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Ok, lets begin:
3d fighting games aint my thing. I have always found them a bit too slow (i prefer button mashers XD) and a bit stiff. So, I saw this cel shaded fighter and I thought, "hmm. It might be worth seeing it"
Managing a GOOD cel shading is hard. Few games have managed to get it right (XIII and Spiderman are the only ones) as it takes a lot of shaderprocedures to achieve a smooth lighting. However, I was amazed at the sight of this graphics. They are VERY clean, with great texturing and great shadowing. A minor gripe would be the jagged edges, but is not really a problem. Adding to the eyecandy are the realistic physics applied to the characters (not just boobs) Seeing Riderīs chains and hair move is truly a sight.
But how is the game itself?. Well, let me tell ya, is DAMN good. As I said before, 3d games tend to look stiff (with the exception of, say, Bloody Roar 3. Even MK 5 looked stiff) however, the pace of this one is just perfect. It will please button mashers as me, or "tactic" fighters, who like to plan their moves.
Talking about moves, the animations are varied, and they give a nice idea of the damage you have done.
As for the cons, there is the sound issue. Is quite uninspired, and characters dont have any voices. All you will hear is steps and swooshes as the fight moves. The music is hideous, so thank the gods for the BGM off option in the config. Also, the combos are a bit hard to pull off, but thats just time and practice.
In the AI aspect, is near-perfection. The CPU adjusts itself to which moves you are using the most, and responds accordingly, forcing you to change your playing style (no more sweep kicks
) However, there are times when you will be yelling "IT S NOT FAIR!!! I NAILED THAT HIT!!!" when the CPU takes half your life in one combo. But is not that often.
Is a great game. Highly enjoyable, and quite pleasing for the eye. Just not for the ears, so make sure you play it with your favourite tunes (I recommend the Shogo OST, or the Guilty Gear series)
Rating: 9.1
