Dreamcast Reviews U-Z

When this game was first released the UFC was just beginning to gain in popularity. Now it seems to be on television every night! The UFC was always a little brutal for my tastes, but its violence is a lot easier to stomach in the form of a video game. Each contest is preceded by a lengthy introduction, and it's a good thing you can skip that, because it's really boring. The fighters are real UFC competitors, but if you're not a fan of the sport they all look pretty much the same (except for the black dude and the Asian guy). Within the "octagon" (the eight-sided ring), fighters move in a very fluid, realistic manner. The control scheme is simple as can be (two punch, two kick), but the manual does a terrible job of explaining the buttons. That controller diagram on page 3 is microscopic! UFC does a lousy job of helping the novice player learn the ropes, and its "training mode" is worthless. Unlike boxing, half of the action happens with one guy straddling the other on the ground while attempting to beat the snot out him. Special moves are performed using combinations of the four buttons, and heavy button mashing is the order of the day. Still, the controls are very responsive, giving the game a frantic, arcade quality. The violence is minimal, save for some flying red squares which apparently are meant to represent blood. Perhaps the most annoying aspect of the game is how you can land a series of successive blows, yet a single punch from your adversary can bring the entire match to an abrupt conclusion. UFC has a learning curve, but if you stick with it, you'll discover a lot of replay value. The career mode is surprisingly deep and modern games could really take a lesson from its user-friendly menu system. Ultimate Fighting Champion won't appeal to everyone, but UFC fans will find a lot to like. © Copyright 2010 The Video Game Critic.

I hated this game initially, but after a while it began to grow on me. Urban Chaos is a 3D, free-roaming police adventure set in a dark, rainy, present-day city. You can play as a black woman or a white guy, and each has a unique storyline. The urban landscape effectively conveys a glum atmosphere with its trashy streets, boarded up windows, and graffiti-covered brick walls. The game's profanity-laced dialogue, along with the ability to drive a car around, gives the game a Grand Theft Auto vibe. In addition, the short missions often have minor side-quests which reminded me of Spiderman 2. The missions themselves are short and not particularly difficult. Initially there's a lot of hand-to-hand combat involved, but advanced missions feature weapons like machine guns and shotguns. I like how you don't necessary have to "kill" each enemy, but have the option of "arresting" them by disarming them down and applying handcuffs. This makes the battles far less repetitious than they may have been otherwise. In addition to wandering the streets, you'll be required to scale buildings and perform some death-defying leaps. A helpful radar display directs you to all relevant targets, but it never zeros in on exact locations. While this isn't necessarily a bad idea it terms of game design, it may confuse novice players. My main beef with Urban Chaos is its awkward control scheme, which borrows heavily from Eidos' flagship franchise, Tomb Raider. Pushing up causes you to move forward, no matter where the camera is situated. It's difficult enough to navigate around the city using this scheme, but aiming your kicks is especially problematic. The car driving aspect is equally stiff, and the car's movement tends to be erratic. Fortunately, aiming weapons is a breeze thanks to an easy auto-aiming mechanism. The graphics is Urban Chaos are a little rough, but since the game takes place under the cover of night, its visual flaws are not glaring. The dramatic music is quite intense, and the sound effects are also effective. There are always tin cans rolling around in the streets, and cats and sirens can often be heard in the distance. Unfortunately the clips of voice dialogue, which often border on silly, don't sound as clean as they should be. You can actually hear annoying "tick" sounds between the sound bites. Urban Chaos still manages to be mildly entertaining despite its shortcomings. If you can get a handle on the control scheme, you may find its dark world a worthwhile place to visit. © Copyright 2004 The Video Game Critic.

Can someone please tell me why, in God's name, was this not released in America? This terrific package combines all three Vampire Chronicle games (known as Darkstalkers in America) into one of wildest and most distinctive 2D fighters you'll ever lay eyes on. It's an occult-themed one-on-one brawler with a penchant for the absurd. The wide range of stylish, supernatural characters include traditional monsters like the vampire Dimitri, the Frankenstein clone Gollum (Japanese name), and the werewolf Gallon. The insect-like Q-Bee, the robot Phobos, and hopping corpse Lei-Lie represent some of the more bizarre participants. Most male gamers, however, seem to favor the ultra-sexy succubus Morrigan and her younger sister Lilith. Upon starting a new game, you can select from three modes (Vampire, Hunter, and Savior), each of which offer a slightly different experience. The action is exciting, frantic, and completely faithful to the arcade. There are no "juggle" moves, but I like how you can attack opponents on the ground. You'll thumb may become sore after a while, but it's well worth it. Chronicle's graphics are a work of art. The backgrounds are imaginative and atmospheric, depicting a host of weird and spooky locations. The fighters themselves employ some truly outrageous attacks that will cause your opponent to gasp, "What the [expletive] was that?!" Some of the "out of nowhere" attacks from shape-changers like Pyron and Anakaris are admittedly cheap. An options screen lets you adjust the difficulty, and you'll definitely want to crank it up from the two-star default. Even the game's jazzy background music is outstanding. In case you're wondering what the "for matching service" part of the title means, it indicates the game originally had on-line capability in Japan. You may have missed Vampire Chronicles the first time around, but you can still enjoy it with the help of software (like DC-X), which allows you play imports on your North American console. If you crave 2D fighters, you'll want to track this one down. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram (pronounced "Ontario" - by me) is a one-on-one robot fighter designed to be played with the Dreamcast "twin stick". This special controller was only released in Japan, but since the hardware is "region-free" anyone can play this game how it was meant to be played. Even with the special controller however, Virtual On is underwhelming. You get a selection of humanoid robots, each with a Dreamcast console mounted to their back. Some of these hulking mechs are heavy with armor, and others are light and nimble. I prefer the green "Skeletor" dude with blades for fingers. The variety of robots didn't dawn on me until my friend Scott exclaimed "Oooh - I want to be a girl robot!" Each bout takes place on constrained battlefields like an aircraft carrier, airport, or space station. These locations tend to be flat and pretty boring. There are a few blocky obstacles to take cover behind, but mostly they just get in the way. There's no English instructions for using the twin sticks, but the game's "attract mode" visually demonstrates how the sticks are used. You can move (or dash) in any direction, turn in place, jump, or guard (close range only). Each stick has two buttons, and there's a wide range of offensive and evasive maneuvers. The fights tend to be confusing cat-and-mouse affairs as both robots dart around while unleashing projectiles all over the place. It's easy to lose sight of your opponent, but you can easily re-acquire him by rising above the battlefield (spread the sticks apart). Close proximity enables melee moves, but the tight camerawork makes it hard to tell what the [expletive] is going on. The battles tend to last less than a minute, ending with enjoyable animations of the loser crumbling to the ground. The game then plays a slow-motion replay of the fatal hit, but even that's often bewildering. The goal of the single player mode is to win ten battles (including two bosses) in the least amount of time. It's no small feat. Virtual On's graphics are angular but the vibrant colors and fast action has "arcade" written all over it. The game is treated with a kind of mystical reverence by "hardcore" gamers, but this feels like a rushed port. It randomly prompts you to save without telling you why. The training mode is more like a never-ending single-player mode. Virtual On can be played with a normal controller with much difficulty! You can bump up the grade by a letter if you own the twin stick controller, but only serious collectors will consider it a worthwhile investment. NOTE: The Japanese edition of the game also features network and customization options. It also includes a massive (75 page) manual housed in an extra-thick CD case. © Copyright 2013 The Video Game Critic.

This intriguing kart racer features tracks inspired by Disney attractions. The stage selection screen even looks like the Disney World theme park. You can choose from a number of classic Disney characters including Polly Roger, Otto Plugnut, and Moe Whiplash. Huh? Were Mickey and Goofy unavailable? Magical Racing Tour wisely sticks close to the Mario Kart formula, incorporating speed-boost arrows, power-slides, and coins you collect to increase you speed. The action is fast, the controls are responsive, and I love how the controller vibrates when you drive over bumpy areas. Unlike other racers that employ "rubber band physics", you can actually run away from the pack if you're skilled enough. The single-player mode begins with only one track available, and making progress is quite a challenge. It's fun to see what each track has in store. Pirates of the Caribbean is the clear highlight, featuring gorgeous scenery that will have you slowing down just to gawk. Space Mountain and Rock-N-Roll Rollercoaster are high-speed thrill rides. Splash Mountain and Jungle Cruise let you race around in speedboats. The wider courses are terrific, but too many tracks have narrow paths and sharp turns, making them hard to follow even in the single-player mode. The disappointing Haunted Mansion and Jungle Cruise tracks feel like confusing mazes. Another complaint is that the tracks are entirely too long. The weapon selection is okay, but I really hate the teacup which causes your vehicle to move in a very topsy-turvy manner. One power-up temporarily transforms the other racers into frogs, prompting my friend Scott to exclaim, "Dave! I can't believe you frogged me!" One to four players are supported on the split screen, but the visuals look really murky in this mode, and the sense of speed is lacking. The soundtrack features two awesome songs: "Grim Grinning Ghosts" and "A Pirate's Life For Me". Unfortunately, "It's a Small World" plays over the menu screens, and that atrocity should probably cost the game an entire letter grade. Magical Racing Tour is a decent single-player racer, but all things considered this should have been a lot better. © Copyright 2010 The Video Game Critic.

Last year Sega got caught with their pants down, inexplicably releasing an incomplete baseball game with no fielder control. This year I figured they'd come back strong with a robust, polished game with bells and whistles out the whazoo, but it didn't take me long to start picking this game apart. For an arcade-style baseball game, World Series 2K2 doesn't have any glaring flaws, but it does have a huge number of glitches and minor problems. First, the ball moves too quickly off the bat, making it difficult to flag down grounders or stretch a hit into a double, and outfielders can throw out runners they would never have caught in real life. Players sometimes forget to reach for balls or tag runners, and if they're running away towards the fence, they'll catch the ball with their backs! I actually saw a ball that bounced on the ground ruled a fly out! Pitchers field too many hits, and every play at the plate is a head-on collision. The single man commentary is incredibly boring, never adds anything to the gameplay, and often lags behind the action. Sometimes he's just plain wrong, like the time he said we were at the "half way point of the game" - in the ninth inning! And there's absolutely no drama for home runs. Graphically, the player bodies are modeled well, but their faces don't resemble their real-life counterparts at all. The crowd looks like cardboard cutouts, and the dugouts are completely empty. I think this game came out of the oven a little early. But despite all of these problems, a funny thing happened to me: I couldn't stop playing this game! I was won over by the easy-to-play, fast paced arcade action. The animation is smooth, and the stadiums look great. Thanks to the simple controls and user-friendly menu interface, I found this game strangely addicting despite its numerous flaws. In fact, I prefer this over any of the PS2 baseball games out there. And what other baseball game offers online play? © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

Worms ranks right up there as one of the all-time great multiplayer games. The first Worms for the Dreamcast, Worms Armageddon (Titus, 2000), was insanely fun despite the fact players had to share a single controller! World Party addresses that horrible deficiency and delivers the same hilarious, turn-based warfare. There are even crazy new weapons like the "holy hand grenade" of Monty Python fame. A myriad of customization options are available along with support for online play. You can tweak the action in any number of ways including a shopping mall mode that showers the landscape with items, kung food which limits combat to hand-to-hand, and armageddon which takes place in a sinking toxic wasteland. The single-player modes are a little tedious since the computer takes his sweet old time, but the multiplayer action is brilliant. Backstabing is the order of the day, accidental deaths are common, and unholy alliances are formed and disbanded. Trash-talking is optional but highly recommended! The main problem with World Party is the lack of a quick start option. The set-up screen has got to be the worst-designed interface since... well... Worms Armageddon. A series of panels configures various aspects of the game, but navigation is a mess. With so many confusing sub-screens, non-descript icons, and inconsistent controls, set-up is a chore. Half the time you accidentally quit out to the main screen! Recently while struggling to set up a game my friends suggested it might be easier to fax a form containing our social security numbers to the developer so they might generate a 64-character code which we could enter into the game just so we could play it. As with most Titus games, the quality control is suspect, but once the mayhem begins Worms World Party is hard to beat. © Copyright 2015 The Video Game Critic.

You know a game's gonna be off the hook when it drops the "E" in extreme. Xtreme Sports is a series of short races that make up to one long competition. You'll race on snowboards, hang gliders, bicycles, ATVs, and more. The first leg is snowboarding, and the sensation of careening down a steep mountain is exceptionally good. The slopes are smooth and your viewing distance is spectacular. At the bottom you'll arrive at a set of hang-gliders, and these segments prove to be the game's undoing. Instead of soaring into the big blue yonder you must hug the ground, weaving around red balloons and touching blue ones. The wind whips you all over the place and it's just really aggravating. You're prompted to hit A to dismount, but if you don't hit it at the right spot, it's game over! Should you survive, Xtreme Gamers regains some traction with a rugged ATV race which takes you to the finish. It's really amazing how the landscape "terraforms" as you race towards it, but I'm not convinced that effect was intentional. The controls could be better. Who designs analog steering that causes you to veer sharply left or right for no particular reason? The courses are peppered with big arrows signs, yet it's still easy to get stuck in outlying areas. One nice feature is how the game tells you how many seconds you're running behind (or ahead) at each checkpoint. The announcer is unintentionally hilarious. Once when I dismounted late from my glider he exclaimed "Beautiful! You failed man." After another race he yelled "You got a gold medal! You gotta do better than that!" The game packs some solid techno beats, but the voice samples talking about nuclear detonation and atomic fallout are kind of weird. The two-player split-screen is decent and high scores are saved to VMU along with initials. Xtreme Sports has a nice concept with plenty of variety and nice visuals. But as with many third-party Dreamcast titles, it feels more than a little undercooked. © Copyright 2015 The Video Game Critic.

The fact that this magnificent shooter never reached the shores of America is a crime. Dreamcast import fans have been extolling this game for years, and for once, you can believe the hype. Zero Gunner 2 excels in every way imaginable, combining first-rate 2D shooting with absolutely stunning visuals. Unlike most shooters which are ported from the arcade, this one uses the entire screen. You command a helicopter that unleashes of steady stream of thin missiles against cannons, boats, jets, and stealth bombers. The bosses typically begin as oversized vehicles (like an airplane or sub) but gradually transform into flying robots via brief cut-scenes. One particularly memorable boss engages you as he climbs between two buildings, and the animation looks spectacular. You have three different helicopters to choose from, and frequent power-up icons increase your firepower to obscene levels. The control scheme is boldly original. By holding in the B button, you rotate your helicopter 360 degrees, allowing you to aim at any part of the screen. This comes in handy during boss encounters when the screen begins scrolling every which way. It's great fun to circle an adversary and pound him relentlessly while remaining just out of his range. Another original concept is how icons gravitate towards you when you stop firing. And it's refreshing how "bumping" into enemies does not cause you to explode on contact. Visually, Zero Gunner 2 is a marvel. As you buzz oilrigs, skyscrapers, and rocky gorges, the camera treats you to some breathtaking views. The smooth, polished 3D graphics show no sign of frame-rate stutters or slow-down, with the exception of the some of the larger, more jarring explosions. The techno soundtrack is decent, but tends to get lost in the frantic action. Another pleasant surprise is the reasonable difficulty level. The normal setting is relatively easy so you'll get to see a lot of the game without having to use continues. And the bosses never overstay their welcome. Two people can play at once, high scores are saved automatically, and as icing on the cake, you can save your best game to VMU and replay it later! Zero Gunner 2 is not a cheap import, but if you're a real Dreamcast fanatic this one might just be worth breaking your piggy bank for (just be sure your machine can play imports first). © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.