The City of Lost Children might have found an audience outside the critics' circle, but this film still seems an unlikely candidate for videogame adaptation - especially since the hero, Miette, is a little girl.
Fortunately, Psygnosis, creator of such addictive games as Ecstatica and Formula 1, is up to the task. In Psygnosis's capable hands, The City of Lost Children transcends its celluloid bounds to become an eerie and engaging interactive film.
City is an adventure game disguised as interactive cinema. Not that the gameplay is traditional. The action starts when the evil scientist Krank kidnaps Denree, the little brother of Miette's best friend. Miette and her pal set out on a treacherous journey.
The decisions Miette can make along the way fit perfectly into the story line - giving a bone to a dog, say - as opposed to the oh-look there's-a-puzzle mentality of other games. Miette goes against every survival instinct when she lets herself get captured. And when she can't accomplish a task, she admits her shortcomings with an earnest, "I don't think I can manage it ..." But even then, the lush, detailed City is enjoyable just to watch. Under cinematic auteur Marc Caro's artistic direction, the animation and video are flawless, full of simple touches such as when one character gently slides his hand into his pocket.
##### The City of Lost Children for Sony PlayStation or PC: US$49.99. Psygnosis: +1 (415) 655 8000, on the Web at www.psygnosis.com/.
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