Listen to your spirit guide...
Now remember we told you that Tommy was an American Indian? Remember also that we told you his Grandfather was killed but that wasn’t the last we’d see of him? Yep, taking Indian folklore to its roots, Grandfather appears in spirit form and whisks you off to the sacred place back on the reservation where he teaches you a bit more about the heritage Tommy turned his back on.You find yourself dropping back to the sacred place a few times through the game as Grandfather fills you in with crucial details each time, but the most important of these is the spirit guide and spirit walking, both of which are crucial to progressing in the game.
Click for larger imageNow you might be aware of the Indian tradition of warriors having a spirit guide to help them through life. Tommy is no exception and his guide is his old pet hawk, called Talon that died years before. On the ship Talon helps you find your way around the labyrinthine passages so you’ll always have a good idea of where to go. But he’s more helpful in being able to translate the weird alien text that shows on the various screens and doors, giving you a clue as to what does what. If he’s near to some aliens having a quiet chat, you’ll be able to understand what they’re saying too, which is always helpful.
Perhaps Talon’s greatest asset is his ability to distract alien baddies, making them attack him leaving you either with fewer to deal with or able to pick them off whilst they waste their ammo on an insubstantial spirit.