Review by: MrNiceGuy

I've put off reviewing FM for a couple of months so that I could offer an honest opinion after logging many hours on the game. Instead of rehashing plots, options, and characters, I will just present the good and the bad. There are plenty of places to find the above mentioned info.

I consider the graphics in FM a step backwards from Virtua Fighter 2 but an improvement over Fighting Vipers. Slowdown plagues FM. Some claim that it doesn't interfere with play, but I disagree. In some areas (Raxel's stage) the slowdown renders the game almost unplayable. Inexcusable.

There are tons of hidden characters in the game. Some of them, like Janet and Siba, are really cool. But... for the most part, the hidden character are a waste of memory. AM2 should have put more work into this area.

One of better aspects of FM is the ability to use moves from Virtua Fighter 3! The play mechanics have been alter considerably from VF2. I think the changes made were for the better. The new moves are great! Unfortunately, the Vipers didn't gain any new moves. This is a shame, because they needed some.

The first major flaw in FM is the lack of an expert mode. The expert mode made VF2 one of the greatest home video games ever created (I still play it everyday). FM is instead left with sub-par AI. Any average VF player will blow right through the 'normal' setting. A above average VF player will not be hampered by the 'hard' setting. On the 'very hard' setting (what I play) FM biggest flaw rears its ugly head...

Balance. FM's killing blow. While the Virtua Fighter are pinnacle of elegance, the Vipers are spaz-matic combo freaks. A Viper can regularly destroy a Virtua Fighter. Every Viper attack is a multi-hit, float-causing, abomination. While I understand that type of play is acceptable in Fighting Vipers, it doesn't integrate well with the Virtua Fighters. The damage codes needed several weeks worth of tweaking. Shame on you AM2.

Despite all the negative points, FM IS a fun game. It is sickly satisfying to smash Shun through a brick wall. It is not in the same league as VF2... but then again, not much is.

Graphics: 7.5
Sound: 8
Playability: 7
Longevity: 7
Fun: 8
Overall: 7.25

Bottom Line: Fun for a while. Don't trade in VF2 or FV for it though.