PS2 Steam Boy - New Japanese Import

Before the advent of gasoline in industry, nuclear power, and thoughts of zero point energy, the world's machines were powered by steam. Hearken back to Victorian-era England in 1866 and step into the boots of Ray Steam who has come to possess a metal ball which blows off scads of hot steam. With the new energy source, Ray becomes an unlikely hero and rockets off to stop evil machinations that threaten London.    The PS2 Steamboy game plays like any other 3-D platformer except the hero moves in methodical manner and the source of his power is steam. The mission objective in Steamboy is to scale the floors of Steam Castle to reach the top where Ray's contentious dad Eddie waits for the final conflict. Steam Castle is really a massive factory where steam-powered machines and weapons are produced for eventual war. As such, Ray encounters these automatons throughout the levels along with bosses that look like contraptions that might have been produced from the Victorian era.    The game features 3-D exploration, jumping, and blasting enemies with jets of steam power. By using the Steamball, Ray may also perform a double jump to cross chasms or leap higher. Since the metal ball's energy isn't perpetual, there are refill stations littered around the levels where the Steamball is recharged with more steam power when needed.