In 2000 Kalista Entertainment (developers) and legendary publishers Midway Games unleashed 4 Wheel Thunder onto the Dreamcast audience, and due to slick visuals and cracking playability it was a well deserved success. Unfortunately this was yet another title that slipped under my radar a decade ago because I was too immersed in other Sega diamonds, but having recently purchased a copy for my Dreamcast collection and taken it for a spin it gets a thumbs up from me too.
The tracks are pretty varied and satisfying enough to drive around. At first I had doubts on the 4x4's handling because initially it felt unresponsive but I soon realised it was me at fault and not the trucks, over-eagerness on my part at wanting to tear around like Ayrton Senna when trucks don't do that.
My only moan is directed toward actual races - they can be very unforgiving. Circuits are littered with blue and red speed boosts and the player NEEDS to pick these up because other drivers zip around at a fair old pace and rarely make mistakes, so these boosters are a must if you are to win any type of race. And at first I struggled to finish even 4th or 5th and that was WITH the pick ups!
Stick at it tho and learn the shortcuts of the courses and you''ll steadily rise to the podium finishes, just don't expect them to be handed to you.
This game sells for anything between £1 to £4 and at those prices its hard to argue with this enjoyable title. Start your engines and go for it!
On 9th September 1999, Sega released a new console to an excited public, the now legendary Dreamcast. Many would argue the first in Next Gen visuals, and online gaming, the Dreamcast was overtaken by Playstation2 but never forgotten. To this day, a decade on, it is still a powerful force in the gaming world. This is my tribute to the console and games, where a poet becomes fanboy.
Saturday 27 February 2010
Friday 26 February 2010
Toy Racer
Released on 22nd December, 2000 by Developers No Cliche and published by Sega, Toy Racer was a low budget game and an extension of Toy Commander. It was a title similar to Micro Machines V3 on the Playstation where players raced tiny toy cars, tanks, camper vans, jeeps, etc around tracks littered with giant every day objects such as milk bottles and pencils.
It was quite a passable title with a wide range of vehicles to throw about the twisty circuits. But it is those circuits which helped let the title down in that there were only four of them. Okay one might argue that being an expansion pack (and made on a low budget) you can forgive Toy Racer's miserly offering but surely a few more different tracks were possible? Having just four spreads the replayability a little whippet..a tad thin.
However on the (big) plus side we must remember that this game was one of the first to offer online gaming due to the Dreamcast's nifty internet capability. Toy Racer was the FIRST ever title that I (and no doubt thousands of others) played online and I still remember logging onto the game hub as if it was yesterday. As it was a 4 player I waited in the hub for around 5 minutes for the other 3 to show up and when they did, when I actually saw that I was going to be racing against other gamers from all over Europe it hit me; this online gaming lark is going to be HUGE!
I think my first race consisted of a German, a French guy, an English chap and Welsh ME. It was all so new and at first we kicked our heels in the hub until someone tapped in the words LET'S RACE! and off we went, 4 gamers at the dawn of online gaming (easy tiger. Dramatic Ed) and glad to say that after a good start by Germany, the Welsh succeeded in nailing the trophy.
So while I can moan about lack of circuits, it really doesn't matter because Toy Racer was about more than racing small cars, it was on the first wave of gaming via the internet giving excited players the first taste of what was to come. And for that it will always have a special place in my heart. (there you go again. Dramatic Ed)
So not much to do if you play solo, (you can't even race AI controlled cars!) and there is only Time Attack and Practice modes but this game was a blast in the beginning of the online trend.
It was quite a passable title with a wide range of vehicles to throw about the twisty circuits. But it is those circuits which helped let the title down in that there were only four of them. Okay one might argue that being an expansion pack (and made on a low budget) you can forgive Toy Racer's miserly offering but surely a few more different tracks were possible? Having just four spreads the replayability a little whippet..a tad thin.
However on the (big) plus side we must remember that this game was one of the first to offer online gaming due to the Dreamcast's nifty internet capability. Toy Racer was the FIRST ever title that I (and no doubt thousands of others) played online and I still remember logging onto the game hub as if it was yesterday. As it was a 4 player I waited in the hub for around 5 minutes for the other 3 to show up and when they did, when I actually saw that I was going to be racing against other gamers from all over Europe it hit me; this online gaming lark is going to be HUGE!
I think my first race consisted of a German, a French guy, an English chap and Welsh ME. It was all so new and at first we kicked our heels in the hub until someone tapped in the words LET'S RACE! and off we went, 4 gamers at the dawn of online gaming (easy tiger. Dramatic Ed) and glad to say that after a good start by Germany, the Welsh succeeded in nailing the trophy.
So while I can moan about lack of circuits, it really doesn't matter because Toy Racer was about more than racing small cars, it was on the first wave of gaming via the internet giving excited players the first taste of what was to come. And for that it will always have a special place in my heart. (there you go again. Dramatic Ed)
So not much to do if you play solo, (you can't even race AI controlled cars!) and there is only Time Attack and Practice modes but this game was a blast in the beginning of the online trend.
Thursday 18 February 2010
Soul Calibur
Developed/published by the fantastic Namco, and released in Europe on December 1st, 1999, Soul Calibur is often cited as the greatest fighting game of all time ever to grace the Dreamcast and many would argue ALL gaming consoles. It needs no introduction suffice to say it is a beat 'em up pitting the player against a host of colourful characters.
I hang my head in shame when I admit that I shunned this stunning game back in the day. I was firmly in the Tekken camp, that other popular (and in ways inferior) fighter. I can only hope that in recently buying Soul Calibur and enjoying every bruised minute, that I have gained some gaming polish to clean my tarnished joypad.
All the characters from the arcades are present from the cool Nightmare and the disturbingly sexy Ivy through to the hulking Astaroth and mad as a lizard Voldo. Every one of them is faithfully drawn and have stunningly beautiful sets in which to scrap it out.
Also available are the various modes; Mission (Story) mode, Arcade, Team Battle, Exhibition, Survival and Training all offer different choices with the chance of unlocking new characters, clothes, etc. Players are also able to earn gold to upgrade weapons and buy flashier garments. Its very involving and nothing feels like a chore to accomplish.
This delightful title is another gem that can be bought for the price of a few beers (my copy cost £2, even less than ONE beer) so what are you waiting for? If you own a Dreamcast but don't have Soul Calibur then you either despise beat 'em ups or can't recognise a bargain in a bargain shop filled with bargains! Fabulous game 10/10
I hang my head in shame when I admit that I shunned this stunning game back in the day. I was firmly in the Tekken camp, that other popular (and in ways inferior) fighter. I can only hope that in recently buying Soul Calibur and enjoying every bruised minute, that I have gained some gaming polish to clean my tarnished joypad.
All the characters from the arcades are present from the cool Nightmare and the disturbingly sexy Ivy through to the hulking Astaroth and mad as a lizard Voldo. Every one of them is faithfully drawn and have stunningly beautiful sets in which to scrap it out.
Also available are the various modes; Mission (Story) mode, Arcade, Team Battle, Exhibition, Survival and Training all offer different choices with the chance of unlocking new characters, clothes, etc. Players are also able to earn gold to upgrade weapons and buy flashier garments. Its very involving and nothing feels like a chore to accomplish.
This delightful title is another gem that can be bought for the price of a few beers (my copy cost £2, even less than ONE beer) so what are you waiting for? If you own a Dreamcast but don't have Soul Calibur then you either despise beat 'em ups or can't recognise a bargain in a bargain shop filled with bargains! Fabulous game 10/10
Tuesday 16 February 2010
The House Of The Dead 2
Lightgun survival horror, The House Of The Dead 2 was released on September 9th, 1999 by WoW Entertainment and published by Sega. Its an On-Rails shooter which incorporates a branching system that allows the player a variety of different routes which lead to the same points in the story. A story which takes place roughly 14 months after the Curien Mansion incident where all kinds of creature themed mayhem occurred. Gamers took on the role of an AMS Agent, a secret international agency (hey aren't they all?) who is sent to Venice in order to find missing agent 'G'.
Of course nothing runs smoothly and you are faced with a hoarde of gruesome beasties including zombies, chainsaw wielding tubbies and rabid owls.
End of level bosses are no less impressive and include the awesome Judgment (imp-like monster Zeal and his headless, axe-wielding protector Khual), The Hierophant, (an aquatic monstrosity which wreaks havoc on Venice's famous waterways), and a serpent-like beast stalking the sewer system known as The Tower and Strength. Your lightgun never gets much of a breather, and its good to know that re-loading is a utterly simple affair - just point off screen and click and you are ready to go.
When I first got my hands on this near its release date, I wasn't so certain that I would enjoy it because my experience with lightgun titles was limited to Operation Wolf in the arcades. But as soon as I had booted it up on the Dreamcast my doubts were instantly shattered, House Of The Dead 2 is a FABULOUS game!
From the stylish looks (nasties are beautiful looking even when going for your throat) through to the sometimes eerie, sometimes snarling sounds; everything here rocks like Eurovision trouncing metal band Lordi at a free beer festival.
I don't have a gripe to throw against this fine game. Even the fact they tried dumbing down the violence and gore by having green blood fails to raise my annoyance levels. Sega triumphed with House Of The Dead 2 make no mistake, and proved just how powerful the Dreamcast console was/is. Put it on next to current Playstation3 or Xbox 360 shooters to see what I mean. Its fantastic!
Alone without the lightgun I have seen this title go for as little as £5 which is an absolute bargain. Bundled with a lightgun it can sell for anything between £10 to £20 which quite frankly is still a must have. 10/10
Of course nothing runs smoothly and you are faced with a hoarde of gruesome beasties including zombies, chainsaw wielding tubbies and rabid owls.
End of level bosses are no less impressive and include the awesome Judgment (imp-like monster Zeal and his headless, axe-wielding protector Khual), The Hierophant, (an aquatic monstrosity which wreaks havoc on Venice's famous waterways), and a serpent-like beast stalking the sewer system known as The Tower and Strength. Your lightgun never gets much of a breather, and its good to know that re-loading is a utterly simple affair - just point off screen and click and you are ready to go.
When I first got my hands on this near its release date, I wasn't so certain that I would enjoy it because my experience with lightgun titles was limited to Operation Wolf in the arcades. But as soon as I had booted it up on the Dreamcast my doubts were instantly shattered, House Of The Dead 2 is a FABULOUS game!
From the stylish looks (nasties are beautiful looking even when going for your throat) through to the sometimes eerie, sometimes snarling sounds; everything here rocks like Eurovision trouncing metal band Lordi at a free beer festival.
I don't have a gripe to throw against this fine game. Even the fact they tried dumbing down the violence and gore by having green blood fails to raise my annoyance levels. Sega triumphed with House Of The Dead 2 make no mistake, and proved just how powerful the Dreamcast console was/is. Put it on next to current Playstation3 or Xbox 360 shooters to see what I mean. Its fantastic!
Alone without the lightgun I have seen this title go for as little as £5 which is an absolute bargain. Bundled with a lightgun it can sell for anything between £10 to £20 which quite frankly is still a must have. 10/10
Sega Bass Fishing
Sega Bass Fishing was developed by SIMS and published by Sega, and released in 1999. Now this was one of the titles that was in my Dreamcast collection just over a decade ago, and personally I loved it. Its a straight forward fishing game, pick your character, male or female (marvel at the wondrous choices *cough*), then head out onto the lake and bait those Largemouth Bass!
There was an Arcade for sheer pick up and play, or Chamionship Event where players had to fish an entire day, and the fisher with the biggest total weight of scaley critters wins the day. (And goes home with Bass on the menu for the next week).
For added realism Sega Bass Fishing came with a fishing rod controller which allowed you to cast and reel in like a regular Matt Hayes. I cannot comment how well these worked because I was never suckered into getting one. Perhaps 'suckered' is too harsh a word to use as they did look great fun and no doubt thanks to Sega's brilliance in gaming, they worked well.
Visually things were nice enough, with the fish moving underwater as you would think fish would move, then thrashing desperately on the surface as you struggled to reel them in without breaking the line. Different baits and lures behaved just like their real life counterparts which all lent towards a satisfying mess about on the water, as ratty would say.
It wasn't all plain sailing however (cringes at yet another predictable stab at watery puns). Lots of gamers, myself included, bemoaned the severe lack of fish to be able to, erm fish. And for severe see ONE species; yes thats right, players could only go for Largemouth Bass. Other fish didn't like the look of this lake it seemed because this was Bass County and trout or salmon were shunned.
Funnily enough tho, this lack of different fish never seemed to impede on the game as much as it could have. Sure it was an irritation but only ever a minor one, and once you got used to 'Bass Only' you could happily spend a few hours on the lake with its peaceful sounds and simple controls.
This can be found for between £2 to £5 nowadays and is quite a catch at those prices. So reel in a fun title today! *Exits as rotten fruit is hurled at the dire puns*
There was an Arcade for sheer pick up and play, or Chamionship Event where players had to fish an entire day, and the fisher with the biggest total weight of scaley critters wins the day. (And goes home with Bass on the menu for the next week).
For added realism Sega Bass Fishing came with a fishing rod controller which allowed you to cast and reel in like a regular Matt Hayes. I cannot comment how well these worked because I was never suckered into getting one. Perhaps 'suckered' is too harsh a word to use as they did look great fun and no doubt thanks to Sega's brilliance in gaming, they worked well.
Visually things were nice enough, with the fish moving underwater as you would think fish would move, then thrashing desperately on the surface as you struggled to reel them in without breaking the line. Different baits and lures behaved just like their real life counterparts which all lent towards a satisfying mess about on the water, as ratty would say.
It wasn't all plain sailing however (cringes at yet another predictable stab at watery puns). Lots of gamers, myself included, bemoaned the severe lack of fish to be able to, erm fish. And for severe see ONE species; yes thats right, players could only go for Largemouth Bass. Other fish didn't like the look of this lake it seemed because this was Bass County and trout or salmon were shunned.
Funnily enough tho, this lack of different fish never seemed to impede on the game as much as it could have. Sure it was an irritation but only ever a minor one, and once you got used to 'Bass Only' you could happily spend a few hours on the lake with its peaceful sounds and simple controls.
This can be found for between £2 to £5 nowadays and is quite a catch at those prices. So reel in a fun title today! *Exits as rotten fruit is hurled at the dire puns*
Tuesday 9 February 2010
Pro Pinball Trilogy
Published by: Empire Interactive/Developed by: Cunning Developments
8th October 2001
Pro Pinball Trilogy is a fabulous pinball sim, which boasts great ball physics and lush visuals. In fact it could (almost) stand up to the beautiful Zen Pinball currently wowing gamers on Playstation 3. Like so many other titles, I totally missed this on my first Dreamcast wave ten years ago, but by the gaming Heavens I am pleased to have finally caught up with its steel ballery juggins. (Ballery? Heck thats got to be a word. Right?)
Greedy players will bemoan the fact that this simulation only has 3 different pinball tables on offer, but ignore them, they are foolish. The tables are fantastic fun to play on and give you a satisfying slab of pinball in the home, complete with cool background music/effects. Controls are easy; left/right shoulder buttons for the flippers and joystick to tilt the table. One of the great things about pinball is that it is soley about the hi-score, making you go back to it again and again in an attempt to shatter your personal best. Gaming at its purest.
The 3 tables are:
Timeshock - A futuristic themed table full of rockets and digital magic.
Big Race USA - A trip around America, pinball style.
Forgotten Journey - Here be giant snakes, lizards and a comedy 'evil' voiced guy.
They are all fun to play, my personal favourite being Forgotten Journey (killer snakes rock!) and its only the stingy minded who would fail to enjoy this. The only downside is that Pro Pinball Trilogy is fairly hard to find for sale, and when you do find it it can be pushing the £30 mark. But if you do stumble across it for a little less (I picked it up for a rather pleasing £9.99) then go for it baby! You will be glad you did. Outstanding 10/10
** Check video out **
8th October 2001
Pro Pinball Trilogy is a fabulous pinball sim, which boasts great ball physics and lush visuals. In fact it could (almost) stand up to the beautiful Zen Pinball currently wowing gamers on Playstation 3. Like so many other titles, I totally missed this on my first Dreamcast wave ten years ago, but by the gaming Heavens I am pleased to have finally caught up with its steel ballery juggins. (Ballery? Heck thats got to be a word. Right?)
Greedy players will bemoan the fact that this simulation only has 3 different pinball tables on offer, but ignore them, they are foolish. The tables are fantastic fun to play on and give you a satisfying slab of pinball in the home, complete with cool background music/effects. Controls are easy; left/right shoulder buttons for the flippers and joystick to tilt the table. One of the great things about pinball is that it is soley about the hi-score, making you go back to it again and again in an attempt to shatter your personal best. Gaming at its purest.
The 3 tables are:
Timeshock - A futuristic themed table full of rockets and digital magic.
Big Race USA - A trip around America, pinball style.
Forgotten Journey - Here be giant snakes, lizards and a comedy 'evil' voiced guy.
They are all fun to play, my personal favourite being Forgotten Journey (killer snakes rock!) and its only the stingy minded who would fail to enjoy this. The only downside is that Pro Pinball Trilogy is fairly hard to find for sale, and when you do find it it can be pushing the £30 mark. But if you do stumble across it for a little less (I picked it up for a rather pleasing £9.99) then go for it baby! You will be glad you did. Outstanding 10/10
** Check video out **
Saturday 6 February 2010
NBA 2K
When NBA 2K was released by developers Visual Concepts (and published by Sega Sports) on November 10th 1999, this 28 year old gamer (as I was then) was already a big fan of basketball games thanks to the original Playstation. Sadly I missed this cool title first time around but after playing it last night for the first time I can safely say its a winner.
There are Exhibition, Full Season, Playoffs, Practice and Customization modes on offer, and in Customization mode you are able to create fake players and teams (go The Carmarthen Hangmen!) As a nifty extra gamers are also able to import created players and teams to other Dreamcast consoles.
Matches are stunning to look at with polished basketball courts complete with official team logos and convincing commentary by the off screen pundits. Controls are straightforward although the aiming arrows during penalties could be simpler than what they are, but shooting and passing are great and the on court players are well modelled without the chunkiness of other sports titles.
Interestingly NBA 2K is the only game from the series which doesn't allow online play but seeing as the Dreamcast Arena is now down it doesn't much matter.
I can see me spending hours on this game, and like so many Dreamcast games its still quite the looker a decade on. The only downside is the memory it takes up on a 50 block visual memory card: a whopping 48 blocks which leaves little room for any other game. (But these cards can be bought new for £3 nowadays so its all good).
All in all if you are wanting a decent hoop shooter for the price of a couple of beers then NBA 2K is a slam dunk.
Check me checking it out here.
There are Exhibition, Full Season, Playoffs, Practice and Customization modes on offer, and in Customization mode you are able to create fake players and teams (go The Carmarthen Hangmen!) As a nifty extra gamers are also able to import created players and teams to other Dreamcast consoles.
Matches are stunning to look at with polished basketball courts complete with official team logos and convincing commentary by the off screen pundits. Controls are straightforward although the aiming arrows during penalties could be simpler than what they are, but shooting and passing are great and the on court players are well modelled without the chunkiness of other sports titles.
Interestingly NBA 2K is the only game from the series which doesn't allow online play but seeing as the Dreamcast Arena is now down it doesn't much matter.
I can see me spending hours on this game, and like so many Dreamcast games its still quite the looker a decade on. The only downside is the memory it takes up on a 50 block visual memory card: a whopping 48 blocks which leaves little room for any other game. (But these cards can be bought new for £3 nowadays so its all good).
All in all if you are wanting a decent hoop shooter for the price of a couple of beers then NBA 2K is a slam dunk.
Check me checking it out here.
Thursday 4 February 2010
Suzuki Alstare Extreme Racing
Suzuki Alstare Extreme Racing was deveoped by Criterion Games and published by UbiSoft on November 10th 1999. While not as accomplished as UbiSoft's other racer (Speed Devils), it was a decent enough racing game, this time focusing on motorbikes (specifically the Suzuki GSX-R750 & GSX-R600) rather than cars.
The game aped Sega Rally in that you got access to additional circuits by beating sets of races, (3 at a time), with the aim of acquiring the most points at the finish line of race three. Visually it was nice enough, although some lighting effects were shabby, but happily the pop up was gripped enough so that it was hardly noticable.
The bikes handling was slightly less satisfying, and on certain tracks felt quite jittery. Certainly not every track but enough to knock it back behind its stablemate, Speed Devils. Also the bikes physics felt decidedly bouncy, as many times I would be tearing along the beach (yes, these bikes coped with sand as if it were tarmac) when suddenly upon colliding with a rock, my ride and I (of which I was seemingly glued to) would be catapulted in the air like gravity was something which only happened to other things.
All in all Suzuki Alstare Extreme Racing was a good title but it suffered from the lack of polish that other, more competent racers possessed. I actually enjoy it for a quick way to spend ten minutes but it never gets more milage than that im afraid.
The game aped Sega Rally in that you got access to additional circuits by beating sets of races, (3 at a time), with the aim of acquiring the most points at the finish line of race three. Visually it was nice enough, although some lighting effects were shabby, but happily the pop up was gripped enough so that it was hardly noticable.
The bikes handling was slightly less satisfying, and on certain tracks felt quite jittery. Certainly not every track but enough to knock it back behind its stablemate, Speed Devils. Also the bikes physics felt decidedly bouncy, as many times I would be tearing along the beach (yes, these bikes coped with sand as if it were tarmac) when suddenly upon colliding with a rock, my ride and I (of which I was seemingly glued to) would be catapulted in the air like gravity was something which only happened to other things.
All in all Suzuki Alstare Extreme Racing was a good title but it suffered from the lack of polish that other, more competent racers possessed. I actually enjoy it for a quick way to spend ten minutes but it never gets more milage than that im afraid.
Sega Rally Championship 2
When Sega launched the Dreamcast in 1999, some corners of the gaming world scoffed at the thin choice of launch titles on offer. The games giant badly needed a great game to swat away the consoles doubters, so when Sega-AM3 (a division of Sega's games developers) released Sega Rally Championship 2 on October 14th 1999, big hopes were hoisted onto it. And true to being a creative force, Sega pulled it off in great style.
With a huge arcade following, Sega Rally Championship 2, made the jump to the Dreamcast effortlessly. It looked great and played great, scooping another victory for home videogames.
The only criticism that could be aimed at it was the fact it only offered 3 different stages (desert, forest & mountain) but this was countered with the variety of modes in the game; 10 year championship, time trials, arcade mode, quick race. Plus the chance for petrolheads to tinker with the rally car's engine, tyres, gear ratios, etc. The 10 year championship was the meat of the game, which had tons of races and good solid gameplay.
I got this title almost on launch day and can still remember being agog at the lush visuals and satisfying driving 'feel'. It was a relatively easy game to beat but it was definately a tough cookie to fully master. You had to pay attention to every twist and turn, every bump and water hazard, to reach the FINISH line in tact.
I still pick it up to this day for a blast around the tracks, and eventhough the likes of Dirt on the Playstation3 have over-taken Sega Rally Championship 2, nothing can take away its gaming pedigree.
Had it not been for this wonderful title, rally games would be a lot poorer today.
With a huge arcade following, Sega Rally Championship 2, made the jump to the Dreamcast effortlessly. It looked great and played great, scooping another victory for home videogames.
The only criticism that could be aimed at it was the fact it only offered 3 different stages (desert, forest & mountain) but this was countered with the variety of modes in the game; 10 year championship, time trials, arcade mode, quick race. Plus the chance for petrolheads to tinker with the rally car's engine, tyres, gear ratios, etc. The 10 year championship was the meat of the game, which had tons of races and good solid gameplay.
I got this title almost on launch day and can still remember being agog at the lush visuals and satisfying driving 'feel'. It was a relatively easy game to beat but it was definately a tough cookie to fully master. You had to pay attention to every twist and turn, every bump and water hazard, to reach the FINISH line in tact.
I still pick it up to this day for a blast around the tracks, and eventhough the likes of Dirt on the Playstation3 have over-taken Sega Rally Championship 2, nothing can take away its gaming pedigree.
Had it not been for this wonderful title, rally games would be a lot poorer today.
Wednesday 3 February 2010
Sonic Uncovered
Sonic Uncovered was released on the Dreamcast on October 14th 1999 by developers Sonic Team, and with two distinct stages (Action Stage & Adventure Fields) it was a giant departure from previous Sonic the Hedgehog titles.
The games plot revolves around the manic Dr Robotnik (or Dr Eggman) and his never ending quest to conquer the planet, this time with the use of a mysterious liquid known only as Chaos. (Health & Safety ought to be told of this iffy sounding stuff). But out to thwart the handle-bar mustachioed Round One is the pretty speedy Sonic the hedgehog, along with 5 of his chums. That's right, the player gets the chance to play as a total of 6 characters.
The 2 stages had obvious differences; for instance the Action Stage is the only place the player will encounter any enemies, while the Adventure Fields were non linear levels for puzzle solving and exploration.
Sonic Uncovered is a stunning looking game and really showed what could be achieved on the Dreamcast. In one of the opening stages you help Sonic outrun a giant killer whale who is giving chase by leaping out from the twinkling blue sea, the pier collapsing as he sprints and it looks fantastic!
The controls were excellent, and the camera angles never impeded on gameplay. I was never a big fan of Sonic on the old Megadrive, I have played the games of course, but they never truly got me hooked to Sonic's wacky world. But this title reeled me in with its simple yet engrossing gameplay and those fabulous sun drenched looks. This is another game that can be picked up at car boot sales and auction sites for less than the price of a bag of chips, and I highly recommend you doing so. Hours of arcade fun, high fives to the blue hedgehog!
The games plot revolves around the manic Dr Robotnik (or Dr Eggman) and his never ending quest to conquer the planet, this time with the use of a mysterious liquid known only as Chaos. (Health & Safety ought to be told of this iffy sounding stuff). But out to thwart the handle-bar mustachioed Round One is the pretty speedy Sonic the hedgehog, along with 5 of his chums. That's right, the player gets the chance to play as a total of 6 characters.
The 2 stages had obvious differences; for instance the Action Stage is the only place the player will encounter any enemies, while the Adventure Fields were non linear levels for puzzle solving and exploration.
Sonic Uncovered is a stunning looking game and really showed what could be achieved on the Dreamcast. In one of the opening stages you help Sonic outrun a giant killer whale who is giving chase by leaping out from the twinkling blue sea, the pier collapsing as he sprints and it looks fantastic!
The controls were excellent, and the camera angles never impeded on gameplay. I was never a big fan of Sonic on the old Megadrive, I have played the games of course, but they never truly got me hooked to Sonic's wacky world. But this title reeled me in with its simple yet engrossing gameplay and those fabulous sun drenched looks. This is another game that can be picked up at car boot sales and auction sites for less than the price of a bag of chips, and I highly recommend you doing so. Hours of arcade fun, high fives to the blue hedgehog!
Tom Clancey's Rainbow Six
Developed and published in 2000 by Red Storm Entertainment, Rainbow Six was a tactical shooter, putting the player in charge of a squad of Special Forces troops tasked to rescuing hostages and deep-sixing the terrorists. But it isn't all charging through embassy windows dressed in black kit and having a kefuddle around the brew kit. There is planning to be done - lots of planning. (What? Did you think 'them in black' just turned up and hosed everything that moved? Not on your armoured nelly. They enjoy a good plan these guys).
At the beginning of every mission you are briefed on events, and then follows the planning stage where the player must also choose their fellow operatives who each have unique skills (bomb disposal, sniper, comms, etc). And this isn't just a fancy intro to missions which can be skipped, these planning stages are essential if you and your sneaky collegues are to pull off successful rescue missions.
Nobody will get it right first time around, this game requires dozens of repeated attempts and planning alterations before any hostage is saved or baddie killed. And perhaps this is where it lost me, and I suspect many other impatient gamers. I don't want to sit around plotting ideal routes and sniper locations, afterall im a gamer not a battle tactician, I just want to shoot stuff damn it!
I am not completely knocking Rainbow Six, in fact the depth is quite impressive but it certainly won't suit the run & gun fans out there. The budding armchair colonel however will love it.
Visually its average, and some areas are so dark its hard to see even with night-vision goggles on. It frustrated me often and mix this up with those boring planning phases and this title fails my personal Selection. Shame too because some of the ideas in this game are pretty nifty but alas the execution of them is bodged.
At the beginning of every mission you are briefed on events, and then follows the planning stage where the player must also choose their fellow operatives who each have unique skills (bomb disposal, sniper, comms, etc). And this isn't just a fancy intro to missions which can be skipped, these planning stages are essential if you and your sneaky collegues are to pull off successful rescue missions.
Nobody will get it right first time around, this game requires dozens of repeated attempts and planning alterations before any hostage is saved or baddie killed. And perhaps this is where it lost me, and I suspect many other impatient gamers. I don't want to sit around plotting ideal routes and sniper locations, afterall im a gamer not a battle tactician, I just want to shoot stuff damn it!
I am not completely knocking Rainbow Six, in fact the depth is quite impressive but it certainly won't suit the run & gun fans out there. The budding armchair colonel however will love it.
Visually its average, and some areas are so dark its hard to see even with night-vision goggles on. It frustrated me often and mix this up with those boring planning phases and this title fails my personal Selection. Shame too because some of the ideas in this game are pretty nifty but alas the execution of them is bodged.
Tee Off
Developed by Bottom Up and published by Acclaim in 1999, Tee Off was a cartoon golf title much in the same vein as the more popular Everybody's Golf. There was a host of colourful characters to choose from, and the player could take to the greens of 5 courses: Scotland, Africa, America, Austrailia and Japan.
Controls were a double click affair: click once to set the power then click again as the power meter falls, making sure to hit the sweetspot at the bottom to pull off a successful shot. Since then, the analogue stick has been used to recreate the golf swing, but back in the day, the double click method was the way.
Once again, this is another title that I missed on the Dreamcast's first outing, but im glad to have discovered it on this second run. It looks pretty enough, although some courses can be quite bland so be warned. For example the Austrailian one is simply slabs of green slapped in the middle of a sea of brown (the Outback isn't this miserable surely?) And one thing I noticed was the lack of animals wandering around, like there is in Everybody's Golf.
But for all the little gripes, Tee Off does play a good game of golf, and it is not as unforgiving as other titles. This golf fanatic managed a not-too-shabby +13 on the 72 par African course (and were it not for a round wrecking triple bogey on the 15th my score would have been even more respectable).
While its EG brother on other consoles may have had the upper hand looks wise, Tee Off is by no means rubbish. In fact I can predict many hours of golf spent with this fun little title.
Controls were a double click affair: click once to set the power then click again as the power meter falls, making sure to hit the sweetspot at the bottom to pull off a successful shot. Since then, the analogue stick has been used to recreate the golf swing, but back in the day, the double click method was the way.
Once again, this is another title that I missed on the Dreamcast's first outing, but im glad to have discovered it on this second run. It looks pretty enough, although some courses can be quite bland so be warned. For example the Austrailian one is simply slabs of green slapped in the middle of a sea of brown (the Outback isn't this miserable surely?) And one thing I noticed was the lack of animals wandering around, like there is in Everybody's Golf.
But for all the little gripes, Tee Off does play a good game of golf, and it is not as unforgiving as other titles. This golf fanatic managed a not-too-shabby +13 on the 72 par African course (and were it not for a round wrecking triple bogey on the 15th my score would have been even more respectable).
While its EG brother on other consoles may have had the upper hand looks wise, Tee Off is by no means rubbish. In fact I can predict many hours of golf spent with this fun little title.
Tuesday 2 February 2010
Jet Set Radio
Jet Set Radio was developed by Smilebit and published by Sega on the Dreamcast on November 24th 2000. This was the game which led the charge of cel-shaded graphics onto gaming consoles, and when first shown at the Tokyo Game Show in 1999, it generated a hive of excited attention from the press due to the beauty of cel-shading and loud pop music.
It is a mix of action and platformer, where you play (initially) as Beat, a rollerskating, graffiti artist who is intent on tagging local areas with his gangs tags. The player is also able to play as two other gang members (Gum & Tab) after the training stage.
The action takes place in 3 districts - Shibuya-Cho (shopping district), Benten-Cho (a night area) and Kogane-Cho (the residential area). But its not all smooth skating and performing sweet tricks because forever gunning for you (quite literally!) is the increasingly psychotic Captain Onishima and his enthusiastic SWAT team. Not to mention the rival gangs which are busy tagging their own areas. (The Love Shockers - an all female gang. The music loving Noise Tanks and the bezerk Poison Jam).
I discovered this beautiful title during my Dreamcast revival last year because I had stupidly ignored it when I owned my original Dreamcast in 1999. Now I realise how foolish I was as Jet Set Radio is an utterly fabulous game in every sense. It looks stunning, even today, thanks to the cel-shading and controls are intuitive and never fiddly.
My one and only complaint stems from what other fans think is one of its strengths, the music. It is pure pop in every tune, and this heavy metal lover cannot help to wonder how even more AMAZING this game would have been if only it had shunned the pop and replaced it with the likes of Slayer, AC/DC and Iron Maiden.
Still you can't have everything and im certainly not going to rubbish a truly great title because of its soundtrack. Amazing stuff which you NEED to play. Right now.
It is a mix of action and platformer, where you play (initially) as Beat, a rollerskating, graffiti artist who is intent on tagging local areas with his gangs tags. The player is also able to play as two other gang members (Gum & Tab) after the training stage.
The action takes place in 3 districts - Shibuya-Cho (shopping district), Benten-Cho (a night area) and Kogane-Cho (the residential area). But its not all smooth skating and performing sweet tricks because forever gunning for you (quite literally!) is the increasingly psychotic Captain Onishima and his enthusiastic SWAT team. Not to mention the rival gangs which are busy tagging their own areas. (The Love Shockers - an all female gang. The music loving Noise Tanks and the bezerk Poison Jam).
I discovered this beautiful title during my Dreamcast revival last year because I had stupidly ignored it when I owned my original Dreamcast in 1999. Now I realise how foolish I was as Jet Set Radio is an utterly fabulous game in every sense. It looks stunning, even today, thanks to the cel-shading and controls are intuitive and never fiddly.
My one and only complaint stems from what other fans think is one of its strengths, the music. It is pure pop in every tune, and this heavy metal lover cannot help to wonder how even more AMAZING this game would have been if only it had shunned the pop and replaced it with the likes of Slayer, AC/DC and Iron Maiden.
Still you can't have everything and im certainly not going to rubbish a truly great title because of its soundtrack. Amazing stuff which you NEED to play. Right now.
Extreme Sports (Innerloop)
Sports titles dealing with golf, boxing, football and hockey were ten-a-penny on every home games console, but on October 27th 2000, game studio/developers Innerloop released Extreme Sports, bringing a more adventurous and niche (not to mention dangerous) sports to the joypad.
The player had the choice of guiding one of four characters to the top of a bunch of 'sports' that has given participants more broken bones than medals; Nina the Swedish fox, Noel, a gobby Brit, Cath the hip American and Raga, a cool unflappable Jamaican. Each looked good, no blockiness or mashed faces, which plagued character designs on other sporting titles.
In all there were 6 events to compete in: ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) racing, Snowboarding, Mountain Biking, Sky Surfing, Speed Gliding, and the ever cool but all too short, Bungee Jumping. Probably the most boring of the bunch was Speed Gliding, where you were pulled through the sky on a handglider by a ropey looking seaplane, and it felt more luck than skill if you reached 1st position in this event.
The others were cooler, those mountain bikes certainly got up to a dangerous speed, and the mountains on which you flung your onscreen sportsman from were both lush to ride on and in parts almost lethally steep. It boasted a pretty varied assortment of locations to race in, from snowy mountains to volcanic wastes and eventhough there was 'pop up' issues with some backgrounds it never impeded much on gameplay.
All the usual suspects regarding modes were available: Championship (where you competed against computer controlled opponents on several tracks consecutively to unlock harder levels), Single Track, Time Trial and Practice.
Whilst not being a fantastic game, Extreme Sports was ....well extremely playable and a breath of fresh air amongst the smog of other, more popular sports on offer. Ive seen this go for 99p on certain sites. Absolute bargain for such a playable title!
Check it out.
The player had the choice of guiding one of four characters to the top of a bunch of 'sports' that has given participants more broken bones than medals; Nina the Swedish fox, Noel, a gobby Brit, Cath the hip American and Raga, a cool unflappable Jamaican. Each looked good, no blockiness or mashed faces, which plagued character designs on other sporting titles.
In all there were 6 events to compete in: ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) racing, Snowboarding, Mountain Biking, Sky Surfing, Speed Gliding, and the ever cool but all too short, Bungee Jumping. Probably the most boring of the bunch was Speed Gliding, where you were pulled through the sky on a handglider by a ropey looking seaplane, and it felt more luck than skill if you reached 1st position in this event.
The others were cooler, those mountain bikes certainly got up to a dangerous speed, and the mountains on which you flung your onscreen sportsman from were both lush to ride on and in parts almost lethally steep. It boasted a pretty varied assortment of locations to race in, from snowy mountains to volcanic wastes and eventhough there was 'pop up' issues with some backgrounds it never impeded much on gameplay.
All the usual suspects regarding modes were available: Championship (where you competed against computer controlled opponents on several tracks consecutively to unlock harder levels), Single Track, Time Trial and Practice.
Whilst not being a fantastic game, Extreme Sports was ....well extremely playable and a breath of fresh air amongst the smog of other, more popular sports on offer. Ive seen this go for 99p on certain sites. Absolute bargain for such a playable title!
Check it out.
Virtua Tennis
Virtua Tennis hit the arcades in 1999, but it was in 2000 that developers Sega AM3 ported it to the Dreamcast console. And owing to the console's capability to run fantastic visuals, it made the made the move without effort. It truly is a joy to play and is still, ten years on, one of the best tennis games available on home games systems, both in looks and playability.
There are 5 courts in all (listed below) and a decent roster of big names on offer. (Keeping in mind the game is a decade old, so its names like Courier, Haas & Henman you will see and not Nadal and Federer.) Players can choose to play either Exhibition matches, where set/duration can be tinkered with, or join the World Circuit in a bid to be ranked number one. There is also a fun Training Mode available, with a wealth of exercises to be challenged with, including ten pin bowling with giant skittles and a tennis ball.
Each court looks great with all the usual tennis sponsors and eager audiences. More importantly the different court surfaces do actually feel and play differently, the hard surface making the ball zip around like a pinball, while clay almost slowing it to a standstill. Personally I found it really satisfying and a splendid game of tennis for home gamers.
One can pick this up for peanuts on auction sites: £3 for (still) one of the best tennis games? That serve is definately IN.
The courts -
Australian Challenge - Hard
French Cup - Clay
US Super Tennis - Hard
The Old England Championships - Grass
Sega Grand Match - Carpet
There are 5 courts in all (listed below) and a decent roster of big names on offer. (Keeping in mind the game is a decade old, so its names like Courier, Haas & Henman you will see and not Nadal and Federer.) Players can choose to play either Exhibition matches, where set/duration can be tinkered with, or join the World Circuit in a bid to be ranked number one. There is also a fun Training Mode available, with a wealth of exercises to be challenged with, including ten pin bowling with giant skittles and a tennis ball.
Each court looks great with all the usual tennis sponsors and eager audiences. More importantly the different court surfaces do actually feel and play differently, the hard surface making the ball zip around like a pinball, while clay almost slowing it to a standstill. Personally I found it really satisfying and a splendid game of tennis for home gamers.
One can pick this up for peanuts on auction sites: £3 for (still) one of the best tennis games? That serve is definately IN.
The courts -
Australian Challenge - Hard
French Cup - Clay
US Super Tennis - Hard
The Old England Championships - Grass
Sega Grand Match - Carpet
Monday 1 February 2010
Ready 2 Rumble (Midway)
Boxing games have usually been serious affairs, where players can play as real life pugilists like Lennox Lewis, Jack Dempsey or the greatest ever Muhamed Ali. So when publishers/developers Midway released Ready 2 Rumble on October 14th 1999 (in Europe), into the ring strutted an entirely different beast.
Ready 2 Rumble shunned reality for over-the-top characters and cartoon knock outs. The presentation was fantastic, and even had legendary ring announcer Michael Buffer introduce each match. Players could not fail to be entertained by the amount of different boxers on offer, from the colourful and hilarious Afro Thunder to the Ivan Drago-alike Boris 'The Bear' Knokimov. Bouts were lively to say the least, which even had the fighters bruise as time went on. And once you had filled the RUMBLE bar by landing great punches, it allowed the chosen boxer to unleash a devastating knock out punch, resulting in the hapless opponent perform a comedy stagger before crashing to the canvas.
Whilst other, more serious boxing games concentrated on brutal, bloody encounters, Ready 2 Rumble brought the fun into it. There was a Championship mode in which to take your fighter to number 1, an Arcade mode for quick bouts, a Prize Fight mode to place bets on matches and the ever popular training mode which could be set to Manual or Automatic.
This was a true Dreamcast gem, and nailed the Big Fight atmosphere dead center. An awesome, not to be missed title that delivers knock out visuals along with timeless playability.
Ready 2 Rumble shunned reality for over-the-top characters and cartoon knock outs. The presentation was fantastic, and even had legendary ring announcer Michael Buffer introduce each match. Players could not fail to be entertained by the amount of different boxers on offer, from the colourful and hilarious Afro Thunder to the Ivan Drago-alike Boris 'The Bear' Knokimov. Bouts were lively to say the least, which even had the fighters bruise as time went on. And once you had filled the RUMBLE bar by landing great punches, it allowed the chosen boxer to unleash a devastating knock out punch, resulting in the hapless opponent perform a comedy stagger before crashing to the canvas.
Whilst other, more serious boxing games concentrated on brutal, bloody encounters, Ready 2 Rumble brought the fun into it. There was a Championship mode in which to take your fighter to number 1, an Arcade mode for quick bouts, a Prize Fight mode to place bets on matches and the ever popular training mode which could be set to Manual or Automatic.
This was a true Dreamcast gem, and nailed the Big Fight atmosphere dead center. An awesome, not to be missed title that delivers knock out visuals along with timeless playability.
Ferrari F355 Challenge
Released in Europe on October 30th 2000, and developed by the AM2 division of Sega, Ferrari F355 Challenge was made under the supervision of Yu Suzuki, the wizard behind such gaming classics as Hang On, Outrun and the legendary Shenmue.
It is a racing game based on the Ferrari only race events held all over the globe, and naturally the only vehicle on offer in game is a Ferrari but it matters little. This is a superb driving/racing title, which to this day holds up to current racers, quite an achievment for a decade old game. The only niggle that could be levelled at it (and its albeit a very minor complaint) is that it only had one camera angle, forcing the player to drive every race from the cars cockpit. But seeing as this is the only view real life Ferrari drivers would see, then one could argue that this was another bow to the game's realism.
Add to the fact that there is an excellent roster of circuits to compete on and it would be a very damp cloth indeed who would complain.
Tracks availabe - Motegi (Oval circuit), Suzuka (both short & long configuration), Monza, Sugo and Long Beach. Unlockable circuits - Sepang, Atlanta, Laguna Seca, Nurburgring and Fiorano (the real track used by Ferrari to test their cars).
The 'feel' of the races in Ferrari F355 Challenge is superb, and if you do get bumped off track by a rival, it never feels like its cheating the player. The mistakes are down to you. The visuals are pretty enough and off track ornaments, such as the giant fairground beside the Suzaka circuit, all add to the atmosphere, making it feel more like a typical race day event. These masterly details are proof that Yu Suzuki was behind the production.
All in all, a fine racing game that has the ability to make some current driving games to look a bit silly.
It is a racing game based on the Ferrari only race events held all over the globe, and naturally the only vehicle on offer in game is a Ferrari but it matters little. This is a superb driving/racing title, which to this day holds up to current racers, quite an achievment for a decade old game. The only niggle that could be levelled at it (and its albeit a very minor complaint) is that it only had one camera angle, forcing the player to drive every race from the cars cockpit. But seeing as this is the only view real life Ferrari drivers would see, then one could argue that this was another bow to the game's realism.
Add to the fact that there is an excellent roster of circuits to compete on and it would be a very damp cloth indeed who would complain.
Tracks availabe - Motegi (Oval circuit), Suzuka (both short & long configuration), Monza, Sugo and Long Beach. Unlockable circuits - Sepang, Atlanta, Laguna Seca, Nurburgring and Fiorano (the real track used by Ferrari to test their cars).
The 'feel' of the races in Ferrari F355 Challenge is superb, and if you do get bumped off track by a rival, it never feels like its cheating the player. The mistakes are down to you. The visuals are pretty enough and off track ornaments, such as the giant fairground beside the Suzaka circuit, all add to the atmosphere, making it feel more like a typical race day event. These masterly details are proof that Yu Suzuki was behind the production.
All in all, a fine racing game that has the ability to make some current driving games to look a bit silly.
** Intermission **
I would just like to add that every game reviewed on this site, I personally own and play on a regular basis (time permitting of course). And as keen as I am of playing great titles (and lets be honest, who wants to play a turkey?) I play even the average games in my ever growing Dreamcast collection. Its not all Shenmue or Resident Evil: Code Veronica that grab my insatiable gaming attention, I love 'em all, even the turkeys!
But as I said, these reviews are not written by a robot games player who tosses the game aside when done reviewing. Every title mentioned on this site is in my personal collection, free from dust and cobwebs. Game on!
But as I said, these reviews are not written by a robot games player who tosses the game aside when done reviewing. Every title mentioned on this site is in my personal collection, free from dust and cobwebs. Game on!
Fighting Force 2 (Eidos)
Published by Eidos Interactive on November 30th 1999, and developed by Core Design, Fighting Force 2 was the sequel to the ok-ish beat 'em up Fighting Force on the original Playstation.
The story was set in the near future where human cloning has become a reality but has had the mockers slapped on it by international treaty. The Knackmiche Corporation is suspected of cloning, and covert operative Hawk Manson is sent on a secret mission to investigate the shady shenanigans.
However, cloning or not, nothing can stop this game from being a wretched mess of a game from the beginning. Hawk first appears from the top of a moving train, and it isn't long before you wish he had fallen under it. He moves with all the grace of a baboon with clubbed feet, and has less personality than a jug of water. And his enemy are no different. Clunky aberrations which make the already bland scenery, an even bigger hot potch of dark colours. You would think a special ops mercenary be confident in gun battles and fist fights but Manson has trouble climbing ladders!
The Dreamcast is home to some beautiful and fabulous games (which even stand tall a decade on) but it also has some stinkers too. Fighting Force 2 is one of the offending stink bombs.
On a scale from 1 to 10 I would give it 1, and thats only because they managed to spell the title correctly on the games cover. Memo to all covert operatives: Avoid this at all costs.
The story was set in the near future where human cloning has become a reality but has had the mockers slapped on it by international treaty. The Knackmiche Corporation is suspected of cloning, and covert operative Hawk Manson is sent on a secret mission to investigate the shady shenanigans.
However, cloning or not, nothing can stop this game from being a wretched mess of a game from the beginning. Hawk first appears from the top of a moving train, and it isn't long before you wish he had fallen under it. He moves with all the grace of a baboon with clubbed feet, and has less personality than a jug of water. And his enemy are no different. Clunky aberrations which make the already bland scenery, an even bigger hot potch of dark colours. You would think a special ops mercenary be confident in gun battles and fist fights but Manson has trouble climbing ladders!
The Dreamcast is home to some beautiful and fabulous games (which even stand tall a decade on) but it also has some stinkers too. Fighting Force 2 is one of the offending stink bombs.
On a scale from 1 to 10 I would give it 1, and thats only because they managed to spell the title correctly on the games cover. Memo to all covert operatives: Avoid this at all costs.
Soul Fighter (Toka)
Soul Fighter was released on the Dreamcast in 1999 by Toka. From the blurb on the back of the games box it loudly claimed, 'Soul Fighter is a free roaming real-time 3D beat-em-up based in a medieval setting.' My copy was bundled in with the Dreamcast console upon purchase so it was the first 'next gen' game I ever played. And I must admit, I was impressed.
You took control of one of three fighters - Altus the warrior, Orion the Wizard, and Sayomi the Assassin - and battled through hoardes of mutant fighters (which included a knight with a head of a fox!?) through villages, caves and swamps. Players could opt for either Arcade mode or the harder Adventure mode, and with 5 worlds spanning over roughly 12 levels there was a ton of action.
Looks wise, Soul Fighter was a mixed bag of headless mer-men. As I said, initially I was very impressed, but I concede that this was partly due to the fact it was the first 3D next generation fighter I had played. As more time was spent at it, the cracks in the scenery did begin to make themselves noticed. Characters were very blocky, and many objects meant to be circular were in fact more square.
Other gamers have utterly condemned Soul Fighter as an unplayable piece of garbage, but I shall stray from the crowd (as per usual) and be less harsh. No, it does not posses stunning visuals - which are not indicative of a good game anyway - but it IS a fun medieval battler with some (very) tough fights.
In fact come to think about it, perhaps this is why a great many gamers hated it. It was simply too tough for them. My advice would be to ignore the herd and try it for yourself - it may not be the world's best game but it is by no means the worst either.
You took control of one of three fighters - Altus the warrior, Orion the Wizard, and Sayomi the Assassin - and battled through hoardes of mutant fighters (which included a knight with a head of a fox!?) through villages, caves and swamps. Players could opt for either Arcade mode or the harder Adventure mode, and with 5 worlds spanning over roughly 12 levels there was a ton of action.
Looks wise, Soul Fighter was a mixed bag of headless mer-men. As I said, initially I was very impressed, but I concede that this was partly due to the fact it was the first 3D next generation fighter I had played. As more time was spent at it, the cracks in the scenery did begin to make themselves noticed. Characters were very blocky, and many objects meant to be circular were in fact more square.
Other gamers have utterly condemned Soul Fighter as an unplayable piece of garbage, but I shall stray from the crowd (as per usual) and be less harsh. No, it does not posses stunning visuals - which are not indicative of a good game anyway - but it IS a fun medieval battler with some (very) tough fights.
In fact come to think about it, perhaps this is why a great many gamers hated it. It was simply too tough for them. My advice would be to ignore the herd and try it for yourself - it may not be the world's best game but it is by no means the worst either.
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