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Dark Rift - Nintendo 64

Posted: August 12th, 2011, 11:59 pm
by Skinr
Kind of a predecessor to Soul Calibur. Great graphics and frame rate, okay gameplay.

Dark Rift is a 3D fighter in the vein of Soul Calibur or Battle Arena Toshinden. By this, I mean that while punches and kicks are indeed occasionally used, most of the combat is done with various weapons.

The first thing that catches one's eye is the graphics. The textures are pretty good for 1997, and the stages are interesting (if a bit flat). The frame rate is excellent, running at a smooth, consistent 60 fps. This sets the combat apart from some other games, in that it doesn't experience slowdown or jittering.

The characters are mostly sci-fi oriented, and like many (most) fighters of the time, the story is so wafer-thin that it may as well not even be there. Gameplay is, again, like Soul Calibur, but not quite as smooth. While the controls are responsive enough, there are slight gaps in the combos; not enough to seriously affect playability, but noticeable nonetheless.

Overall, this game isn't bad at all. It won't turn any heads, but if you're looking for a solid 3D fighter on a system sorely lacking them, this is your best bet.

Score: 7.0