FIGHTER'S MEGAMiXReview by: Aaron R. Karp I was lucky enough to get my hands on an import copy of Fighter's Megamix a few days before it was even supposed ot drop in Japan. How this happened is beyond me, but I'm really glad it did. This is a terrific game! Take two of the best fighting games on the market and combine them, along with some added bonuses (like VF3 moves, VF2 in cages, no more ring outs, and a ton of hidden characters, and you've got a winner. The great thing about the game is the fact AM2 didn't just slap the games together. The Fighting Vipers graphic engine has been tweaked to look a little better, the backgrounds are a little more involved, and everything feels cleaner. How about that light-sourced Dural? On the gameplay side, the game really shines. The distinct fighting styles of the two games are preserved, which basically means that the button-mashing that tended to work in Fighting Vipers will still work with FV characters, but the VF2 characters need a little more skill. Even with these differences, the play meshes perfectly and moves well. On the replay value side, there are now training, team battle, and survival mode (see how many people you can take out in a given time). Also, the 1p game allows you to pick fight "paths" that include all-Viper or all VF2 opponents, the women of the games, or mixes. Apparently there are 8 such paths - I've only seen the basic four so far. A few little details that I find interesting - There is a little disparity in the opening CG - the VF2 cast appears as their more realistic VF3 incarnation, while the Vipers are still the same as they were. This isn't bad, but the difference is noticeable. Mahler, previously identical to BM, now has a completely different look. He wears a long trenchcoat with the snake armor on his shoulders, as well as a mask. It looks pretty good. Honey now also sports a schoolgirl armor set, complete with a backpack in place of her customary wings. The shattered wall pieces have been tweaked and now look a lot better. All in all, this is a terrific game. It's certainly worth picking up, even if you already own the two component games (as most Saturn players do). This should also be a draw to fans of the fighting genre when it drops in the States, which should help to continue Saturn's steady rise. The Breakdown:
Graphics: 9 (0f 10) |