response and here's a hint....use the breaks! Also....huge dragons cannot make a G9 turn! This isn't a friggin F-18. Visually, Lair is the showcase of The only reason this game is getting bad reviews is because the reviewers suck at playing games, at least this one. The controls were cool, did they take time to get used to, YES! But all the complains, I could not see. I got good response and here's a hint....use the breaks! Also....huge dragons cannot make a G9 turn! This isn't a friggin F-18. Visually, Lair is the showcase of the PS3 to date. I have all the consoles, I'm no Fanboy of anything, so givin the goods here. This is a fun game, that tried something new, and for the most part pulled it off.… Expand
  31. AndyG.
    Sep 10, 2007
    9
    The game is fun and entertaining. The controls definitely take some getting used to but once you master them, you become a killing machine on the battlefield. It's a shame some people will never be able to enjoy this epic adventure because of the bad press this game has got.
  32. DionysusJ.
    Sep 2, 2007
    8
    I'm not sure what build of the game all these "professional" reviewers are playing, but it's definitely not same game of LAIR that I'm playing. It seems to me that they all had no patience with this new control scheme. For all of you brave enough to think for yourselves and try this game, I recommend doing ALL the tutorials first...and make sure that you don't I'm not sure what build of the game all these "professional" reviewers are playing, but it's definitely not same game of LAIR that I'm playing. It seems to me that they all had no patience with this new control scheme. For all of you brave enough to think for yourselves and try this game, I recommend doing ALL the tutorials first...and make sure that you don't exaggerate your movements when playing. The graphics are insane in 1080p with no noticeable drops in framerate, and the story is above average (with absolutely gorgeous cut scenes). The missions are fun and have replayability (due to the medal system & leaderboard), and the action is often intense. My only gripe with the game is that the "object arrow" and camera angles aren't as exact as they could of been. But the bottom line is: I have no idea what all these review are talking about; they're full of sh!t. Don't be a sheep. Try the game for yourself.… Expand
  33. ibeetle
    Sep 2, 2007
    7
    At least it does not have a number after it. An original game. Not a party game or game for the causal gamer. A game for adults. Some say it moves slow. When was the last time you saw a fast moving nibble dragon? Lair is meant to be played on a big screen in high definition. Unfortunately, that is also its downfall. Slow is one thing, but choppy is almost inexcusable. And on a 36 inch At least it does not have a number after it. An original game. Not a party game or game for the causal gamer. A game for adults. Some say it moves slow. When was the last time you saw a fast moving nibble dragon? Lair is meant to be played on a big screen in high definition. Unfortunately, that is also its downfall. Slow is one thing, but choppy is almost inexcusable. And on a 36 inch high resolution with a maximum resolution output of 1080p the choppy frame rate is only magnified. In the end this game looks and plays more like a extended demo; than a A rated launch title. It is almost like... o.k. this was all really cool and everything. Now lets play the real game. There is nothing wrong with the core of this game. It just looks like the company bit off more than they could chew and ran out of development money. Or maybe they were trying to hard to impress; doing to much in a game consoles early history. In the end Lair is a bit of a disappointment. However, I cannot wait for Lair 2. That would be one game with a number after it I would not mind playing.… Expand
  34. MichaelC.
    Sep 3, 2007
    9
    I truly can't fathom the negative reviews this game has gotten from the critics. This is one of the most stunningly beautiful games I have ever seen on any platform, the sound (especially the music) is outstanding, and the much-maligned motion controls work quite well once you get used to them. Give it a rent if you are unsure; how you adapt to the control scheme will make or break I truly can't fathom the negative reviews this game has gotten from the critics. This is one of the most stunningly beautiful games I have ever seen on any platform, the sound (especially the music) is outstanding, and the much-maligned motion controls work quite well once you get used to them. Give it a rent if you are unsure; how you adapt to the control scheme will make or break the game for you, but take the time to master it. It is well worth it.… Expand
  35. TrevorK.
    Sep 3, 2007
    8
    This is really a great game, both in visuals and audio. It's almost worth the asking price for that alone. There are a few hiccups in the gameplay department, but that doesn't ruin the experience at all. The motion controls are easy to get used to, and once you do it becomes very fun, and you'll know exactly why they did them that way. The lock on system should be changed a This is really a great game, both in visuals and audio. It's almost worth the asking price for that alone. There are a few hiccups in the gameplay department, but that doesn't ruin the experience at all. The motion controls are easy to get used to, and once you do it becomes very fun, and you'll know exactly why they did them that way. The lock on system should be changed a bit, though. Other than that, though, it's still a very solid, enormously fun game.… Expand
  36. MattC.
    Sep 3, 2007
    8
    I'm just shocked by all these bad reviews for this game. I've about 5 or 6 levels into the game and I have to say I love it. The control takes some getting used to at first but after awhile I found it feels pretty good. Also it is no more or less responsive than any Wii game I have played so for any one to complain about that is ridiculous. I think the problem here is no the I'm just shocked by all these bad reviews for this game. I've about 5 or 6 levels into the game and I have to say I love it. The control takes some getting used to at first but after awhile I found it feels pretty good. Also it is no more or less responsive than any Wii game I have played so for any one to complain about that is ridiculous. I think the problem here is no the game but the people playing it. I love it and most of my friends love it as well. Thank you factor 5 for trying to be innovative and creative… Expand
  37. TimP.
    Sep 4, 2007
    9
    Finally a game that Uses the SIXAXIS & makes it shine forcing the WiiMote to look like the cheap gimmick it truly is,. and graphics unlike anything the 360 or PC have to offer. THis is truly a NEXT-GEN gaming experience unlike any other.
  38. DanD.
    Sep 4, 2007
    9
    Anyone who complains about this game because of the controls is full of it, granted they are hard at first but with a couple tries on the practice courses you start to not even notice. Combined with an interesting story and amazing visuals this game is a must buy.
  39. NelsonR.
    Sep 6, 2007
    8
    Good graphics, great sound. Despite what you may have heard the controls are good once you learn them. The camera needs work as sometimes you never know which way you'll end up facing after a kill or a cut-scene. The targeting system, while functional is sometimes a little wonky but works well for the most part. Also, they should have made it easier to see your objectives. The arrow Good graphics, great sound. Despite what you may have heard the controls are good once you learn them. The camera needs work as sometimes you never know which way you'll end up facing after a kill or a cut-scene. The targeting system, while functional is sometimes a little wonky but works well for the most part. Also, they should have made it easier to see your objectives. The arrow doesn't really work when it points you to an area filled with dozens if not hundreds of things going on. The story and cinematics are great and drive the game forward. Overall it's a game worth playing. In a sea of cookie cutter FPS games, the innovative controls are a welcome change. The game is not perfect by any means, but It's been getting very unfair reviews.… Expand
  40. AnthonyS.
    Sep 7, 2007
    8
    Once again, I find more accurate and worthy insights and scores from the user comments than from the magazine reviews. Why is it every time a game has sixaxis controls (even optional ones) the reviewers go crazy? I've actually seen "Cons: Sixaxis" in games where it ALSO has analog and can be 100% shut off. How is that a Con? And every time I try the "hated" controls myself I have no Once again, I find more accurate and worthy insights and scores from the user comments than from the magazine reviews. Why is it every time a game has sixaxis controls (even optional ones) the reviewers go crazy? I've actually seen "Cons: Sixaxis" in games where it ALSO has analog and can be 100% shut off. How is that a Con? And every time I try the "hated" controls myself I have no issues after a small learning curve. Attention IGN, Gamespot, Gamespy and the rest... SIXAXIS is... wait for it... MORE challenging than using an analog stick which you have been practicing with for 8 years! I realize reviewers have to get into a game quick, review it and move on but slamming a game because they are too impatient to learn a new control concept (which can be very rewarding) is just plain bad journalism. Lair is by no means perfect, but it's still impressive and flying on dragon back in a totally immersible visual/audio experience is really fun. My advice? Listen to the users actually playing the game and go rent it and see for yourself. It's worth the rental price just to see it on your HiDef TV.… Expand
  41. IssaJ.
    Jan 23, 2008
    9
    Lair is not a bad game like everyone else says. It is an incredible game, with its visuals, sound, storyline, gameplay, and this is one of the only-if not the only-game(s) That puts the SIXAXIS into full use. although turning and aiming gets kind of annoying 3 or 4 times in the game.
  42. JoeJ.
    Mar 2, 2008
    8
    This game is totally underrated. Once you get used to the Playstation 3's Sixaxis controls (I'll admit, it took me a couple levels) it really becomes intuitive and easy to play. Having completed this game I think it wouldn't have been nearly as good without the Sixaxis. My favorite thing about the game were the epic battles. Think Lord of the Rings-style battles only This game is totally underrated. Once you get used to the Playstation 3's Sixaxis controls (I'll admit, it took me a couple levels) it really becomes intuitive and easy to play. Having completed this game I think it wouldn't have been nearly as good without the Sixaxis. My favorite thing about the game were the epic battles. Think Lord of the Rings-style battles only you're on a dragon. Taking down ships, taking down other dragons, taking down beasts, it was really fun. The morale system was cool too, it almost added an RTS element to the game. On top of all of that, the game is gorgeous.… Expand
  43. thewhitewizard
    Apr 10, 2008
    9
    I dont know why everyone is blaming the controls because: 1. you have a tutorial to practise the controls for however much you want. 2. The controls work fine, it is a bit more difficult to get used to very precise, minute movements which an analog stick would provide, but this game makes you feel like a real dragon rider. The graphics are astounding. Think Lord of the Rings architecture, I dont know why everyone is blaming the controls because: 1. you have a tutorial to practise the controls for however much you want. 2. The controls work fine, it is a bit more difficult to get used to very precise, minute movements which an analog stick would provide, but this game makes you feel like a real dragon rider. The graphics are astounding. Think Lord of the Rings architecture, amazing fire effects, great water visuals. The framerate is chuggy which is why i removed one point off this technical showcase, but it doesn't make the game unplayable, it chug only during cutscenes and not too frequently. Tons of replayability offered! All in all, if you find this game in a bargain bin, give it some love, it really is worth it!… Expand
  44. ShaunC.
    Oct 14, 2007
    6
    It's slightly confusing at first, but once you get the hang of it, LAIR can be quite fun....but I understand a lot of the frustration with it.
  45. tc
    Oct 27, 2007
    8
    Looking for something different?? LAIR. Lots of fun so far, very action packed! With a ton of unique attacks. THe game guides you well at first, and then emerses you in a huge new world. The story / acting sucked, but the gameplay, i thought, was a great mix of challenge, intensity, and just plain fun.. The controls are not at all hard, and really seem to pull you into the game even more. Looking for something different?? LAIR. Lots of fun so far, very action packed! With a ton of unique attacks. THe game guides you well at first, and then emerses you in a huge new world. The story / acting sucked, but the gameplay, i thought, was a great mix of challenge, intensity, and just plain fun.. The controls are not at all hard, and really seem to pull you into the game even more. Where else can you take control of a Dragon, and destroy an army??!!… Expand
  46. RobboD.
    Oct 4, 2007
    8
    I'd like to start by saying, I play warhark with the sixaxis and have a little hobby of flying my remote control chopper around. So with that in mind, I found the controls in lair quite good. Instead of making sharp and hard turns with your controller (which is a common thing peeps do), just make small controlled motions. Frame rate slows a little during big battles, and there's I'd like to start by saying, I play warhark with the sixaxis and have a little hobby of flying my remote control chopper around. So with that in mind, I found the controls in lair quite good. Instead of making sharp and hard turns with your controller (which is a common thing peeps do), just make small controlled motions. Frame rate slows a little during big battles, and there's some tiling in the textures here and there. But looking back over the game now I've finished I realize I have some fond gameplay memories.… Expand
  47. DinkerParks
    Jul 28, 2007
    3
    Unfortunately this game isn't as good as it could've been. Dragons, dragons, dragons... love dragons, but it's not worth it if I can't play well with the game's subpar gameplay and controls. Story-wise it's also nothing to snooze at.
    Even though it has some nice graphics, in terms of design and aesthetics it fails in many parts, the models aren't as good    Unfortunately this game isn't as good as it could've been. Dragons, dragons, dragons... love dragons, but it's not worth it if I can't play well with the game's subpar gameplay and controls. Story-wise it's also nothing to snooze at.
    Even though it has some nice graphics, in terms of design and aesthetics it fails in many parts, the models aren't as good as it can be. All in all, if you really want to try this game, rent it first or play a demo before you decide, because you might get disappointed if you don't.    … Expand
  48. JonathanRudkin
    Aug 23, 2007
    10
    This game looks epic. The videos i have seen so far show amazing attention to detail, and very smooth flight motions and intense combat. Along with the epic scale and music of the game this can be combined into an awesome experience.

    I give it a 10 as im not bothered by Sixaxis like alot of people, AKA the biased EGM. It is a love or hate game and it is bound to be bashed by PS3 haters.
  49. ToddB.
    Aug 31, 2007
    9
    The main complaint about the controls seems unwarranted; if you run the tutorials and aren't an idiot, then you should have no problem controlling your dragon after 5-10 minutes to get the hang of it. Even my NON-gaming wife wanted to try (because it was so pretty) and she did not have any real issue with the controls (had watch me do the training missions and mostly knew what to do The main complaint about the controls seems unwarranted; if you run the tutorials and aren't an idiot, then you should have no problem controlling your dragon after 5-10 minutes to get the hang of it. Even my NON-gaming wife wanted to try (because it was so pretty) and she did not have any real issue with the controls (had watch me do the training missions and mostly knew what to do and when).… Expand
  50. MichaelS.
    Sep 11, 2007
    10
    I missed the opening week fiasco, but the game is very enjoyable, the graphics are astonishing. There is some discernable stutter between cutscenes, but the load times are otherwise quite fast. Overall, an impressive and unique game.
  51. EtienneL.
    Sep 12, 2007
    9
    What? Are you on crack? This game is a defnite 9, maybe 10 for showing us what next gen's all about (not just flashy graphics, but an immersive story, almost virtual reality controls and mindblowing sound). Don't believe the reviews. I used to buy games based on reviews and I got burned. E.g. Oblivion - fun for 10 hours and mind blowingly boring after. So some people can't What? Are you on crack? This game is a defnite 9, maybe 10 for showing us what next gen's all about (not just flashy graphics, but an immersive story, almost virtual reality controls and mindblowing sound). Don't believe the reviews. I used to buy games based on reviews and I got burned. E.g. Oblivion - fun for 10 hours and mind blowingly boring after. So some people can't get used to using the sixaxis controls. Fine. Your choice. But to blame the game for your ineptness, come on, what, you're gonna give Time Crisis a bad review cause you have poor hand eye coordination? Or Guitar Hero cause you have no rythym? If you can master those, why is it so hard to fathom that you must NOT OVERCOMPENSATE on movement. Once people figure out the easy, intuitive controls (an hour at most) you see the game for the artowrk it is. Battle a spider wasp and see how the physicality of he battle com[ares to nothing you've seen before, for example. I guess if you're reviewing games professionally and are reviewing 20, 30, 40 a month you don't have time to appreciate the fine nuances of each, don't have time to put in an hour to master the controls, don't have time to die and try a better tactic. But I guess you're also not playing games for fun. Professional reviewers, please don't try and deprive us of having fun. (Honorable mention to Play Magazine who wrote about the only realistic review of the game I saw.)… Expand
  52. BenjaminV.
    Sep 14, 2007
    8
    Negatives: There is some mild framerate chugging in very busy levels. The dueling where you slide up next to the other dragon could have been better implemented. Positives: Top notch graphics and sound. Interesting game world. Also, the control scheme (I may be the only one, but I think they are great).
  53. [Anonymous]
    Sep 2, 2007
    9
    Great Game! Complaints about controls should only be made after learning them through the tutorial. Visuals and sound are superb!
  54. AndyK.
    Sep 26, 2007
    9
    Awesome Game, awesome presentation and great gameplay... The low ratings are really not fair!
  55. IanI.
    Sep 3, 2007
    9
    wow, this game truly is epic. A game that the entire time has you feeling as though you are within a quest which measures along side any of the lord of the rings movies. This games production quality is top notch, easily outshining any game on any console (including gears of war) in the departments of graphics and sound quality. For those of you familiar with Factor 5 and their Rogue wow, this game truly is epic. A game that the entire time has you feeling as though you are within a quest which measures along side any of the lord of the rings movies. This games production quality is top notch, easily outshining any game on any console (including gears of war) in the departments of graphics and sound quality. For those of you familiar with Factor 5 and their Rogue Squadren series, know that you will see MANY similarities between the style of this game and that of rogue squaren, in both good and bad ways. This game is amazing, the only thing that holds it back is the sixaxis, not on any technical plain but simply in desire to use it. This game suffers from what I like to call Wii Syndrom, where it forces you to play it using motion synsitive controlls, while fun the novelty quickly wears off and you start wishing for your analog sticks back, if only because it takes far too much effort to play the game jerking your hands in every direction when video games are supposed to be a passive experiance. This game is epic, but the abillity to turn off motion sensing (even if it ment you could not be ranked on the lair network) would be greatly apreaciated.… Expand
  56. UriB.
    Sep 4, 2007
    8
    It's not perfect but I got hooked anyway. I will say this the problems I had don't involve the sixaxis. They did a lot of things right and I actually really enjoy the control system. I strongly recommend everyone who is into gaming at all to play through the tutorial just to see what the game and system are capable of.
  57. DavidL
    Feb 21, 2008
    9
    HOW TO PLAY LAIR FOR ANYONE WHO HAS TROUBLES
    This Hyborian-like game got bad press for basically the nitpicking of glorified bloggers, and there are many cool things in Lair that I missed because the online bloggers calling themselves "reporters" missed when they cut and pasted their story to their website, like Yahoo, 1up, or IGN.com. So, I'm putting some of the little griping    HOW TO PLAY LAIR FOR ANYONE WHO HAS TROUBLES
    This Hyborian-like game got bad press for basically the nitpicking of glorified bloggers, and there are many cool things in Lair that I missed because the online bloggers calling themselves "reporters" missed when they cut and pasted their story to their website, like Yahoo, 1up, or IGN.com. So, I'm putting some of the little griping that were made big into perspective, and also giving some pointers on what is or isn't there...

    Anyways, some small tips and secrets about Lair, and I'll try to put them into tidbits, so for the first time I think I'll have a story under 50,000 words lol!

    First of all...

    The bad things in a nutshell

    clipping incident: happened on only one level once, but it happened when I tossed a person or shell in the valley. I couldn't get it to happen again, but then again, I didn't try to either. It only happened once out of the whole game, and I couldn't replicate it, but that's the "clipping" incident that gametrailers.com blew out of whack.

    Slowdown: again, only happened once on the level where you have allied ships that are waiting for the signal. And again, I couldn't replicate it, but it's when the enemy ships arrive and only if you didn't take out any ships or hardly touch any people. I was getting pwned on that stage, so I know lol. IF this happens to you, destroy the enemy ships and the slowdown will stop. The slowdown didn't hamper the game, but I can't say what you consider "hampered" or not, so I'll leave that up to you if it happens to you.

    Second of all: a Quick review

    Graphics: Awe-inspiring. Artwork is incredible, bordering on animation. I'm already writing a story on Lair because of the athmosphere! lol!
    Levels: Huge and spacious. On the night mission you really get a feeling for the size of the stages.
    Sound: great sound FX, Music is milk and honey for the musical soul.
    Gameplay: great. Give the SIXAXIS a chance (I call it the AX) and you'll soon get a grip on the gameplay. Keep in mind that you're riding an animal and using primitive technology (dragons) instead of using a space ship or using lasers, and you'll do fine.

    My overall score: 8.5 out of 10. the minuses are that the cutscenes sometimes pull you out of gameplay, which I don't think it should, and the clipping and slowdown. While they aren't terrible, they do pull you out of the immersive feeling of the game, and to be honest, I would like to live in this game. Well, at least go on vacation there!

    Quick and interesting tips

    -Did you know that you can choose dragons on many levels the first time out? if you go to the level select and you read stables, push your controller stick down to select stables, and hit enter. You'll enter a stable where you can select a dragon. If you get gold medals, you can select more dragons. Well, I'm almost certain, as I don't have any gold medals yet. Gametrailers.com said you wouldn't be able to select dragons until the game was over and you beat the entire game, that sounded like ANY dragons at all, so I just wanted to let you all know that you could beforehand.

    -There are "coffee cup" codes in Lair! the first one actually shows a guy making coffee. One of the codes are online, and I don't know of any others yet, but if you google "Lair" and "hot coffee" you should get some results.

    ****BASICS

    -First of all, do the training level, and go back to the level because new training modes unlock. Yeah, later on I thought they should've put all of the training modes outright, and then unleash the gameplay, but that's another tale.

    -TO DO THE 180 MOVE MOST REVIEWERS COULD NOT DO: almost in a moderate speed (kinda like a slower flick), bring the SIXAXIS from level towards your chest, with the motion of your arms like a bicep curl. When you get the motion down, you should be able to do it in succession. My brother doesn't even bring it that far, as if you control it like a horse, it will respond well; but most people here probably never rode a horse, sadly. * You need momentum to do the 180 move, that means you can't do it from hover. It's a dragon, not a helicopter.

    * If you are going towards a wall or a mountain range and find yourself not being able to 180, it's probably because you hit the wall, and are moving slow; flap, then turn, or turn some and flap. * If you jerk downwards or are motioning downwards beforehand, you'll do a dash, as a downward move does the dash, which I'll cover in the next part.

    - TO DO THE DASH: Forget the instructions, because they tell you to push the SIXAXIS forward in the training level, which is wrong. To do the dash correctly, move the control from a level SIXAXIS to downward; like paper, siscors, rock. You'll do the dash flawlessly.

    * A dash isn't a turbo button on a jet, so your dragon needs to "get ready" again before the next dash. If you watch your dragon, his/her wings will spread outwards again, then you can do another dash if you need to.

    *don't forget to recover, which is different than correcting. The reason why people are wobbling around is because they are trying to correct by tilting the other way after turning instead of recovering back to the level position. If after a right turn, if you want to go straight, what direction do you think you will go if you turn left? It's just common sense, ladies and gentlemen.

    NOTE: This next part for controls comes from a guru named Zafro. I don't want to plagurize him too much, but he pretty much nailed the 180 with ease.

    [[[
    Lair seems to pride itself on its exclusive use of the Sixaxis motion sensitivity. Nearly all movement is controlled by moving the Sixaxis, and there is no choice but to obey. This is because the only option in the entire game with regard to controls is to invert the camera control. So everything detailed are the default, and only controls.

    To begin, let me say simply that there is absolutely nothing wrong or hard about controlling the dragon in Lair. Tilt the Sixaxis forward to descend, pull the controller back to ascend, then tilt left and right to bank left and right. Once again, there is absolutely nothing difficult about performing these simple actions. The Sixaxis is responsive and easy to grasp. The greatest challenge here is not that the controls are unresponsive, but that when moving your whole hand and controller, you have to set your mind in a different frame. There is a huge difference between simply moving your thumb on a small stick and moving the entire controller with your hands. It's not hard, it's not broken, it just takes adjusting.

    Obviously your dragon has wings, and they can be used effectively to increase speed by successively pressing the "X" button. If you feel your dragon is getting out of control, simply press L2 or R2 to apply the brakes. These are effective in turning sharply and, obviously, slowing down. Slowing down is especially useful so that you can eliminate rows of catapults or turrets without having to make various passes. And if slowing down is still too fast, you can hold L2+R2 to hover in mid-air. With these basic controls, you should be able to maneuver your dragon quite well after a little practice.
    Special Maneuvers Basic flying is easy and does work well, but obviously that's not all there is to Lair. There are also a couple special maneuvers to consider. They are the 180 degree turn and the dash. To perform the 180, you must move the controller upward, according to the booklet and tutorials. Doing this will most likely create situations where you're flicking the controller up and nothing happens. Then you keep doing it and a few tries later it works. So you might be disgruntled. It's not your fault that you're doing it wrong, it's the fault of the developers. As I've seen in other games featuring the Sixaxis, the explanation behind the necessary motion isn't always the best. This is the case in Lair. If you follow what you're told, you will succeed, but not as often as you should. So don't listen to them, listen to me. There is no jerking, flailing, or wild gesticulation required. Simply hold the controller with both hands as you normally would and quickly tilt it toward you. Imagine the controller is flat in your hand, resting at 0 degrees. Just pull it back quickly 90 degrees so it is vertical. You're literally pulling back the reigns of the dragon with this motion, and I guarantee it will work. Likewise, the dash is performed in the reverse manner. Rather than quickly pulling up, you must quickly push down. Alternately, simply moving the whole controller forward seems to work as well, but can be substantially more tiring. Although the quick turn and dash maneuvers will work the majority of the time following these instructions, there is still the occasion that they don't register. Through my experience, it seemed the dash was often a little more specific than the quick turn, but both cooperated in most instances. If you are having difficulty, it's probably because you are performing the action wrong. Especially if you are frustrated, it can be difficult to remember you don't have to flail the Sixaxis around. The Sixaxis is a delicate flower, and banging it around will most likely confuse the sensors rather than make them do what you want. All you need to remember is finesse, and you will tame these flight controls with ease. ]]] ****Targeting, dragon vision, and boss battles. Here, I'll be more brief, as other, more experienced gamers will probably have better info, so I'll put up what I know, and others can add. Targeting: - you can hit things without targeting them. The fireballs go kinda far - when an object is in the center of your screen and in some cases close enough, the target will light up. That is all. IF you choose to take out that target, you can lock onto it by holding the R1 button, and you will remain locked onto it until you let go of the button, the target is eliminated, another dragon rams into you to fight you, or you are killed. - if you can't seem to take down a stationary or slow-moving target and you are flying around very fast, SLOW DOWN. Drive-by flaming is just as accurate as drive-by shootings on some targets. Remember: they are fireballs, so they only kinda act like homing missiles. My brother gave me a tip on how to take out a squadron of Ice Dragons to boost your score and to do quick kills. - To take out a bunch of dragons, after you lock in on the first one and eliminate it, quickly tap R1 (you'll see the white halo around the target) and then hold R1 again to select the next dragon (red halo). Even if the Ice dragon is out of your visual range, your dragon will try to turn to orient itself towards the dragon, so turning towards the target is part automatic, and part manual. - You can also lock-on and dash towards targets like rhinos or generators to get the quick kill or out maneuver arrows before they can target you. Dragon Vision: -Dragon vision in a nutshell: enemies will be orangeish and the critical objectives will be reddish. Use it if you don't know what to do or what to look for. Boss Battles: Boss battles are odd because they actually integrate into the story well, so they don't seem like they appear "at the end of the level". Anyways, here's a few quick tips -If you are having trouble dodging something... if the scene warrants you to go left OR right, move the controller left AND right, and you'll usually dodge whatever's giving you trouble, as one or the other registers quicker than timing a left or right move. -lock-on is your friend. Your cute friend you want to shag. -if things are going on around you that you cannot see what is happening, look around to see what's going on, and if that doesn't help, use your dragon vision. Actually, that applies everywhere when you don't know what's happening. ****Missions What to do, what not to do. Look for what's called for, the other stuff you can ignore or go back to at any time. The two examples give spoilers, but I won't give level details as to keep the storyline overall a secret. So look at your own risk of knowing stuff lol! - Use R3 to see what your objectives are. I can't stress that enough. - pay attention to cutscenes. They give vital info on what's what and where. *******Morale -Destroy bigger thing or dragons will boost your morale - Kill captians for a easy boost to morale (the guys on those juicy horses...mmmm, horses!) 1. *Spoiler the scene where you are saving a crowd of people on a hill where ships are banging down on them, dragons are all around, The Army is marching on them, and you have land beasts barreling down on them seems like too much, right? Right: but you only have to basically take care of the army and the land beasts. The ships and dragons are too inaccurate in this case to inflict much harm. Remember: your OBJECTIVE is to save the people, and so only address the threats that are actually harming the people. Most objectives are like that. Another example: You are asked to escort Mantas to a part, and you have to protect them from catapults, but there are other things happening like dragons, ships and what not. Go after the catapults and arrow shooters only, and when the part comes up where the Ice dragons are attacking your troops, attack them, but be brief, and then focus on the catapults. Remember the focus is on the Mantas, but the Ice Dragons are right next to a catapult station, ao it's not out of the way nor a task if you just flame up the dragons a bunch and then get right back on your objective. That's the mentality you have to have in this game: it's up to you to figure out what to do, not what you are told to do. (((end examples))) I hope this isn't too long and I hope it helps. Lair is a great game that has been picked apart mainly because of it using new technology in a new way, and some people who don't catch on or were "fans" of other consoles downing the game will only cause others to miss out on incredible gameplay, but don't take my word for it, or theirs: rent it, and if you like it, buy it: Lair is an honest effort for a PS3 game using not only the cell to the best of Factor 5's ability, but also the Blu-Ray , SIXAXIS, and uncompressed sound.    … Expand
  58. ScottC.
    Jun 13, 2008
    9
    Lair is a unique and incredible experience as long as you spend time on the training level of the game (go through all of the training). You should definitely keep the sixaxis controls in tact because they really add to the entire experience. The developers certainly should have had some more "introductory" levels before you embark on level 1, levels that introduce you to the controls Lair is a unique and incredible experience as long as you spend time on the training level of the game (go through all of the training). You should definitely keep the sixaxis controls in tact because they really add to the entire experience. The developers certainly should have had some more "introductory" levels before you embark on level 1, levels that introduce you to the controls instead of just throwing you in to the heat of (extremely intense) battle. That small gripe, as well as the somewhat less than accurate aiming mechanism for honing in on enemies, are the only frustrations to be had once you master the controls (aiming really isn't that bad, either). Once you do get into the game, you'll find out just how amazing it really is. The amount of stuff that you can do with your dragon is incredible (it's a full fledged "dragon simulator"). On top of this, the levels themselves just seem more alive than they do in any other video game I've ever seen. Ground troops are battling each other at the same time that dragons are flying around while naval ships duke it out. It's really a sight to behold (and at 1080P, no less). I hope more people will experience this incredible and unique game. Don't be fooled by those that didn't spend the (very small) time it takes to get used to the awesome controls. Oh, one more hint about turning sharp in the game; use L2 or R2 while turning, and you can turn on a dime.… Expand
  59. DaveG.
    Feb 2, 2009
    9
    Don't let all the bad reviews keep you from playing or at least trying Lair. I found the motion controls to be very easy and fun. Go through the training and get use to the way the direction arrow's color changes to show your going in the right direction and you will be fine. I don't know why so many critics had problems with the motion control. The epic battles are awesome Don't let all the bad reviews keep you from playing or at least trying Lair. I found the motion controls to be very easy and fun. Go through the training and get use to the way the direction arrow's color changes to show your going in the right direction and you will be fine. I don't know why so many critics had problems with the motion control. The epic battles are awesome and the graphics are sweet. I have played many more higher rated Wii games that way worse motion controls then lair. This is a fun game that needs to be given another chance be the critics in my opinion.… Expand
  60. carlpashley
    Mar 8, 2009
    9
    i had heard bad things about this game from various websites but thought i wouid give it a chance and glad i did great graphics good storyline great music but best of all 6a6 control easy to pick if u call your self a gamer this is something different from all those fps give a go and just might agree
  61. AndrewC.
    Oct 12, 2007
    8
    Fun game, no where near perfect, but the controls are MUCH easier to use than most people keep saying.
  62. HarryS.
    Nov 24, 2007
    8
    Why are the ratings on the game so low? I mean, it's one of the only games to use SIXAXIS motion sensor, and the unlockable reviews and art make great bonus features, and there are TONNES of levels, and it both action-packed and funny. All in all, this is better (and cheaper) than what youd expect from the "Collecters edition" of other phone-it in PS3 games.
  63. DanK.
    Aug 31, 2007
    8
    Liar has great graphics, music, and storyline. The sixaxis control is good, but needs a little work.
  64. JonR.
    Sep 11, 2007
    10
    Amazing game! truely amazing and very well thought out. Shame the reviews are bad but im not too arsed, i want to see a sequel to this. Epic, intuitive and deep. To the console war provokers below. Grow up. You fail at life.
  65. SeanH.
    Sep 13, 2007
    9
    Almost perfect. From its show stopping visuals to its epic soundtrack LAIR would be the best game for the PS3 if not for 2 little gripes. First the control take a bit to get used to but being familiar with motion sensing games on the Wii I found the dragon flight to be rather intuitive after a few hours, even if I do wish for analog stick control during some of the more hectic moments. Almost perfect. From its show stopping visuals to its epic soundtrack LAIR would be the best game for the PS3 if not for 2 little gripes. First the control take a bit to get used to but being familiar with motion sensing games on the Wii I found the dragon flight to be rather intuitive after a few hours, even if I do wish for analog stick control during some of the more hectic moments. The second gripe is that after all this time it feels like I am playing Rogue Squadron all over again but on a dragon instead of in an X-Wing. Even the post battle status screen and medal system is here. Apparently Factor 5 could not be bothered to do something different in this regard. The good stuff aside from the graphics include the stunning visuals, great 7.1 Surround sound, and a well told story. A lot of people are going to gripe about the controls and it is warranted but from what I can see is you either love this one or hate it. Maybe if enough people complain or they see sales lagging they will release a software update that allows for stick controlled dragon flight.… Expand
  66. KyleBlack
    Sep 25, 2007
    10
    Half the morons rating this game haven't even played it!!!

    360*s are simple with Sixaxis! duh go back to school... Unless you've been playing it on an Xbox 3fixme where the controller doesn't have have motion sensing. Music is Academy Award winning soundtrack! Story is anything but mundane like Gears of Bore and I doubt if any of simpletons ( that supposedly played it)    Half the morons rating this game haven't even played it!!!

    360*s are simple with Sixaxis! duh go back to school... Unless you've been playing it on an Xbox 3fixme where the controller doesn't have have motion sensing. Music is Academy Award winning soundtrack! Story is anything but mundane like Gears of Bore and I doubt if any of simpletons ( that supposedly played it) got any flying medals. So can we say you're all B*tt Hurt and rated it poorly, because you didn't have any Exlax to ease your pain! ;)

    I give it a 10 just because too many fakers in here don't even have a PS3 to play it on and lied about even playing it!!! Go Back to Blowhard 3 ...er Halo 3 crapola!!!    … Expand
  67. copperlight
    Aug 26, 2009
    8
    Reviews here should really have a date when they were posted. I decided to pick up LAIR (August, 2009) after bypassing it when it came out. The game is great.. it looks like they've patched in analog controls but to be honest I didn't even need it. maybe it's a bit of experience with the Wii but I found the tilt controlling with the sixaxis to be just fine. Breezed throughReviews here should really have a date when they were posted. I decided to pick up LAIR (August, 2009) after bypassing it when it came out. The game is great.. it looks like they've patched in analog controls but to be honest I didn't even need it. maybe it's a bit of experience with the Wii but I found the tilt controlling with the sixaxis to be just fine. Breezed through the tutorial and several levels of the game with NO problems. A lot of fun.. very intense. Too bad there's no trees!… Expand
  68. josephc
    Sep 23, 2009
    8
    This game plays well. it's a shame it got such horrible reviews, but these are the reason's why: #1 it was the very first exclusive title launched for the PS3. and since it wasn't on the 360 you can dock 2 points off of it right there. #2 no multi-player. even publications like PSM have been quoted as saying the lack of multiplayer really hurt the final product. #3 motion This game plays well. it's a shame it got such horrible reviews, but these are the reason's why: #1 it was the very first exclusive title launched for the PS3. and since it wasn't on the 360 you can dock 2 points off of it right there. #2 no multi-player. even publications like PSM have been quoted as saying the lack of multiplayer really hurt the final product. #3 motion control, and it's not on wii? had this game released on wii there would have been no qualms with the controls. but since it's playstation, and most reviewers hadd been playing 360, well, you get the idea. this game was fantastic. i never regretted getting it, even at full retail value. not to mention that for those of you who want analog control, you can download a free update to do just that.… Expand
  69. JoeyK.
    Nov 14, 2007
    6
    Seriously not as bad as people said. The sixaxis controls in general really aren't that bad, although unnecessary. It's really only the 180 turn that's a big problem. The targeting was the biggest flaw, IMO. You can't choose what you target, the game sucks at choosing, and it's kind of hard to tell what is targeted. What ruins the game, though, the thing that Seriously not as bad as people said. The sixaxis controls in general really aren't that bad, although unnecessary. It's really only the 180 turn that's a big problem. The targeting was the biggest flaw, IMO. You can't choose what you target, the game sucks at choosing, and it's kind of hard to tell what is targeted. What ruins the game, though, the thing that throws the other flaws into sharp relief, are the objectives. They're often vague, and you need to figure out what you need to do. And then they're difficult to execute because they give you too many things to worry about at once. And just when you think you can manage it, the control and targeting problems screw you over. The story, the graphics, the basic gameplay and visceral satisfaction of blowing up a boat with a giant fireball are all good. There's just a big series of fundamental flaws in the game.… Expand
  70. JohannL.
    Dec 12, 2007
    9
    Beat the game in a day. Learning curve was not needed. I understood the controls and targeting system rather quickly. Other than being slightly repetative the game has an amazing sound, good story, fantastic visuals and decent gameplay (slightly repetative). By no means the best game but also very far from the worst. If you have issues with control you might want to take a look at what Beat the game in a day. Learning curve was not needed. I understood the controls and targeting system rather quickly. Other than being slightly repetative the game has an amazing sound, good story, fantastic visuals and decent gameplay (slightly repetative). By no means the best game but also very far from the worst. If you have issues with control you might want to take a look at what your doing instaed of blaming the game.… Expand
  71. BrianL.
    Dec 15, 2007
    5
    Game controls absolutely SUCK. The developer tried to make this fast pase game and they did except the controls couldn't keep up they're clunky... lets say you've taken cover behind a wall or piller the enemy flanks you, and you see the AI and your like TURN damit TURN so you can shoot him NOPE back is glued to the wall and everytime you try and zoom in and shoot the game Game controls absolutely SUCK. The developer tried to make this fast pase game and they did except the controls couldn't keep up they're clunky... lets say you've taken cover behind a wall or piller the enemy flanks you, and you see the AI and your like TURN damit TURN so you can shoot him NOPE back is glued to the wall and everytime you try and zoom in and shoot the game ASSUME you mean shoot around the piller or shout over the wall. What you really want is to shoot the guy thats flanked you. Picking up ammo... when you've killed a guy they drop ammo ammo and "treasure" sparkle when they are in your field of view no problem, but they only sparkle often enough so when your running and gunning and you need ammo you run to the sparkly item and you expect to auto pick bullets for you guns... NOPE you gotta press triangle... and you literally have to right on top of the item to pick it up if you run over item by a few steps you have to back peddle. This does not work when your in a fire fight.… Expand
  72. ArkonBlade
    Oct 7, 2010
    6
    thankfully i did not get this game at its release . mainlly because it too short you can beat it in just 5 hours . i did wait and got it for 24.99 2 years ago but stll feel i paid to much for it . i think $15 or less is more its actaul price. the game graphically looks great the story is eh so so . the controls if you play with six axis are complete ass ... BUT there is a patch you canthankfully i did not get this game at its release . mainlly because it too short you can beat it in just 5 hours . i did wait and got it for 24.99 2 years ago but stll feel i paid to much for it . i think $15 or less is more its actaul price. the game graphically looks great the story is eh so so . the controls if you play with six axis are complete ass ... BUT there is a patch you can download in the PSN store for free that lets you use the anolog sticks instead of six axis which makes the controls much much better. this game feels kinda cool at times but just not near cool enough .… Expand
  73. aspentitan
    May 29, 2021
    5
    Lair is a game that will mostly only be liked by those who want to role play a dragon and that's about it. After reading many reviews and actually trying the game I have to say that the game has some issues to say the least. Let's first start with motion controls. I personally am not a big fan. I am especially not a big fan of new technologies when they first come out and this game is aLair is a game that will mostly only be liked by those who want to role play a dragon and that's about it. After reading many reviews and actually trying the game I have to say that the game has some issues to say the least. Let's first start with motion controls. I personally am not a big fan. I am especially not a big fan of new technologies when they first come out and this game is a prime example. It's obvious too much of the development time went into the sixaxis controls (and not the gameplay) and while arguably usable they add more frustration than immersion in my opinion. It was really risky taking on Wii as this isn't the console accustomed to motion controls and you can guess the game got punished for not adhering to standard controls. Pretty much as I would expect even if they did work well. Controls are usable but the game is not fun. They later patched the gameplay to not require motion control but this was a bit weird cuz the gameplay is still pretty uninvolving, and on top of that was designed around using the motion controls. (That was the game). The next thing I want to bring up is gameplay and I pretty much already described it....not much there and very basic. The games environments aren't too shabby and the sound is far above average nearing excellence. I think the hope of this game was to make a Wii game on the system and hit a home run with better graphics and awesome sound that the Wii couldn't compete with. In the end I think they miscalculated that a dragon would be balls out but in the end the game is rather short, uninspired and at best something a few teens would think is the best thing on this planet. I'm not surprised whatsoever by the reaction this game received. Tech demos aren't wise investments unless they improve something and in this case the gameplay even with standard controls is far below inspiring people to play it.… Expand
  74. barretxiii
    Dec 13, 2010
    8
    64 negative reviews? Absurd, ridiculous, depressing, pathetic, and a bunch of other terms that describe the lazy slabs of redundant flesh bags wanking to Call of Duty, Halo, Hawx, or any other modern/sci-fi military game. I've played the game Twice and I can firmly say, as someone who was very skeptical about motion-based gaming, that the controls are not at the very least an issue. It64 negative reviews? Absurd, ridiculous, depressing, pathetic, and a bunch of other terms that describe the lazy slabs of redundant flesh bags wanking to Call of Duty, Halo, Hawx, or any other modern/sci-fi military game. I've played the game Twice and I can firmly say, as someone who was very skeptical about motion-based gaming, that the controls are not at the very least an issue. It took just the first mission to become accustomed with the controls and special gesture-based techniques and after that I was hooked. The controls take time to get used to. Nobody can play a motion game for the very first time and feel like they grew up with only this kind of game. Just sit down and spend a good 20 minutes in the training level. And have patience. It's not like Call of Duty, Halo, Rainbow Six or any other generic FPS. The story is pretty simple: honor, betrayal, enemies-to-allies, that sort of thing. The use of Mo Cap for the cutscenes helps make it a little more cinematic. The graphics may not look like much now (2010) but this is a launch title, Factor 5 (makers of Rogue Squadron series) had never worked with a next gen concole, or even the PS3 no less. After looking at the Making-of Videos in the game, it showed that they still had the PS3 Development Kits. This was being worked on before launch. WIth that in mind I would say the graphics are phenomenal for something this early on for the PS3. Besides name any other game besides Heavenly sword that has literally thousands of soldiers on the battlefield. An incredible feat. The Music. My god the music. I don't think I've heard a video game soundtrack this epic since Metal Gear Solid. John Debney did an amazing job composing for this game. The game features a "jukebox" mode that lets you listen to the individual music tracks at your leisure. So Now that the game costs significantly less (can't be no more than $10 now) WHen you think about buying it and don't like the gameplay just think that you payed for a glorious soundtrack instead, since $10 is pretty standard for music albums now. On a another note, for all the thumb-control addicts who fear motion controls like a vampire at his first sunrise, There is a DLC on the Playstation Network that not only gives players the option for analog controls but also adds two new dragon models that can be used at any level. Give it a chance.… Expand
  75. Thunder5555
    Jan 14, 2015
    3
    Game looked nice on covers but actually playing it revealed how bad it actually is. Whole thing looks and feels like it was made as tech demo when PS3 came out.
    I wonder if the developers were proud of their creation or did they knew how bad of a game this would be?
  76. LizardsUnleashe
    Jan 13, 2012
    10
    I absolutely LOVED this game and you don't have to use the sixsxis(which i do) but i don't know why there is so many negative reports about it. I played all the way through the game and keep replaying it and it seems like a lot of people would be against me but i think there should be a lair 2 with more dragons and stuff. EXCELLENT GAME 100,000,000,000/10 RATING!!!!!!
  77. BaronMonaco
    Dec 22, 2016
    6
    This review is based on the updated controls (with the joysticks and not the motion controls). Lair was one of the first exclusives games for the PS3, did it meet with the expectations that came along ?

    Technically the game is alright even if the graphics are not gorgeous (outside the cinematics) it managed to have a steady framerate even with lots of characters at the screen, but as    This review is based on the updated controls (with the joysticks and not the motion controls). Lair was one of the first exclusives games for the PS3, did it meet with the expectations that came along ?

    Technically the game is alright even if the graphics are not gorgeous (outside the cinematics) it managed to have a steady framerate even with lots of characters at the screen, but as previously stated the motion controls were a total mess and it totally killed the game (and by consequences the studio) and I strongly recommend to not even try them.

    Concerning the gameplay even with the update it stills not very smooth with various camera issues and a repetitive game design. At the end the game is just an air-fight simulator with a fantastic setting, it could have been the source of many innovations for the genre (and there's some like the ground fighting or the melee air fights) and not a re-hash of the same missions over and over.

    The story is very classic and poorly written, nobody should be surprised by the different twists, and it's not helped by the bad voice over. To finish the game you can expect approximately 6 hours to finish the game, which is way too short for a game solo only.

    In conclusion Lair is the result of various strategic errors (controls, level design, length) that flawed the game, for its current price tag I may advise the game to players that love air-simulator (because of the lack of competition), but if it's not one of your favorite genre, skip this game.    … Expand
  78. tsakiym
    May 14, 2015
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I do not have to say anything more. But i need to write one hundred and fifty characters. i think my score can describe it............................… Expand
  79. ClawOfTheFallen
    Mar 7, 2015
    8
    Lair was my very first ps3 game and the first game I ever played with dedicated motion controls.
    I was very confused at first on the training level I did, but as I got the hang of it, I noticed that I shouldn't think of the controller as the dragon... I should think of it as the reins on the dragon. With that notion, The game became very intuitive and responsive as I had very few issues    Lair was my very first ps3 game and the first game I ever played with dedicated motion controls.
    I was very confused at first on the training level I did, but as I got the hang of it, I noticed that I shouldn't think of the controller as the dragon... I should think of it as the reins on the dragon. With that notion, The game became very intuitive and responsive as I had very few issues with the gestures, as I had beaten the game far before the update that irreversely changes gestures. As a launch game, I expected it to be rushed and somewhat incomplete. But for what the experience was, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. It is by far the best -proper- dragon game. The production was pretty, the setting was believable, the stages expansive though managing objectives kept you on your toes while I'd like to explore the stage a little.
    The graphics floored me as my very first next-gen HD contact with fantastic dragons that looked and moved in a believable way, specially as I soared and laid waste to enemy platoons.
    My only real issue with the controls were due to my own recklessness. Making a sudden curve or u-turn to try and make a crazy maneuver without thinking it through as I'd end up in a close encounter with a wall, or mountain. Nothing that couldn't be cured by a full stop and redirection maneuver.
    I bought this game along with my ps3 in 2009. I was well aware of it's bad reviews and reputation. I still bought it and insisted on playing it first. That while I had Uncharted 1 and MGS4 sitting beside it. I loved every minute of it, though it was a short campaign even by Rogue Squadron standards (the game is basically Medieval Fantasy Rogue Squadron).
    But that got me to focus on getting better results and breaking my own records to unlock art and videos. And that opened the game's Pandora's Box. You'd see concept art filled with far more units, details and scenarios that didn't make into release. On-foot exploration of caves and fighting off enemies and creatures without riding the dragon. The concept art of the game shows the game's ambition and makes you imagine all of the possibility. And if only this game had had an extra year to properly develop those ideas. The online multiplayer craze hadn't kicked in by it's release and they could go Rebel Assault on Lair's sequel with coop campaign. Or all out dragon vs dragon, army vs army modes with objectives. Wow... What it could have been.
    I love this game. It's a gem I hold very close to my heart as one of my favorite PS3 games and one of the most injusticed games in the history of misfortune in gaming. I often put the game on again, play around and like to imagine how it could have been. What a single year would have meant for the game. And for the sequel that could have sprouted out of all those great concept art.    … Expand
  80. Joshua123
    Oct 19, 2015
    8
    To be fair, the Sixaxis control system was a HUGE mistake. However, thanks to the analog control patch, the game isn't just playable, but also really fun! The game's totally worth checking out if you haven't tried it yet.
  81. ZASone
    Apr 12, 2016
    2
    No se les ocurra comprar esta basura, el peor juego que he probado nunca, con unos gráficos de risa y un gamplay asqueroso y tosco, les darán ganas de pegarse un tiro
  82. BatmanTheNr1
    Oct 3, 2021
    10
    All those who said this game is awful are morons. It's beautiful and worth your time. It can sometimes get frustrating but otherwise a very unique experience. Don't miss this game
  83. HuevoAlce
    Jun 26, 2022
    3
    A disappointing exclusive for the PlayStation 3. With terrible controls and repetitive gameplay, the only saving grace are its graphics and story.

Awards & Rankings

89
#89 Best PS3 Game of 2007
8
#8 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2007
13
#13 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2007

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
53

Mixed or average reviews - based on 55 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 55
  2. Mixed: 32 out of 55
  3. Negative: 17 out of 55
  1. Play Magazine
    90
    Lair has come together beautifully... With its stunning visuals and incredible soundtrack, Lair may well be the single most powerful experience that a man can share with his $5,000 home theatre system. [Aug 2007, p.64]
  2. GamePro
    75
    I expect many fans will be disappointed thanks to all of the hype that's built up around the game, but the inevitable complaints about the control scheme will be warranted. [Sep 2007, p.79]
    Read full review
  3. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    55
    Don't buy it if you want a dragon that does what it's told. [Sept 2007, p.82]
See all critic reviews »