Dead or Alive 2 Publisher: Tecmo Developer: Tecmo Platform: Dreamcast

The Dreamcast has been graced with its second gem of a fighting game courtesy of Tecmo. If you like Soul Calibur, Tekken, or Virtua Fighter this game deserves a permanent place in your library. The Bottom Line Perhaps due in part to reduced interest; there simply hasn't been a glut of quality fighting games released for any console for quite some time. The last great fighting game to grace a home system was Namco's Dreamcast masterpiece, Soul Calibur. Those who have been waiting for the next great fighting game need wait no longer. Thanks to the fine folks at Tecmo every fighting game fanatic with a Dreamcast can play a better than Arcade perfect version of Dead or Alive 2. With 7 modes, 12 characters, a fantastic soundtrack, incredible graphics, lots of options, and great control, DOA2 is a must-buy title. If you despise any and all fighting games DOA2 certainly won't bring about an epiphany for you, but those who have a Dreamcast and enjoy great fighting games need to rush to their game store of choice and buy this title ASAP. A Closer Look Prior to Dead or Alive's entry into the 3D fighter fray, the only two noteworthy 3D fighting series were Tekken and Virtua Fighter. It seemed as though gamers were divided as to which was the better series. Some, like myself, felt that Tekken had more depth and substance than VF, while others thought VF was vastly superior, and as such, preferred it. Enter Tecmo with Dead or Alive. Prior to DOA's release the Tecmo name was synonymous with Ninja Gaiden and Tecmo Super Bowl. One was a great side-scrolling hack n' slash series, and the other was a superb NES football game. Despite these well-known titles, Tecmo still wasn't in the upper echelon of developer prominence with the likes of Capcom and Konami. Dead or Alive debuted in arcades and eventually made its way to the PlayStation in fine form. The rest, as they say, is history. Nowadays, the Tecmo name brings to mind one thing - Dead or Alive. DOA on the PSX didn't garner a considerable amount of attention from the press and public alike, although many fighting game aficionados did discover the title, and what they found was a quality fighter that easily rivaled the Tekken and Virtua Fighter series. The anticipation leading up to the Dreamcast debut of DOA2 has been considerably more fervent than the anticipation was leading up to the PSX release of DOA2. Those who have been eagerly awaiting this title won't be disappointed. Tecmo has delivered one hell of a great fighter to the Dreamcast. DOA2's graphics are, at the very least, as good as Soul Calibur's, and they're arguably better. They truly are stunning. From the flow of the fighters' garments and hair to the gorgeous stages and cut scenes, DOA2 is beautiful to look at. It's evident that the game's development team went the extra mile. The fighters move as fluidly as one would think they possibly could, and the aforementioned cut scenes are positively jaw dropping. Hard though it may be to pick out one graphical element as the best, I'd have to say the stages outshine everything else. There is no other fighting game I can think of that has stages that are either better looking or better designed. DOA2's stages are the best of the best, hands down. Aside from their extremely high eye-candy factor, their multiple tiers are what make them so fantastic. For example, the Demon Church stage looks at first like it's just the inside of a church tower, but if you manage to knock your opponent through one of the stained glass windows surrounding the room, he or she will plummet to a terrace-like area where the battle will continue. Just about every level has a similar design scheme. Many levels have upwards of three of four different plateaus that you can fight on. Very, very nifty indeed. Even the game's menus look slick. They've got a semi-translucent, almost neon look to them. DOA2's development team should be applauded for their exemplary work. Graphics this good might not be seen on these shores again until Shen Mue debuts. It'd be very easy to neglect the music, speech, and sound effects in a game whose graphics have obviously been the recipient of a lot of time and effort. Thankfully, this isn't the case with DOA2. The speech in the cut scenes is crisp, clear, and just about perfect. The Japanese voice actors Tecmo hired did a marvelous job. The music is just as impressive, and ranges from standard guitar-centric rock, to smooth, melodious woodwind-based tunes. There's even a dab of what seems to be Japanese hard rock. In short, it's a smorgasbord of music that's sure to offer up something that you'll like. As for sound effects, they're present of course, and they sound quite good. They're the least impressive element of the game's auditory ambiance, but they're still far and away better than what a lot of us have grown accustomed to. The requisite bashes, smashes, and wallops found in every fighting game are included, as are the thumps associated with pummeled bodies hitting hard ground. The fighters themselves frequently let out a guttural utterance of some sort in the heat of battle, and said utterances are as crisp and clear as the voiceovers in the Story Mode are. I am duly impressed. Being a self proclaimed Tekken junkie, and being very familiar with the first DOA, DOA2's gameplay was a slight letdown for me. I've grown very fond of Tekken's dual combo system. When playing Tekken you can opt to get your combos via juggling, or you can use one of the 10-hit combo strings that every character has. The juggles, for the most part, are easier to do because the 10-hit combos require you to memorize a series of button presses. Unfortunately, DOA2 doesn't have any built in combo strings for each character, which is a definite minus for me. In order to pull of a combo of more than three hits you either have to knock your opponent into the air and then juggle him or her, or you can do one of the neat tag team combo attacks. This can involve merely switching out characters while an opponent is in the air and continuing an already started juggle, or it can involve throwing an opponent to a tagged in character and having that character perform a throw or a short combo. I like this system, and it's easily to acclimate to, but I would've been ecstatic if each character had been given some lengthy, built-in combo strings. Another integral part of the gameplay, the reversals, are about as far removed from disappointing as they can be. The imagination and effort put in to making the reversals look as awe inspiring as possible is apparent. None of the reversals look bland or plain in any way, but one in particular stood out for me. Bass, the game's pro wrestler character, performs a particularly painful reversal when he reverses a low attack. He grabs whomever is attacking him by one leg, twirls them around like a lightweight doll, and then flings them across the stage. Other reversals are pretty damn brutal as well, just like they should be. There are 12 characters to choose from when you first start playing, 8 of which were in the first DOA. They are Kasumi, Gen Fu, Tina Armstrong, Bass Armstrong, Zack, Ryu Hayabusa, Helena, Leon, Leifang, Ein, Ayane, and my personal favorite, Jann Lee. The returning characters are Kasumi, Jann, Ayane (a secret character in DOA), Ryu, Bass, Tina, Zack, and Gen Fu. Each fighter, with the exception of Tina and Bass (both wrestlers), employ a different fighting style, so everyone should eventually find a favorite character. The 7 modes alluded to in the first paragraph are Story, Team Battle, Sparring, Versus, Time Attack, Survival, Tag Battle, and Option. Each of these modes is standard fare in today's fighting games, so you should know what to expect. In the end, as great as DOA2 is, I still think Tekken Tag and Soul Calibur are two superior fighters for a multitude of reasons. However, topping those two games is nearly impossible, and taking into account that DOA2, for me, barely fell short of their splendor, I'm hardly disappointed in the least. DOA2 shines in every conceivable respect, and its flaws are only apparent after some extensive scrutiny. For those who own a Dreamcast and enjoy fighting games, the decision to purchase DOA2 or not is a no-brainer. Go out, plunk down $45-$50, and get yourself a copy. You'll be glad you did. Graphics: + Incredibly fluid character movement. + Vibrant, rich color. + Great textures. + The best stages yet seen in a fighting game. + Wince-inducing reversals. + Even the menus look slick. Sound: + Crystal clear voiceovers. + A wide range of great music. +/- Good sound effects, but they could've been better. Gameplay: + 6 modes to do battle in. + Juggle based combo system is easy to learn. + Extensive reversal ability means you can play offensively or defensively successfully. + Innovative multi-tiered stages +/- While the combo system is given some complexity due to the tag attacks that can be done in Tag Battle Mode, the lack of built-in combo strings might be a significant negative for some. Replay Value: + 7 different modes. + 12 characters. + Each character has an extensive repertoire of moves, so mastering them all will take some time. Overall: Graphics: A+ Sound: A Gameplay: A- Replay Value: A- Overall: A- Disclosure: Core received this title for review directly from its publisher.

Title: Hot Shots Golf 2 Publisher: SCEA Developer: SCEA Platform: PlayStation

The sequel to the highly successful Hot Shots Golf is finally out. Is it a hole in one, or does it fall flat in the bunker? The Bottom Line My initial exposure to Sony's phenomenal Hot Shots Golf came a few years ago when I received an issue of PlayStation Underground in the mail. You guessed it; there was a Hot Shots demo on one of the CDs. Up to that point I hadn't been a fan of golf games. They all seemed to be mired in complex control and endless amounts of statistics. I thought to myself, "Eh, this looks like it might be decent. I'll try it out, and if it sucks, I simply won't play it anymore." Three weeks later, I had played nothing else but that one demo. It was only 9 holes of golf from the first course of Hot Shots, but I absolutely loved it. It was easy to pick up, it had nice graphics, and most importantly, it was fun. Needless to say, when Hot Shots Golf was released I ran right out and snatched up a copy. I gleaned many an hour of enjoyment from that game. So, it goes without saying that I was excited about the prospect of playing the sequel to what I consider to be the greatest golf game ever made. In most cases, when a sequel doesn't significantly improve over its predecessor, it's usually a disappointment. However, in this case, that isn't so. Hot Shots Golf was so good that the only thing that could be done with the sequel was to add a slew of minor features and nuances. Hot Shots 2 features a few new modes, slightly improved graphics, an entirely new cast of golfers, and some new menu music. I can't in all honesty recommend that someone plunk down $40+ bucks for Hot Shots 2 when the first Hot Shots can be had for substantially less. Both games are great titles, but unless you're a Hot Shots fanatic like myself, you'd probably be just as pleased with Hot Shots 1 as you would be with Hot Shots 2. A Closer Look In addition to being an incredible golf game, Hot Shots Golf succeeded in bringing golf to the masses. People such as me, who don't care for traditional golf games, are the type of people who Hot Shots really appeals to. If you really despise Golf and Golf games, you wouldn't have liked Hot Shots, but if you had a relatively open mind and were willing to let a Golf game be fun, Hot Shots was indeed fun. Hot Shots' impact was so significant that it has single handedly shaped the way Golf games are now made. Such title as Mario Golf 64 and EA's CyberTiger 2000 are entirely inspired by Hot Shots. While both the aforementioned titles are good, an original is frequently hard to mimic, and subsequently top. Hot Shots still reigns supreme among Golf games, and the second installment in the series does nothing to change that. Albeit a fantastic effort, and one I'm thoroughly thrilled with, those who haven't played the first Hot Shots will almost certainly enjoy #2 no more than they would enjoy #1. Either way, I firmly believe that anyone looking for a fun Golf game; nay, a fun sports game, should check out either Hot Shots 1 or 2. Both are great games. Graphically, Hot Shots Golf 2's visuals are a negligible improvement over those in Hot Shots 1. The trees on many of the courses look slightly more defined, the gallery has been beefed up a bit, and the fairway looks a tad better. Some other nice touches have been added to the new courses, such as the Dragonflies that buzz around the greens on the Four Winds Country Club course. A total of seven courses can be obtained, two of which can be played initially. They are, in order, the Balata Country Club, the Four Winds Country Club, the Blue Waters Country Club, the Emerald Resort Country Club, the Death Valley Country Club, the National Greens Country Club, and finally, King's Garden. Each course requires you adjust your play according to its conditions, so the skills you acquire as you play will be extremely useful in latter portions of the course acquisition process. There are a few other subtle graphical improvements, but they're so minute as to not warrant mention. The only thing that's really been overhauled are the menu graphics. Instead of little boxes that become highlighted when they're selected, ala Hot Shots 1, Hot Shots 2 features gold colored panels that rotate back and forth when highlighted, as if on an axis. Also, the background wallpaper that you see when viewing a menu can be changed. Granted, this is a nice option, but it wasn't really needed. The time and effort expended on including this option would've been better spent tweaking some other aspect of the game. Nevertheless, the selection of wallpaper is quite nice, and the menus look good. When it comes to the actual Golfers, they're all very different from one another in terms of looks and abilities. For example, Mel, one of the three initially selectable Golfers, is a hugely obese man who looks to be of Italian descent. In real life he wouldn't be out playing Golf, he'd be in a hospital awaiting triple bypass surgery. The other characters are of similar zanyness, but that only helps add to the lighthearted appeal of the game. As for the game's sound, it's surprisingly good. Still, the first Hot Shots had surprisingly good sound, so Hot Shots 2 hasn't drastically improved in this respect. Birds still tweet, the wind still howls, and the gallery still ooh's an ahh's. Everything sounds good and will almost certainly be satisfying for everyone, but the sound effects simply haven't improved that much. The single noticeable change is the voice of the lone commentator. While not a bad thing, this time around the commentator sounds like a very effeminate man. The announcer's commentary is fine though, and is kept to a minimum. All the music present in the game is played while you view a menu of one kind or another. In a similar vein to Hot Shots 1, Hot Shots 2's menu music is very melodious and soothing. If you're tired and you listen to it you may well nod off. Sound isn't really a huge factor in any sports game, let alone a Golf game, so what is present more than gets the job done. Gameplay is where Hot Shots Golf 2 really shines, as was the case with Hot Shots 1. Perhaps you're beginning to see a theme now. Hot Shots Golf 2 is so easy to just pick up and play that anyone, regardless of whether they've played a Golf game before or not, will be able to play the game without any difficulty on their very first try. If you're the type that would rather read the instruction manual before playing, you needn't bother. The Tutorial Mode will show you everything you need to know. It contains three separate tutorials for beginner, intermediate, and advanced players, thus ensuring that rookies and Hot Shots veterans alike can learn something new. In addition, you're presented with four other options at the Main Menu. You can select Game, Info, Continue, or Options. If you opt for Game, you're then presented with a sub menu of six choices. They are Stroke, Match Play, Tournament, Vs., 9-Hole Par 3, and Training. Should you select info, you're given a sub menu of another six choices; Status, Highlights, History, Profiles, Vs. Results, and Prizes. The Profiles and Prizes sections are both new. In the Profiles section you can view a profile for each character you've unlocked, whereas the Prizes section shows you what clubs/balls, goodies, and trophies you've won. In the first Hot Shots the only thing you could really win were new Golfers and trophies, so this is a most welcome addition. When it comes to control, Hot Shots 2 is fantastic, as I've alluded to numerous times now. It's simple learn, yet difficult to master, which is why it's so fantastic. Each Golfer has letter grades for Power, Control, Impact, and Spin. Furthermore, some of them are straight shooters while others tend to slice. In most cases, you have to weigh each Golfer's strengths and weaknesses to make an educated determination about which one you want to use. While one Golfer may be more powerful than another, that same Golfer may have less Control than his less powerful counterpart. This too is a good thing because it makes choosing a Golfer more than just an afterthought. Just as you had to do in Hot Shots 1, you must defeat locked Golfers in Vs. play in order to unlock them. There are a total of seven tiers of locked Golfers, with each tier containing between one and three locked Golfers. By defeating them you unlock them. It's as simple as that. In the final analysis, Hot Shots Golf 2 is a hands down winner. It's got everything that made the first Hot Shots so great and a little bit more. However, as good as it is, it just isn't a major step up from its predecessor. I personally don't find that problematic, as "more of the same" is great with me as far as Hot Shots Golf is concerned. I couldn't be more pleased. Regardless, those who haven't played Hot Shots Golf 1 or 2 would be just as happy with #1 as with #2. Sure, #2 is the better game, technically speaking, but as far as pure funfactor goes, the Hot Shots Golf uninitiated should probably go with #1. If you're a sports fan, a Golf fan, or merely enjoy playing fun games, Hot Shots Golf 2 is definitely worth your while, but perhaps not worth full price, depending on who you are. Graphics: + Very colorful + Some minor tweaking; trees look better and the fairway looks better, for example. + Golfers have amusing animations. + More stuff to unlock like new clubs and balls. + More Golfers to unlock. - Not any significant graphical improvement over Hot Shots Golf 1. Sound: +/- The sound effects are good, but they're simply of equal quality to those in Hot Shots 1. + The music, which is only played when viewing a menu, is very good and suits the game. Gameplay: + Easy to learn, tough to master. + Every Golfer controls differently. + You've got to compensate for weather thus ensuring the use of the ol' noggin. Replay Value: + 13 Golfers. + 7 Courses. + 7 Modes. + Clubs/balls, Golfers, and Trophies to earn. Overall: Graphics: B+ Sound: B+ Gameplay: A+ Replay Value: A- Overall: A Disclosure: Core purchased this title for review directly from retail.

Title: Hydro Thunder Publisher: Midway Developer: Midway Platform: PlayStation

This PlayStation incarnation of the popular arcade boat racer is a Hydro Blunder. The Bottom Line Nearly six months to the day since Midway released the Dreamcast version of Hydro Thunder alongside the system itself, they've decided to attempt to glean every possible dollar they can from their arcade blockbuster by releasing PlayStation and N64 versions of the game. Unfortunately, given the PlayStation hardware's limitations and some likely lazy programmers, Hydro Thunder on the PSX is abhorrent in a number of respects. Despite good sound and the addition of two new modes, the shoddy graphics, mediocre control, and horrible load times destroy virtually any amount of potential fun one could have with this game. If you've played the arcade version or the decent DC version you'll want to stay well away from this title. Even if you haven't played any incarnation of Hydro Thunder, this is one title you should definitely avoid. Recommend only for the most die hard Hydro Thunder fans, and even then, it's buyer beware. A Closer Look Don't get me wrong, I think Hydro Thunder is a decent game. I liked the arcade version and I thought the Dreamcast port was solid, if a bit lackluster. That said, and taking into account the limitations of the PlayStation hardware, I'm still taken aback at how horrendous Hydro Thunder looks and plays on the PSX. Everything from the water, to the boats, to the backgrounds look blocky and unattractive. Both previous versions of Hydro Thunder definitely required players to have a fine, deft touch, but the hyper sensitive steering in this version makes controlling your boat more of a chore than it should be. If you've got to have a console version of Hydro Thunder you'd be smart to get the Dreamcast version. Graphics are perhaps Hydro Thunder's worst failing, and when a game is this shoddy that's really saying something. I'm relatively familiar with what water looks like, and I don't recall it being composed of blue and white blocks. In all fairness, that probably isn't entirely the fault of the programmers, but nevertheless, I think they could've made more of an effort to make the water look a little more water-like. The boats themselves and the backgrounds look respectable, which is really being generous. There's some noticeable slowdown at times too, and the colors of everything look rather dull and uninspiring. "Blah" is the most succinct summation of my sentiments in respect to the graphics. The game's music and sound effects are thankfully a step up in terms of quality. The same grating, overly enthusiastic announcer from the Dreamcast version is present, and he's as annoying as he ever was. I had to turn down the volume on my TV several times because I didn't want to have to listen to him scream "Miss Behave!" or "Damn The Torpedoes!" when I selected one of the initially available boats. The music is the same as the quickly forgotten tunes from the DC version, so it's entirely superfluous. As far as the sound effects go, they're about as good as those in the DC version, but I'd say they're a slight notch below them. All in all, the sound is respectable, but very average. As I previously mentioned, every incarnation of Hydro Thunder has had rather tenuous control. That's not to say the control was bad, but it does take a while to get used to how sensitive the handling is. Keeping this in mind, I was still appalled at how atrocious the control is in the PSX version. I fortunately have a Dual Shock, which I believe probably helps the control somewhat, but even with the minimal assist it was still extremely frustrating trying to compensate for the hideous handling. A slight tap on the left analog stick to the right or the left would send my boat smashing into a wall. I'm sure with a little time, patience, and practice one could get used to the handling, but the graphics and sense of "been there, done that" will probably prevent most of the people unfortunate enough to play this game from getting to that point. In what was almost certainly a move to avoid criticism and give people an incentive to buy this game, Midway added two modes to the PlayStation version that weren't in the Arcade or Dreamcast versions. Those two modes are Circuit Mode and Time Trial Mode. In Circuit Mode you start with a total of $1,500 and pay to enter each race. If you manage to finish in first, second, or third you'll get a corresponding cash prize. You get $3,000 for first, $2,000 for second, and $1,000 for third. When you begin, and after you finish a race, you'll be able to see how much money you have, what your total earnings are, and the four sections of races. You can only use three boats in the beginning unless you unlock additional boats in the Arcade Mode first. Also, for those of you that have played Hydro Thunder before, you know that you have to place in the top three in order to complete a track successfully. I spent many an hour trying to unlock the Venice Canals stage in the Dreamcast version, so I know how maddening it can be. This isn't the case in the Circuit Mode. No matter if you finish first, last, or anywhere in between, you'll progress to the next race. As long as you have enough money for each race's entrance fee you can keep going. The Time Trial Mode is your standard Time Trial Mode. It's you versus the clock, and blah, blah, blah. This mode is essentially a Practice Mode as well since there are no other boats on the water to contend with. For those who haven't played Hydro Thunder before this is a good way to familiarize yourself with the various tracks' layouts. The same 13 tracks and 13 boats from the previous two versions are here, so if you've played Hydro Thunder before you know what to expect. Despite the addition of two bland, frivolous modes, the PlayStation version of Hydro Thunder is a game that should've never seen release. I can think of some racing games that are far worse, but in this day and age something with such a glaring lack of quality just shouldn't see release, if for no other reason than it reflects badly on the company that released it. I can understand Midway wanting to make as much money off of the Hydro Thunder name as they possibly can, but once the word gets out on this incarnation most people who were considering purchasing this title will hopefully save their money for something more worthwhile. If you've got a Dreamcast and you want to play Hydro Thunder at home, buy the Dreamcast version. If you don't own a Dreamcast and you want to play Hydro Thunder at home, I wholeheartedly recommend you go out and buy one. Put the $40+ you would've spent on the PSX version towards something you'll actually get some enjoyment out of. All are advised to stay well away from this game. Graphics: +/- The stages themselves and the background don't look bad, but they don't look good. - The water looks horrible, and in a boat racing game that's unacceptable. - The boats' colors look very muddy and unattractive - The overall aesthetic appeal is virtually nil. Sound: +/- The sound effects are respectable, but still extremely average. - The forgettable tunes from the DC version made it into this version. - That screaming buffoon of an announcer from the DC version is here as well. Gameplay: - Hypersensitive control - Two new modes that you really won't want to play Replay Value: - The horrible control will ensure that you don't spend much time with this game. - Two extraneous PlayStation-exclusive modes won't keep you coming back. - If you own the Dreamcast version you have no reason to play this game. Overall: Graphics: D+ Sound: C- Gameplay: D- Replay Value: D- Overall: D- Disclosure: Core received this title for review directly from its publisher.

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Copyright © 2000 Ian Johnston ian@coremagazine.com About the Author