A very technical 3D fighting game where you need to utilize context sensitive reversals and grapple moves to come out on top.  You have the standard fare of punches and kicks but it’s really these other types of moves you’ll need to master if you wanna be considered good.  The characters of this game are probably the main talking point.  You have your typical ragtag bunch of people, but the ladies of Dead or Alive have always been the front and center.  Also, what they’re packing is front and center but I won’t get into creeper territory.  Besides that, the game is really a good fighter.

Visuals:

This game looks fantastic.  Even back when it came out I felt this game was leaps and bounds over anything I had seen up to that point.  The characters, while not looking life like, looked like stylized CG characters [in the time of Toy Story].  All of the characters are also unique enough that they feel like individuals instead of the traditional stoic fighter or beast.  The backgrounds are also amazing with churches, snow filled caves, atop a cliff, etc.  Also, these backgrounds are interactable with characters flying out of windows or off said cliffs onto the areas below.  It’s pretty cool.

Audio:

This game is rad.  Its opening soundtrack is some Japanese rock going off while the opening movie plays.  All the characters are voice acted too which adds some fun to it.  The only thing is the voice acting is all in Japanese.  When I first rented the game I was confused as to why it was only that but I feel this game was probably a quick release at the time.  It has grown on me though so I appreciate it.  All the other sounds in this game are terrific with every hit and crashing into walls having an absolute weight to it.

Completion:

With this being a fighting game you can really complete it but I have beaten the story over and over with different characters.  I don’t know if I’ve gotten better over the decades but this game is still a blast to play.

The post Dead or Alive 2 appeared first on Shattered Pen.

A rail shooter game in which you take on the world of the undead.  If you have the capability, it’s a pretty amazing light gun shooter but boy oh boy is this a difficult game.  You traverse five stages going from the streets of some old English looking town to a skyscraper.  You fight some crazy bosses, who aren’t too difficult, but they’re pretty awesome in their own right.  It’s wonderfully cheesy which is odd considering it’s a LATE 90s game.  

Visuals:

Even though the visuals aren’t really amazing, they are pretty awesome.  The dead all look grotesque and unique in their own rights.  The bosses all look amazing.  The environments are pretty cool.  Personally, I think the people look amazing.  The facial textures they have look great and ridiculously crisp.  I just wish there were more different types of enemies to populate the screen rather than the same model three times.

Audio:

Good lord, this game has some pretty amazing music.  It’s very techno heavy which fits the time frame.  The real standout, though, is the voice acting.  It is just atrocious.  You can tell it’s foreign speaking people trying to read English lines but they are not convincing.  Same with the dialogue.  It’s extremely translated and doesn’t make any sense.  I know I’ve knocked it on other games, but the cheesiness makes the game super charming.  Also, I love the guy screaming “Reload!” every time you need to.

Completion:

I FINISHED THIS GAME!  After 20 years I finally beat the game.  I may have cheated but I did it.  I didn’t save everyone because this game is hard but that don’t matter, it’s done.  I can say I beat The House of the Dead 2 and I loved every moment of it.  I kinda just wish there was more of this game.

The post The House of the Dead 2 appeared first on Shattered Pen.