The game gets off to a slow start, but things pick up once players get to choose their

creatures. Creatures are giant animals that serve as your physical link to the mortal world,

and they have a sophisticated artificial intelligence that lets players teach them how to act.

In the beginning, there's only a cow, ape, and tiger from which to pick, but the choices

expand as the game progresses. And for a limited time, Amazon.com customers can

download a bonus creature--a magnificent horse. Click here for details.

Ultimately, creatures grow, and their appearance gradually changes to reflect both their

tendency toward good or evil and the treatment they've received from the player. Deny the

animal access to food and it will lose weight. Pet it each time it eats a villager and you'll soon

have an evil juggernaut that strikes fear into people's hearts. Most of the game's fun comes

from spending time teaching your creature and simply watching the crazy things it does of its

own volition. Best of all, players and creatures don't have to have the same alignment,

making it possible to be an evil god with a glowing, beloved, benevolent creature. It all

depends on why you choose to reward or punish the creature.

Unfortunately, Black & White tries to be too many things at once, and there is rarely any real

focus. It's difficult to enjoy training a creature when villages need protecting, villagers need

direction, and buildings need to be built in order to expand the player's influence and

ultimately win each level. It wouldn't be so bad if the villagers were half as smart as the

game's creatures, but they require a lot of micromanagement to work efficiently. The single-

player campaign gives players plenty of time in each mission to overcome these

shortcomings, but prepare to spend many long hours administrating your holdings for every

hour of pure joy that Black & White is capable of providing.