Anyone up for a game of cards? How about if a little RPG action is thrown into the mix?

That is the concept for Lost Kingdoms, a GameCube release from Activision and From Software. The idea behind the game is sound, and the game is a delight to look at, but Lost Kingdoms falters when it comes to the way the game plays out.

A solid wall of black fog encroaches on the kingdom, first swallowing up a forest, then those who ventured forth to investigate. The next day the swirling mists engulfed the lake, followed by the village. The black fog continued to advance, and rumors spread of an ageless evil reawakened.

By ancient covenant, the Five Kingdoms had forbidden all alliances between kingdoms. Now they were forced to abandon their centuries-long isolation. The Five Kings met, for the first time, in a council of war. But no one, king or peasant, could offer a plan to defeat the fog.

As with most stories of this nature, if comes down to one person to battle back and stop this evil. However, in this instance it is not a burly barbarian, or amazon, but a winsome lass named Princess Katia, who happens to be the heir to the crown of Alanjeh.

With her long hair clasped by a rune stone, Katia sets forth. Yes, there will be many monsters who will attempt to stop her, and she really has no physical companions, can’t wield a sword or axe, and isn’t particularly athletically gifted. So how does she battle the foes set to stop her? With a deck of cards. Each card carries a creature that can be invoked to fight for Katia. And this is where the game picks up the interest level.

The cards contain a variety of creatures that come to life to protect Katia, and attack the enemies. Only one card can be used at a time, and some must be thrown precisely to land where the attack is to take place. Of course, the choice of creature you pick for the battle is important, but there are other attributes to consider than sheer striking power. The cards are categorized as elemental cards ­ meaning you have Earth, Wood, Fire, Water and Neutral (the latter is very rare). Wood is stronger than Earth, which is stronger than Water, which is stronger than Fire, which is stronger than Wood. The creatures you have in your deck will battle enemies that are also categorized in this manner. Thus, if you have a lizardman fighting a mandragora, the advantage would go to the latter because it has a Wood attribute compared to the lizardman’s Earth attribute.

There are approximated 100 different cards (yes, they can be upgraded), but Katia can only carry 30 at any one time ­ which means card management is necessary.

The cards are linked to GC buttons for ease of play. In fact, the game controls are set very well, making this game accessible to everyone. There is a rotatable camera, which can also zoom in so players can get a close look at the graphics.

This is a three-dimensional game that has been well designed. The graphical elements are lush, and the animation and effects are well done.

The game does lack a solid sound track. The music, at first pleasant, can become annoying through repetition. The game communication is text-based, and some of the effects are simply silly. Katia runs everywhere, and instead of the sound of gentle footfalls across the terrain, we are ‘treated’ to a loud clattering sound.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment is the overall way the game plays out. You can complete the game in about 20 hours, and it is somewhat linear. There are maps that can be explored, and game boards that are a semi-straight walk from point A to point B.

All that said, this game is one of those that are hard to review. Initially it is a joy to play, most likely because it is a very good-looking game, but after being in-game for several hours, the delight of the visual entertainment wears thin.

Lost Kingdoms may appeal to neophytes to the RPG genre, and the card battle element is a nice touch. For veterans of fantasy realms, this is not a game that will keep your attention.

This game is rated for Everyone.

Gameplay: 7
There are load times between levels, and the overall gameplay is slowed down by repetitious instructions. Counter that with smooth battle scenes, and large level maps. Some of the levels are very linear in that you can only move in one direction; others allow your avatar to wander all over.

Graphics: 8.8
This is a lushly rendered game. The effects are well done and the rotatable camera allows players to zoom in on the action.

Sound: 4
There is no dialogue, and the music is somewhat repetitious. Katia may be a petite princess but she clomps around like a Clydesdale.

Difficulty: Easy
Once you learn to manage your card deck, this game presents little in the way of a challenge. Most of the puzzles will not satisfy hard-core RPG fans.

Concept: 6.5
From Software had a fine idea of combining card battles with the role-playing genre, but just didn’t take it far enough. The game is a little superficial.

Multiplayer: 5
The only multiplayer option available is player-versus-player. With console RPG games delving more and more into cooperative play, this seems lacking.

Overall: 6.8
Simply put, this is a beautiful game to look at, and that does count for something. Unfortunately, though, it lacks depth, and other elements may leave you with feeling like you just feasted, but your appetite has not been sated.